UNITED STATESE-2 RESIDENT INVESTORS VISA

Overview

An E-2 treaty investor visa is the fastest form of obtain a visa which allows residing in the USA. The E-2 is a non-immigrant visa reserved for foreign entrepreneurs of countries that have a Treaty of Trade and Commerce with the United States. E-2 investor visa allows foreign investors to enter and work inside of the United States based on a substantial investment in a bona fide enterprise.

Processing time

Average of 3 months
Investment type

new business or franchise in the USA
Investment cost

approximately USD 150,000 (and above without specific limit)
Family dependents

Spouse, dependent children below 21 years old and business employees

Country Info

The United States has long been known over the world as the land of opportunity, with its rich and diverse culture and one of the strongest currencies in the world.

Throughout its history, the United States has been a nation of immigrants. Currently, more than 325 million people live in the US. Of these, about 62 percent originally are of European descent,13 percent are African-American, 16 percent are Hispanic, and 5 percent are Asian. An estimated 20 percent of people living in the US speak a language other than English in their homes. Among the most common second languages are Spanish, Chinese, and Portuguese.

CAPITAL

Washington, D.C.

POPULATION

325.7 million

LANGUAGE

English

GOVERNMENT TYPE

Constitutional federal republic

CURRENCY

US dollar (USD)

EXCHANGE RATE

1 USD = 0.9214 EUR

Benefits

SIMPLE PROCESS

Fastest process to obtain entry to USA

Once residence obtained no need to spend any minimum time in the USA

Active management of business is not required

No language skills required

Not required to live in the same state where business is

No minimum education required

Time of validity varies depending on the country of treaty – generally validity is of 5 years

E2 Visa Renewal can be done unlimited times

FAMILY BENEFITS

All persons covered by E2 visas are permitted to travel in and out of the USA

Investor’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old can be included

Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty investor or employee

Family can live and work anywhere in the USA, it does not have to be in the same Estate where business is

Investor’s spouse can also apply to work anywhere in the USA

Free high school education for children in the USA and in state college tuition rates apply

Children get free access to education for 13 years (K-12) and reduced in State Tuition at University level

ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGES

Tax advantages - as a nonimmigrant resident if main applicant spends no more than 122 days per year in the USA no tax on worldwide income applies

E-2 does not directly lead to a “Green Card” but an E-2 may be converted to EB-5 to apply for citizenship over the course of time if the investment amount is increased to match EB-5 requirements

To qualify for E-2 classification, the employee of a treaty investor must:

Employees can be added under the same application and they must be the same nationality of the principal alien employer (who must have the nationality of the treaty country)

Costs

The investment used to qualify for an E2 visa must be in an active and operating business that requires people to work in the business.

1. E2 Visa Investment

Approximate E2 Visa Investment Amount USD 150,000 (and above without specific limit). Funds could be placed into a special escrow account only to be transferred if the E2 visa is granted. Escrow account arrangements are more likely to be relevant if you are buying an existing business instead of starting a new business. In such a situation the seller of the business could agree for money to be held in an escrow account.

Approximate E2 Visa Investment Amount

USD 150,000

Citizenship Invest professional fees, official application forms, certification of citizenship and passport, courier & other disbursements are the only other costs associated. A detailed quotation with no hidden costs is provided for the specific case.

Required Documents

Citizenship Invest appoints a Document Collection Specialist for each case. The firm offers a bespoke
service that simplifies the application process, requesting from clients the bear minimum. Our job is to
simplify the document collection as much as possible and when required we obtain the documents for the
client without their involvement. Please note the below list is to be used as a guideline only, after assessing
the particular case Citizenship Invest prepares a personalized checklist.

Documents required from each applicant including children:
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160.
• Certified copy of valid passport (with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period of stay in the United States)
• One (1) Original 2-by-2-inch (5-by-5-cm) photograph.

Documents required only from the main applicant:
• Nonimmigrant Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Application DS-156E,
completed and signed, for executives/managers/essential employees.
• A credible business plan showing that the US business will generate
enough money to support the applicant during his/her stay in the US
along with all his dependents. The business cannot be marginal.
• A business registration for the United States business.
• Proof of wire transfer.
• Proof of source of income.
• Proof of intent to return to your country (because this visa does not allow
dual intent)

Documents required only if married persons apply together:
• Original excerpt of marriage record or certified copy of marriage
certificates
• Certified copy of divorce certificate (if applicable).

Timeline

Apply Now

MONTH 1

CI will pre-screen your passport and Applicant to complete the investor questionnaire form. A down payment for professional fees is payable to start your application.

MONTH 2

Evaluate business/investment options and select E-2 franchise

Organize/register business enterprise with relevant U.S. Government authorities

Gather documents related to E-2 submission

Sign relevant forms for E-2 submission

Prepare legal memorandum and E-2 File for submission to U.S. Embassy/Consulate

MONTH 3

Submit E-2 filing package to U.S. Embassy/Consulate

Embassy/Consulate review

Prepare for visa interview at U.S. Embassy/Consulate

Attend interview and receive decision from U.S. Embassy/Consulate

Note: All timeframes provided above are estimated. The exact timing of each E-2 process is unique, and depends upon how diligent the investor is to provide the required documentation; the type of business for the E-2 investment (whether a startup enterprise or purchasing an existing business, and the process involved with the purchase – i.e., the timeline of the seller); and, the processing time of the U.S. Embassy/Consulate and waiting period to attend the visa interview.

UNITED STATES VISA FREE countries

* Visa on arrival

TREATY COUNTRIES WITH USA

Albania
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Congo
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Ethiopia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Grenada
Honduras
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Liberia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Senegal
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Yugoslavia

*The list of countries is subject to variations depending on each government's policy and so is access to these countries.

brochure

Content

Program Overview
Citizenship Law
Country profile
Benefits of the program
Applicants Qualifications
Investment requirements
Application Fees
Document Checklist
List of countries Visa free and on arrival

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15 pages3.88 MB