E-2 Investor Visa
Are you from one of the following countries?
---
Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China (Taiwan), Colombia, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, or the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Whales).
---
With a personal investment of as little as $100,000 USD (depending on the nature of the business) into your own business, you and your family can live and work in the United States as non-immigrants and be a part of the American Dream. Here is how it works:
- Create a new business (start up) or purchase an existing business using your personal funds. The actual size of the investment may vary depending on the nature of your business and generally reflects the Real Market Value of a business that will provide for more than your own personal income, i.e. will employ additional US workers or subcontractors.
- Personal funds can come from any legal source, such as savings, gifts or loans from friends and family, or any other legal source that is not secured against the business.
- Apply for Change of Status to E-2 or apply for an E-2 visa in your home country. Processing times at a US consular for a E-2 will vary consular post to consular post. Premium Processing is available from USCIS for Change of Status at an additional cost, which will lead to an approval in as little as 15 days.
- An E-2 status may be maintained in general for as long as you develop, control, and grow your business. However there is no direct pathway to Legal Permanent Residence (Green Card). The E-2 is a non-immigrant visa, and you must maintain your intent to leave the US at the point you choose to stop operating your business.
"Immigration Law is a mystery and a master of obfuscation, and the lawyers who can figure it out are worth their weight in gold." - Karen Kraushaar, INS Spokesperson, Washington Post, April 2001
