E-2 TREATY INVESTOR / INVESTOR'S VISA

1. Investment Treaty: E-2 Investors can qualify by either purchasing an existing business in the United States or creating a new business in the U.S., commonly referred to as an “investment enterprise.” Investments in real estate alone do NOT qualify!

2. No minimum investment amount is required!: There is no requisite dollar amount required for an E-2 Investor to invest but is instead relative to the type of business that is purchased or created. A common myth is that a minimum of $100,000.00 U.S. is the required investment amount to qualify for an E-2. On the contrary, the Serianni Law Firm has achieved E-2 approvals for clients with lesser investment amounts, including as low as $40,000.00 U.S.

3. Small Businesses Qualify: E-2 investments in small businesses qualify, including but not limited to: automotive repair shops, beauty salons, café’s, florists, lawn care, pool care, restaurants, and souvenir stores.

4. No Minimum Number of U.S. Workers is required: There is no requisite number of U.S. workers that must be hired by an E-2 Treaty Investor or the investment enterprise.

5. Visa & Status Validity: The maximum validity of an E-2 visa is 5 years for each visa issuance but is dependent upon visa reciprocity between the United States and each individual treaty country. E-2 Treaty Investor status is granted in 2 year increments. E-2 visas and status can be renewed for life as long as the treaty remains in force and the investment enterprise remains active and operating.

6. Spouses & Children: Spouses and children (under age 21) of E-2 Investors are entitled to obtain dependent E-2 visas and status. In addition, spouses are eligible to apply for an “Employment Authorization Document (EAD)” to work in the United States after obtaining E-2 status.

7. Green Card: An E-2 investment does NOT lead to lawful permanent residence (Green Card) in the United States, unless the investment can be converted into the EB-5 Investor’s Green Card [Link] Program.

8. Treaty/Countries List: A link to the complete list of current countries that have an active treaty with the U.S is available here: Treaty/Countries List.

1. Explain the specific legal requirements contained in the U.S. immigration laws that must be proven to qualify for an E-2;
2. Explain the immigration procedures for filing and obtaining an E-2.
3. Review investment plans and opportunities to determine E-2 qualification;
4. Provide recommendations for qualifying for an E-2; AND
5. Answer all questions pertaining to the U.S. immigration laws and procedures.