The e2 visa is a popular option for foreign investors interested in doing business in the United States. This visa requires that an applicant be from a country with which the U.S. has a treaty of commerce and navigation, commonly referred to as an “e2 visa treaty country”. In this article we will explore which countries have such an agreement with the U.S., what this means, and how it could benefit you if you are considering investing in the U.S. On top of this we dive into what you can do if your country of citizenship is not one of the E2 Visa Treaty countries,

What is an e2 Visa Treaty Country?

An e2 visa treaty country is one that has a preexisting agreement of commerce and navigation with the United States, also known as a “treaty investor”. These agreements allow citizens or nationals of specific countries to invest money into a business located in the United States, and then apply for an e2 visa to work in the business. As long as these visitors meet certain criteria and have legitimate investments plans for their businesses, they can remain in the United States indefinitely.

Which Countries Have An E2 Visa Agreement With The US?

There are currently 80 countries that have such agreements with the US which are:

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

Additionally, Mexico and Canada each have special provisions allowing their citizens to receive e2 status without needing to go through normal immigration procedures. This allows Canadian or Mexican passport holders to enter without needing a visa when they are traveling directly from their home country on business related trips only requiring a brief stay (less than 90 days).

Which Countries Do not Have An E2 Visa Agreement With The US?

The following countries do not have an E2 Visa agreement with the USA:

India, China, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, San Marino, South Africa, Vatican City, Faroe Islands, Isle of Man, Peru, Venezuela, Eritrea, Russia, Uruguay, Namibia, Gambia, Botswana, Gabon, Israel, Belize, Haiti, Libya, Nepal, Mauritius, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Brunei, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Angola, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador

How Can the E2 Visa Benefit You?

If you are looking to invest in the United States but not become a permanent resident or citizen there are many benefits associated with obtaining an e2 visa such as

• The right to live legally in the US for up to five years at a time (with renewals)
• Access to US healthcare systems and educational opportunities for your family members who accompany you on your investment journey.
• You may also be eligible for certain tax savings or deductions depending on your individual case and circumstances        

How Much Do You Need To Invest In The USA To Get The E2 Investor Visa?

For investors interested in obtaining an E-2 Investor Visa directly from the United States, there are two primary requirements that must be met – firstly, that you make a substantial financial commitment towards investing into the U.S.-based business; secondly, that you demonstrate your intent and ability to develop and direct said business enterprise with “control” over it going forward after issuance of your visa (which usually requires full ownership). Depending on your circumstances, this could mean anything from investing between $100K-$300K (or more) into such venture depending on its size & scope; however ultimately there are no hard & fast rules regarding what is considered “substantial” capital when applying for this particular visa – each case will likely be evaluated based upon its own merits & circumstances so best approach would be contact competent immigration attorney who specialize in these types visas matters prior taking any steps further! 

What can you do if your country is not one of the E2 Visa treaty countries?

For those of you from countries not on this list do not despair there is a solution.

Investors interested in applying for the E2 visa from countries like China, India, Brazil, Vietnam and Nigeria that are not E2 Visa treaty countries can consider acquiring a second citizenship.

There are a small number of e2 treaty countries in the world that also have citizenship by investment programs. Such programs allow investors to acquire citizenship in the country in exchange for an economic contribution to the country. Contributions can be anything from a real estate investment or an active business investment to a one time donation. 

Grenada E2 Visa Pathway

Grenada is one of the most popular countries for those looking for an E-2 treaty country to invest in because it offers a Citizenship by Investment program. The Grenadian passport is especially attractive as it allows visa-free travel to over 130 countries, including all European Union member states. The cost of obtaining a Grenadian citizenship through investment ranges from $150,000 for the donation and from $220,000 via the real estate option.

Turkey E2 Visa Pathway

Turkey also offers an interesting Citizenship By Investment opportunity for investors with its Turkish investor visa program. The program requires applicants to make an investment in real estate from $400,000 USD or government bonds worth at least $250,000 USD and requires applicants to hold onto their investments for at least three years before applying for permanent residency or citizenship. This makes it a great option for those looking for stability and long-term growth potential in their investments. 

Portugal Golden Visa E2 Pathway

Last but not least, Portugal’s Golden Visa Program is also an attractive option for foreign investors seeking residency and/or citizenship in Europe via an E-2 treaty country pathway. Applicants must make a minimum real estate investment of €280,000 into Portuguese property and can expect to receive permanent residency within six months and Portuguese citizenship within five years if they choose to keep their investments active during that time period. 

The Amigos Act

The House of Representatives recently passed the Amigos Act, which extended the treaty countries to include Portugal and grant citizens access to invest and live in the U.S. by means of the Portuguese Golden Visa program. This move is expected to spark increased interest in the program and give a significant boost to the CBI industry.

However the passage of the Amigos Act could have negative implications for CBI programs that do not require applicants to live in the country, such as Grenada’s. The bill limits access to the E-2 Visa to individuals who have resided in their country of citizenship for at least three years. This restriction would contradict the “genuine link” stipulated by the EU last month and negatively impact Grenada’s CBI program.

Conclusion

Investing in America can be daunting but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re from one of 80 countries that have an existing agreement of commerce and navigation with the US then you may be eligible for an E-2 Visa which will enable you to live legally there while running your own business – potentially bringing great personal fulfilment as well as financial rewards! That’s why we recommend researching this route thoroughly before making any decisions about investing abroad – so make sure you investigate all possibilities before committing yourself!

Investors who first need to acquire citizenship through investment have many options available nowadays thanks to numerous countries offering various types of investor visas through their respective Citizenship by Investment programs or Golden Visa programs.