Treaty Investors E-2 INVESTOR TEMPORARY WORK VISA
Citizens of countries that have a Treaty of Trade and Commerce with theUnited States, may apply for the E-2 Investor temporary work visa. Thisvisa enables the alien to "Develop and Direct" the active US businessenterprise. To qualify, the applicant must make a "Substantial" investmentin an active US business. Investments in real property (for appreciationpotential), and investments in Stocks, and Bonds, are not considered to beactive investments. The amount of investment capital required in order toconsidered "Substantial" is relative to both the total value of the USinvestment enterprise; and the amount of capital generally required toconduct the particular business enterprise. Thus, where the total value ofthe investment enterprise is $100,000, an investment of $75,000 may beconsidered substantial. As a rule of thumb, in cases where the total valueof the investment enterprise is less than $500,000 the investor mustinvest at least an amount equal to 75% of the value of the investmententerprise, for businesses valued at between $500,000 and $1,000,000 theprincipal investor must invest an amount equal to at least 50% of thevalue of the investment enterprise, and for businesses valued at over$1,000,000, the principal investor may invest less than 50% of the valueof the enterprise to qualify for the E-2 visa.
The E-2 visa is valid for one (1) year periods renewable for additionalone year periods indefinitely.
At least 50% of the US investment enterprise must be owned by citizens ofthe E-2 qualifying country.
Managers and Essential personnel from abroad may also qualify for E-2 visastatus. Thus. foreign companies and individuals from qualifying E-2countries may send managers and/or essential personnel to the newlyestablished E-2 enterprise. the nationality of a corporation is determinedby the nationality of the corporate shareholders.
Persons with valid non-immigrant status in the United States may applywithin the US to change their status to that of an E-2. Aliens enteringthe United States under the visa waiver program may not change theirstatus in the US to that of an E-2.
For example, Canadian citizens enter the United States as Tourists, andBusiness Visitors under the Visa Waiver Program; and thus may not apply tochange their status to that of an E-2 while in the United States asvisitors. All E-2 visa applications for Canadians (without valid USnon-immigrant status) must be processed through the US Consulate Generalin Toronto. The normal processing time for the E-2 case through theConsulate in Toronto is between 6 and 8 weeks.
National of the following countries may apply for E-2 status:
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,Bosnia, Bulgaria, CANADA, Cameroon, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia,Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia,Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Korea (South),Kyrgystan, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Jamaica, Macedonia, Mexico,Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,Philippines, Poland, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Ukraine.
Due to the close proximity of our Ontario branch office, the legal fee tohave our law office prepare and submit an E-2 Visa Application at the USConsulate General in Toronto, Canada is only $3,500 US dollars plus GST,Visa Application Fee ($100 per person), and incidental expenses (Tel, Fax,and Express Mail).
The legal fee to have our law office prepare and submit an E-2 VisaApplication at USConsulates or Embassies abroad (other than in Canada) is only $3,500 USdollars plus, the Application Fee, and incidental expenses.
The legal fee to have our law office prepare and submit an E-2 Change ofStatus Application on behalf of a person with otherwise validnon-immigrant status in the United States is only $2,500 US dollars plus,the application fee, and incidental expenses.