E-2 Visa – Investor Visa
Nationals of countries with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation and who is coming to the United States to carry on substantial trade can apply for an E-2 Investor Visa. Substantial trade includes trade in services or technology, principally between the U.S. and the treaty country. An E-2 investor visa can also be granted to a foreign national entering the United States to develop or direct the operations of an enterprise in which the national has invested, or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital.
An E-2 applicant must show that s/he is entering:
- to carry on substantial international trade between the U.S. and the foreign states of which s/he is a national, or
- to develop or direct an enterprise in which the foreign national has invested, or will invest, a substantial amount of capital, or
- as a principal employee from a treaty country, or
- as a principal employer who is
- a foreign national from a treaty country,
- an organization that 50% or more owned by treaty nationals.
A foreign national applying for an E-2 investor visa must also demonstrate that s/he does not intend to permanently reside in the United States. The Department of State requires an applicant to prove that s/he will not seek to adjust to permanent resident status in the United States.
An E-2 investor visa is initially granted for periods of 2 years; this visa can be extended for up to 2 years per application. E-2 treaty investor countries include Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China (Taiwan), Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Serbia & Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia.
