E-2 visa in the USA — Investor visa
E-2 investor visa for a substantial investment in a business in the USA (for citizens of treaty countries). For entrepreneurs ready to run a business in the States.
- It suits a national of a treaty country who has personally invested
- or is actively in the process of investing
- a substantial amount of capital in a real operating business in the USA and intends to develop and direct that enterprise in person
Who it suits
- It suits a national of a treaty country who has personally invested
- Or is actively in the process of investing
- A substantial amount of capital in a real operating business in the USA and intends to develop and direct that enterprise in person
- Entrepreneurs who are citizens of countries with a treaty with the USA and are ready to run the business themselves
- Investors who have already invested, or are ready to invest, capital in an operating enterprise in the USA
The status is also available to an employee of such an enterprise who is of the same nationality as the investor, if they hold a supervisory or executive post or possess special skills
Where the investor is a company rather than an individual, it must be at least 50% owned by nationals of the treaty country
The terms the expert works on
Prepares the documents and evidence file personally
Assembles and formats the whole package — from forms to achievement evidence for the petition — so it does not come back for rework.
Checks the case against USCIS requirements
Matches the documents to the specific visa category's criteria before filing, not after a denial.
Handles a Request for Evidence at no extra charge
If USCIS sends an RFE on the petition, prepares the response without an additional fee for the case itself.
A US immigration attorney runs the case
The petition is prepared and filed by a lawyer practising US immigration law, not an unlicensed consultant.
Names the price at the consultation, before work starts
The cost is quoted right after the case review — before the petition is drafted — and is not revised upward later, whatever happens along the way.
Matches the category to your profile
If the facts do not support one visa category, proposes the one the case actually fits, rather than forcing the filing into the category you asked for.
Deals with USCIS and the consulate directly
Responds to the agency's requests and prepares you for the interview personally, with no chain of intermediaries.
Residence permit in the US: comparing the options
The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-1 student visa in the USA — School selection + I-20 + preparation | Applicants and students enrolling on a full-time programme in the USA, those who need help choosing an accredited school and arranging the I-20 | 1–4 months | from $1,190 |
| E-2 visa in the USA — Investor visayou are here | Entrepreneurs who are citizens of countries with a treaty with the USA and are ready to run the business themselves, investors who have already invested, or are ready to invest, capital in an operating enterprise in the USA | 1–4 months | from $8,000 |
| L-1 visa in the USA — Manager transfer | Managers and key employees of companies opening an office or a branch in the USA, businesses with an existing related structure abroad and in the USA | 1–4 months | from $12,000 |
| O-1 talent visa in the USA | Academics, artists, athletes and entrepreneurs recognised in their field, those who already have a US employer or agent ready to file the petition | 1–4 months | from $12,500 |
| EB-1A green card in the USA — Extraordinary abilities | Academics, entrepreneurs and professionals with international recognition, those who can evidence extraordinary achievements without a sponsoring employer | 4–6 months | from $12,500 |
What the service includes
| Checking your country's treaty status and the structure of the investment | |
| Preparing a business plan to meet the E-2 requirements | |
| Preparing Forms DS-160 and DS-156E and the pack of evidence of the investment | |
| Support up to the consular interview or the change of status through USCIS | |
| The investment in the business itself— billed separately | |
| The fee for Form DS-160 (USD 205) and the consular visa fee— billed separately | |
| Registration of a company in the USA if it has not been set up yet— billed separately |
Official terms
Financial requirement
- The State Department sets no fixed minimum amount of investment: the capital must be 'substantial' — enough to genuinely develop the business, and the cheaper the enterprise, the higher the share of its value the investment must represent
- The enterprise must not be 'marginal', that is, it must have the capacity to generate income above a minimal living for the investor and their family
- The applicant pays the fee for Form DS-160 of $205, and if the visa is approved a visa issuance fee may additionally be charged on a reciprocity basis
Timelines and rights
Review time
- An applicant outside the USA files the documents and books an interview at the US embassy or consulate where they live
- An applicant already lawfully in the USA on another visa arranges a change of status to E-2 through USCIS by filing Form I-129 — that status is valid only inside the country and does not replace the visa stamp needed to return after travelling abroad
Right to work
The investor may work only within the enterprise for which the visa was issued. An employee holding an E-2 may work only for the employer that filed for them, and only in the role stated in the petition. The spouse of an E-2 holder is treated as automatically authorised to work by virtue of the status, with no separate work permit. Dependent minor children may not work, but are entitled to study at any educational institution in the USA.
Residence conditions
- No formal requirement is set for a minimum number of days of physical presence in the USA to keep E-2 status, but the investor must genuinely develop and direct the enterprise
- The key requirement is to keep an unequivocal intention to leave the USA once the E-2 status ends — that is, the visa does not contemplate permanent residence
Documents and programme requirements
- 1Citizenship of a country with a treaty of commerce and investment in force with the USA (around 80 countries, including Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Moldova — for citizens of Russia and Belarus without a second citizenship the visa is not available)
- 2A substantial investment in a real, operating business in the USA — there is no fixed minimum, but the cheaper the enterprise, the higher the share of its cost the investment has to be
- 3A business plan with financial projections 5 years ahead and evidence of funds already invested or irrevocably committed
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to permanent residence
- E-2 is a non-immigrant (temporary) visa that gives no direct route to a green card: the law requires the applicant to intend to leave the USA once the status ends, rather than allowing 'dual intent'
- A move to a green card is possible only through separate immigrant categories — for example EB-5, EB-1C for multinational company managers, EB-2 NIW or family sponsorship — and not by simply extending the E-2 visa itself
Route to citizenship
There is no direct route from E-2 status to US citizenship, as this is a non-immigrant, temporary status. Naturalisation can be applied for only after obtaining permanent residence through one of the separate immigrant categories and then living as a permanent resident for the period set by law, as a rule five years.
Frequently asked questions
Citizens of which countries can obtain the E-2 visa?
What is the minimum investment amount for the E-2?
Can you work as an employee on an E-2 visa rather than running your own business?
Can the spouse of an E-2 holder work in the USA?
Does the E-2 lead to a green card?
Related breakdowns
E-2 visa for Russians: why it's refused and what to do
The E-2 investor visa goes only to nationals of US treaty countries, and Russia isn't one. Which countries are, how a second citizenship helps, what to invest.
US degree evaluation: how work experience counts
What a credential evaluation is, which US visas need it and how 3 years' experience replace 1 year of study. When a bachelor's plus 5 years equals a master's.
EB-1A or O-1: which US talent visa to choose
The O-1 is a work visa for up to 3 years through an employer or agent; the EB-1A is a green card with no employer. Criteria, 2026 fees and how to combine them.
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