The E-2 investor visa is the easiest route to open a business in the United States with a minimal investment. It is a non-immigrant investor visa with the fastest processing times. This visa is considered one of the best alternatives to EB-5 which has two or three years of waiting times. The backlog for China is far worse.

The E-2 visa  is ONLY available to certain nationalities around the world.

No E2 visa treaty

These countries do not have E-2 treaty with United States, as a result nationals of these big economic countries do not have an opportunity to apply for US investor visas

  • China
  • India
  • Brazil
  • Vietnam
  • Brazil
  • Russia
  • Indonesia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Lebanon

This is where citizenship by investment (CBI) schemes come in, to help nationals of these countries become a citizen by investment and and then qualify for E-2 visa.

Here is the full list of countries that have no E-2 treaty signed with United States. These country nationals can benefit from citizenship by investment schemes to secure a backdoor entry into United States

Once you become a CBI citizen, you can file for E-2 visa at any US consulate, where you are resident or citizen of. E-2 visas are issued for maximum of 2 years with extensions,

Afghanistan Greece Mozambique
Algeria Guatemala Myanmar
Andorra Guinea Namibia
Angola Guinea-Bissau Nauru
Antigua & Barbuda Guyana Nepal
Bahamas Haiti Nicaragua
Barbados Hong Kong SAR Niger
Belarus Hungary Nigeria
Belize Iceland Palestine
Benin India Palau
Bhutan Indonesia Papua New Guinea
Botswana Iran* Peru
Brazil Iraq Portugal
Brunei Ivory Coast Qatar
Burkina Faso Kazakhstan Russian Federation
Burundi Kenya Rwanda
Cambodia Kiribati St Kitts & Nevis
Cape Verde North Korea* Saint Lucia
Central African Rep Kuwait Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Chad Laos Samoa
China Lebanon San Marino
Comoros Lesotho Sao Tome & Principe
Croatia Libya Saudi Arabia
Cuba Liechtenstein Seychelles
Cyprus Madagascar Sierra Leone
Djibouti Malawi Solomon Islands
Dominica Malaysia Somalia
Dominican Republic Maldives South Africa
El Salvador Mali South Sudan
Equatorial Guinea Macau SAR Sudan
Eritrea Malta Suriname
Eswatini Marshall Islands Syria*
Fiji Mauritania Tajikistan
Gabon Mauritius Tanzania
Gambia Micronesia Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Ghana Monaco Tonga

* Cannot apply due to Trump travel ban on non immigrant visas

CBI and E-2 countries

There are only 6 countries, that has both a citizenship by investment scheme and E-2 treaty with the United States.

  • Grenada  – $150,000
  • Moldova – €100,000)
  • Montenegro – €350,000
  • Turkey – $250,000
  • Bulgaria – €1 million
  • Egypt – $250,000

How much it costs?

If you want a Citizenship by investment (CBI) passport, plus E-2 visa to United States, in general you should be able to invest atleast US$ 250,000 in the package. Families can be included. The cheapest path we recommend is through Grenada.

Grenada – $150,000 (passport donation)
E-2 Visa – $100,000 (investment)
Total: $250,000

Expect additional costs such as US lawyer fee and other small expenses.  For Grenada, you have to pay additional agent fee, due diligence etc. Please use our CBI calculator

You should also allow plenty of time, we recommend atleast 6 months for both CBI and E-2 visa package.

There is an E-2 application fee $205

E-2 visas are issued for 2 years and extensions possible.

How to apply?

In general applicant should be prepared to invest at least $100,000 in the enterprise creating jobs, to have a good E2 visa case. The more the investment for example $250,000, the better the chances of E-2 approval.

It makes everything easier if you hire a US lawyer who specializes in Grenada and Citizenship by Investment.

  1. Become a Citizen in any of the above 4 countries
  2. Hire a US lawyer for E-2 paperwork (we can help)
  3. Apply for E-2 visa at US embassy in your country (eg. China, India). You can also apply for E-2 visa at US embassy in  Turkey, Barbados (for Grenada, Moldova but you have to be a permanent resident legally living in these countries.

E-2 Visa Conditions

You also need to know some conditions with E-2 visa

  • The investor, either a person, partnership or corporate entity, must have the citizenship of a treaty country.
  • If a business, at least 50 percent of the business must be owned by persons with the treaty country’s nationality.
  • The investment must be substantial (atleast $100,000 or more), with investment funds or assets committed and irrevocable. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise.
  • The investment must be a real operating enterprise, an active commercial or entrepreneurial undertaking. A paper organization, speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment.
  • It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to you and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the United States.
  • You 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.
  • You must be coming to the United States to develop and direct the enterprise. If you are not the principal investor, you must be considered an essential employee, employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity.  Ordinary skilled and unskilled workers do not qualify.

Taxes

Remember! The US taxes its residents and citizen based on worldwide income. Most E-2 like EB-5 visa holders pay business tax of 35% plus their State, which can be 10%. They also pay capital gains tax to the America on their worldwide income of about 23.5%.

Careful tax planning is required before the E-2 visa applicant moves to the United States.

Please contact us for more information.