E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

E2 treaty investor visa is the license awarded to the nationals of those countries which have signed a treaty with the United States for commerce and navigation. The E2 treaty visa holders can invest their money in US for various businesses or commercial purposes.

The eligibility criteria for E2 treaty investor visa includes: you must be a national of the treaty country, the investment must be substantial for supporting the business, the investment should be a real operating enterprise, the investment or capital should not be meager rather it should be able to generate significant economic impact and employment, you must have a control over the funds (if you have taken loans showing your enterprise as collateral, then you would be considered ineligible), you must have good knowledge and appreciable skills so as to maintain the enterprise. Certain people who are denied US visas can also get E2 treaty investor visa if they are approved of waiver of ineligibility.

Though there is no specific minimum qualifying capital for E2 treaty investor visa, but the regional commissioner of the southern region of the US immigration service has said that usually an investment of $75,000 would be adequate to qualify. If you are an investor then you must hold at least 51% of the enterprise’ assets or hold a significant position if you come as part of a big firm.

Once you satisfy the eligibility conditions, you will have to file an application form DS-156E. The cost of the application form is $100 which is non refundable. A copy of your passports, a latest photograph (pertaining to the standards specified by the USCIS), and DS-157 if you are male applicant of 16 to 45 years of age.

E2 treaty investor visa is usually given for a period of 5 years. Even your spouse and children can have E2 treaty visas for the same duration. They would be allowed to stay in the country for a year. If you wish to extend your visa, you have to apply the form I-129 along with the E supplement to the US Immigration and Naturalization service.

You would get an extension up to 2 years. Even your spouses can get Employment authorization, if they file form I-765 along with the supporting documents, to the US immigration service center. The period of stay usually does not extend more than two years.