E-2 treaty investor visa guides
Plain-English guides to the E-2 visa: the requirements, the business plan, source of funds, the process and interview, how the E-2 compares to other visas, what it costs and how long it takes, plus guides by industry and by country. General information for treaty investor applicants.
Core guides
E-2 Visa Requirements: The Complete Eligibility Checklist
The E-2 treaty investor visa has seven core requirements, from treaty nationality to a substantial, at-risk investment in a real U.S. business.
The E-2 Visa Business Plan: What Consular Officers Look For
A strong E-2 visa business plan shows a real, non-marginal enterprise: market analysis, five-year financials, staffing, and U.S. job creation.
How Much Investment Does an E-2 Visa Require?
The E-2 visa has no fixed minimum investment. Substantiality is judged by proportionality and marginality, with commonly cited ranges explained.
E-2 Source of Funds: Proving Your Investment Is Lawful
E-2 source of funds documentation traces investment capital to a lawful origin. A guide to acceptable sources, the paper trail, and common pitfalls.
The E-2 Visa Process, Step by Step
The E-2 visa process step by step: confirm eligibility, invest, prepare the business plan, file DS-160 and DS-156E, and attend the consular interview.
E-2 Visa Interview Questions and How to Prepare
Common E-2 visa interview questions about the investment, the business, source of funds, and your background, with practical preparation tips.
Completing the DS-160 for an E-2 Visa
How the DS-160 and DS-156E forms work for an E-2 visa application, the E-2-specific entries, and the mistakes that cause delays.
E-2 compared to other visas
E-2 vs EB-5: Comparing the Two Investor Visas
E-2 vs EB-5: the E-2 is a renewable nonimmigrant visa with no fixed minimum; EB-5 is a green card route from 800,000 dollars. A side-by-side comparison.
E-2 vs L-1 Visa: Treaty Investor or Intracompany Transferee
The E-2 fits a treaty-country investor; the L-1 transfers a manager from a qualifying company abroad, with dual intent and an EB-1C green-card route.
E-2 vs O-1 Visa: Treaty Investment or Extraordinary Ability
The E-2 qualifies on a treaty investment; the O-1 qualifies on extraordinary ability, needs a petitioner, and parallels the EB-1A green card.
E-2 vs B-1 Visa: Running a Business or Visiting on Business
The E-2 lets a treaty investor run a U.S. business; the B-1 business visitor cannot work or operate one, only negotiate, meet, and set things up.
E-2 vs H-1B Visa: Self-Directed Investor or Sponsored Employee
The E-2 is a self-directed treaty investor visa with no cap; the H-1B is an employer-sponsored, lottery-capped specialty-occupation visa with dual intent.
E-2 vs E-1 Visa: Treaty Investor or Treaty Trader
The E-2 treaty investor invests capital in a U.S. business; the E-1 treaty trader runs substantial cross-border trade. Same treaty basis, different qualifier.
Cost, timeline, and process
E-2 Visa Cost: Government Fees, Professional Fees, and the Investment
E-2 visa costs: the $315 consular fee, professional fees, and the investment itself, plus USCIS petition and premium-processing fees on the in-U.S. route.
Can You Prepare Your Own E-2 Visa Application?
An honest look at whether you can prepare your own E-2 visa application, which parts you can handle yourself, and when to get an attorney's review.
Setting Up Your US Business for an E-2 Visa: Company, EIN, and Bank Account
How a foreign founder sets up the US side of an E-2: forming the company, getting an EIN without an SSN, and opening a bank account remotely.
E-2 Visa Processing Time: How Long Does It Take?
E-2 processing time depends on the consulate: interview wait plus visa processing, usually weeks. 221(g) administrative processing can add weeks to months.
E-2 Visa Renewal: Extending Treaty Investor Status
E-2 status renews in two-year periods and can be extended indefinitely while the business qualifies, by consular reissuance or a USCIS Form I-129 extension.
E-2 Visa Denial: Common Reasons and What 221(g) Means
E-2 refusals stem from marginality, source-of-funds gaps, or intent concerns. A 221(g) refusal usually means administrative processing, not a final denial.
E-2 Visa Document Checklist: How the Application Package Is Assembled
What goes into an E-2 application package: the forms and evidence every post asks for, plus verified format rules from Istanbul, Lisbon, and Madrid.
E-2 business plans by industry
E-2 Visa Business Plan for a Restaurant
What an E-2 visa business plan for a restaurant needs: the investment profile, staffing and job creation, and how to show the business is not marginal.
E-2 Visa Business Plan for a Franchise
An E-2 visa business plan for a franchise: franchise fees as investment, the disclosure documents officers expect, staffing, and non-marginality.
E-2 Visa Business Plan for an E-commerce Business
E-commerce E-2 visa business plans face the marginality test head-on: showing real operations, inventory and fulfillment investment, and U.S. job creation.
E-2 Visa Business Plan for a Technology Startup
E-2 visa business plans for technology and software startups: showing real operations, an at-risk investment, and U.S. hiring beyond the founder.
E-2 Visa Business Plan for a Consulting Firm
Consulting E-2 visa cases are scrutinized for marginality and low capital: showing real investment, premises, and staff beyond the consultant.
E-2 Visa Business Plan for a Retail Store
An E-2 visa business plan for a retail store: inventory and fit-out as investment, location and staffing, and showing the store is more than marginal.
E-2 visa by country
E-2 Visa for Turkish Citizens
Türkiye has held an E-2 treaty since 1990. Moving funds from Turkish banks, the source-of-funds paper trail, SGK, dual citizens, and applying from Türkiye.
E-2 Visa for Japanese Citizens
Japan is the largest E-2 nationality (15,521 visas in FY2024). Five-year visas, Tokyo and Osaka processing, nenkin decisions, and moving funds from Japan.
E-2 Visa for German Citizens
Germany is a top-3 E-2 nationality (3,902 visas in FY2024). Frankfurt-only processing, the AWV transfer report, Rentenversicherung, and the five-year visa.
E-2 Visa for UK Citizens
The UK E-2 has a unique residence rule: applicants must actually live in the UK. London-only processing, National Insurance changes, and the 1815 treaty.
E-2 Visa for South Korean Citizens
South Korea is the #2 E-2 nationality (6,778 visas in FY2024). Seoul's strict source-of-funds review, the FX bank report, NPS, and the five-year visa.
E-2 Visa for French Citizens
France's E-2 visa is 48 months, not five years. The validity story, Paris processing, overseas departments, and what French applicants actually receive.
E-2 Visa for Italian Citizens
Italy's E-2: Rome-only digital filing, the rogito and donazioni paper trail, the $198 reciprocity fee, and why dual US-Italian citizens cannot use it.
E-2 Visa for Spanish Citizens
Spain's E-2: Madrid's strict page caps, the 1903 treaty, the $124 reciprocity fee, and the social-security coverage gap to plan for before the move.
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