E2 Investor Visa Countries
One of the main requirements a foreign investor or entrepreneur must satisfy in order to qualify for an E2 Investor Visa for the USA is to be a citizen of one of the E2 investor visa countries. The investor or entrepreneur must be a citizen of one of the countries with which the United States maintains a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation. The investor does not qualify for an E2 Visa if he or she is only a legal permanent resident of one of the E2 investor visa countries. In other words, the foreign investor or entrepreneur seeking to do business in the US must have a passport from one of the E2 investor visa countries listed below in order to be able to apply for an E2 Visa.
The E2 investor visa the USA is a suitable visa for foreign-born investors and entrepreneurs who want to live and work in the United States and bring their families along. The E2 visa requires an investment in a US business and is granted on the premise that the investor is coming to the United States to conduct business and manage and direct a US Business. This type of visa does not require a job offer and the foreign investor can apply for an E2 visa for themselves and their family on their own account. However, not every foreign investor is eligible to apply for an E2 Visa. As discussed above, the investor must be a citizen of an E2 investor visa country in order to qualify.
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There are about 80 E-2 investor visa countries with whom the United States has an E-2 Treaty. The length of time the E2 visa is issued for is known as the E2 validity period and depends on the reciprocity between the US and the E2 Treaty Country. Below you can find the E2 investor visa countries and E2 validity period for each country. Currently, the E2 investor visa countries, are:
- Albania (3 years validity)
- Argentina (5 years)
- Armenia (5 years)
- Australia (4 years)
- Austria (5 years)
- Azerbaijan (3 months)
- Bahrain (3 months)
- Bangladesh (3 months)
- Belgium (5 years)
- Bolivia (including only Bolivian nationals with qualifying investments in place in the United States by June 10, 2012 continue to be entitled to E2 classification until June 10, 2022)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (1 year)
- Bulgaria (5 years)
- Cameroon (1 year)
- Canada (5 years)
- Chile (1 year)
- China (Taiwan)(5 years)
- Colombia (5 years)
- Congo (Brazzaville) (3 months)
- Congo (Kinshasa) (3 months)
- Costa Rica (4 years)
- Croatia (5 years)
- Czech Republic (5 years)
- Denmark (not including Greenland) (18 months)
- Ecuador (including only Ecuadorian nationals with qualifying investments in place in the United States by May 18, 2018 continue to be entitled to E2 classification until May 18, 2028)
- Egypt (3 months)
- Estonia (5 years)
- Ethiopia (6 months)
- Finland (2 years)
- France (including Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion) (48 months)
- Georgia (1 year)
- Germany (5 years)
- Grenada (5 years)
- Honduras (5 years)
- Ireland (5 years)
- Israel (24 months)
- Italy (5 years)
- Jamaica (5 years)
- Japan (including Bonin Islands and Ryukyu Islands) (5 years)
- Jordan (3 months)
- Kazakhstan (1 year)
- South Korea (5 years)
- Kosovo (1 year)
- Kyrgyzstan (3 months)
- Latvia (34 months)
- Liberia (1 year)
- Lithuania (1 year)
- Luxembourg (5 years)
- North Macedonia (5 years)
- Mexico (1 year)
- Moldova (3 months)
- Mongolia (3 years)
- Montenegro (1 year)
- Morocco (5 years)
- Netherlands (including Aruba and Netherlands Antilles) (5 years)
- New Zealand (5 years)
- Norway (not including Svalbard Spitzbergen and certain lesser islands) (3 years)
- Oman (6 months)
- Pakistan (5 years)
- Panama (5 years)
- Paraguay (5 years)
- Philippines (5 years)
- Poland (1 year)
- Portugal (5 years)
- Romania (5 years)
- Senegal (1 year)
- Serbia (1 year)
- Singapore (2 years)
- Slovakia (2 years)
- Slovenia (5 years)
- Spain (5 years)
- Sri Lanka (3 years)
- Suriname (5 years)
- Sweden (2 years)
- Switzerland (4 years)
- Thailand (6 months)
- Togo (3 years)
- Trinidad & Tobago (5 years)
- Tunisia (5 years)
- Turkey (5 years)
- Ukraine (27 months)
- United Kingdom (British territory in Europe, the British Isles, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar and not including Republic of Ireland) (5 years)
E2 Spouse and Dependent
Because the E2 investor visa the USA is issued based on the country of citizenship of the investor, it is important to note that an E2 visa is not granted to investors who are stateless (individuals who are not recognized as a citizen of any country). Regarding the family of an E2 visa holder, the spouse and children are afforded the derivative E2 status of the principle E2 visa holder. For example, you are a citizen of Turkey and you are the primary holder of an E2 visa. Your husband or wife and children are citizens of China (Hong Kong) which does have an E2 treaty with the United States. Then, your spouse and children are entitled to the derivative E2 status of Turkey because you as a primary holder of an E2 visa are a citizen of Turkey.
With respect to the validity period for each country, the majority of E2 investor visa countries have a 5-year E2 validity, but some countries have only 3 months. When an E2 visa is valid only for 3 months, this represents the period of time the investor has to enter the US after the visa is issued. Once the applicant enters the US, he or she is entitled to 2 years under E2 status to direct and develop his or her business. The investor can renew his or her status with USCIS indefinitely or if the investor leaves the US after the 3-month period, he or she needs to renew the visa at a U.S. consulate.
If your country does not appear on the E2 investor visa countries above, please check the U.S. Department of State website to see the most current list of E2 Treaty countries.
For more information about the E-2 Investor Visa or to speak to our experienced business immigration lawyers in Miami, Florida, USA contact us now or schedule a consultation.
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