Who Is Eligible for an E2 Visa?

If you are interested in traveling and staying in the United States for business or investment purposes, you need to fill out an E2-Visa application to be eligible. If you are seeking legal assistance in filing for an E2-Visa, it’s highly recommended to consult with an E2 Visa Attorney to determine the best course of action for your travel purposes and immigration goals. Based upon certain criteria and guidelines stated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State, you may or may not be eligible for an E2-Visa. 

The Criteria for Eligibility

To be certain you are eligible to receive the E2-Visa, it’s important to know what an E2-Visa is and some of the necessary details to obtain one. Officially called the “E2 Treaty Investor Visa,” this Visa type allows individuals from foreign countries to travel to the U.S. to develop and contribute to the operations of a business of which that person has invested in, or is in the process of investing (at least $100,000 minimum). It’s valid for three months to five years, depending on the business venture, and can be extended.

Requirements of the E2 Visa

Some of the major requirements of an E2-Visa include:

? The individual must be a national of a treaty country and must work in the U.S. for a company they own, or that is at a minimum 50% owned by other nationals of the country of origin.
? The applicant must be the owner or an essential employee such as an executive, supervisor, or in another capacity of authority in the U.S. business
? A minimum of $100,000 investment must be met (but fewer amounts are possible)
? The investment must have a positive economic impact in the U.S.
? The individual is required to develop and direct the business they are investing in
? The investment is either put into a new company or an existing business
? Once the investor’s business in the U.S. is finished, they must intend to return to their home country of origin.

The Benefits of the E2 Visa

The E2-Visa may have some stringent and demanding requirements, but several benefits of the Visa are worth noting. For example, the E2-Visa is available to citizens of 75 treaty countries. The spouses of E2-Visa holders can also obtain an open-market work permit to work for any company of their choice. The children of E2-Visa holders can also attend the school of their choice while living in the U.S. and may qualify for scholarships for colleges and universities.

Seeking the Assistance of an E2 Visa Attorney

If you still have any questions about getting your application started or you are unsure if you meet some of the requirements for the E2-Visa, get in touch with an E2-Visa attorney to see how you can be eligible. You can get a full analysis of your qualifications and recommendations to further boost your chances of getting approved. For more specific details and information on filing an E2-Visa application, you can visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website to get a full glance at the application criteria.