Investment Visa
E-2 Treaty Investor

The E-2 non-immigrant visa is often the most appropriate
nonimmigrant visa for investors purchasing an existing
business or establishing a new business in the US.

E-2 Visa Treaty Countries:

Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China
(Taiwan), Colombia, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo
(Democratic Rep. of the), Congo (Rep.), (Kinshasa), Costa
Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar,
Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico,
Moldavia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia,
Wallis & Futura Islands, Western Sahara.

Applicants who are citizens of the above countries may apply
for E2 visa status in order to develop and direct the business
in the US.

Requirements:

- The investor, either a real or corporate person, must be a national of a treaty country.
- The investment must be substantial. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise. The percentage of investment for a low-cost business enterprise must be higher than the percentage of investment in a high-cost enterprise.

- The investment must be a real operating enterprise. Speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment.

- The investment may not be marginal. It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to the investor and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the U.S.

- The investor must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. Loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not allowed.

- The investor must be coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the enterprise. If the applicant is not the principal investor, he or she must be employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity. Ordinary skilled and unskilled workers do not qualify.

The foreign national spouse or unmarried minor
childrenof a foreign national with an E-1 visa
may accompanythe E-2 visa holder to the US.
They may also stay in theUS the same length of
time as the E-2 visa holder.