How Much Do You Need to Invest for Your E-2 Visa?

 One point of confusion for many foreign entrepreneurs is how much they need to invest to obtain an E-2 visa.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) defines “substantial investment” for the purposes of obtaining an E-2 visa as:

• Substantial in relationship to either purchasing the enterprise or creating a new one;
• The successful operation of the enterprise is dependent on the treaty investor’s investment;
• Large enough that it is highly likely the treaty investor will be successful in developing and directing the enterprise.

As you can see, there is no “set” amount of money the U.S. government requires for an E-2 visa, and there is a fine line that examiners walk in determining what is a substantial investment. For example, an investment of $50,000 might be considered substantial if you will be growing your business by three times that amount within a year or two. However, if your business will only grow to less than $100,000 on that $50,000 investment, it could be considered marginal and not enough to develop an enterprise that will provide jobs and a benefit to the U.S. economy.

Investments should typically be in a minimum amount of $100,000 to $150,000, but can be less, depending on the type of business. The invested funds must belong to the investor. Personal loans from relatives or friends can be considered part of the investment as long as the business is not collateral for the loan. The investment money can come from gifts as well.

Applying for an E-2 visa requires extensive documentation, and should not be undertaken without the counsel of an experienced business immigration attorney.