Opening or expanding your business into the US is a great opportunity for many residents of the United Arab Emirates, as well as business persons around the world. To achieve that, you would need to obtain the right type of visa which is an E2 visa*. This visa is also known as the treaty investor visa and is highly coveted by foreign nationals who are interested in investing because of the wide range of benefits having the E2 visa* provides.
What is the E2 Visa*?
The E2 visa* is a nonimmigrant visa that allows a citizen of a US treaty country to travel and live in the United States for the sole purpose of investing capital in a US-approved commercial enterprise. While the visa isn’t a citizenship path, there is a way to move from holding an E2 visa* to permanent residency, which you can read about here: Turning an E2 Visa into a Green Card – Range Developments
The E2 visa’s* primary purpose is to allow foreign nationals from countries that hold a commerce treaty with the US to expand or open a business. To read more about what kind of companies you’re able to invest in or open, we encourage you to read here: What Type of Business is Eligible for E2 Visa* | Range Developments
Beyond having the ability to open or expand your business into the US, the E2 visa* gives the holder other benefits:
- Unlimited re-entry privileges for the duration of the visa
- Free education in public schools and in-state tuition costs at universities
- Spouses are able to work anywhere in the U.S.
- Children under 21 are included on the visa and the allotted benefits
- Visa holders can sponsor specialized employees from their nation and can work in their E2 business
- E2 Visa* holders can live in the U.S. for up to 120 days without being subject to worldwide income taxation
- The visa can be renewed indefinitely so long as the business maintains operations
What are the E2 Visa* Requirements?
To successfully gain an E2 visa* there are several requirements the applicant must fulfill beyond being a citizen of a country that holds the treaty of navigation and commerce with the US, such as:
- The applicant should own at least 50% of a company in the US.
- The applicant or the company they own must have made a substantial investment in a U.S. business. The investment must be enough to establish and operate a profitable business in the U.S., though there is no legal minimum.
- The investor must be seeking travel or temporary residency in the United States for the sole purpose of directing, developing, or overseeing the approved investment
- The applicant must be actively engaged in commercial activities that meet the legal requirements in its state or region. It cannot exist for the sole purpose of supporting the investor.
People interested in the E2 visa* are often confused by what “substantial investment” means, as there is no legal minimum. What the phrase refers to is making sure that the investor commits enough capital to the business that demonstrates their dedication to seeing it succeed. Essentially, the investment needs to be at risk to prove that the business doesn’t exist solely to have the E2 visa* and support the applicant.
Generally, the amount to invest should partly depend on the type of business you’ve chosen and when deciding on the dollar figure you should take into account the cost of establishing a viable company, as well as the cost of running it. That will give you an idea of how much you should invest to successfully gain an E2 visa*.
How to Get the Treaty Investor Visa
By becoming a citizen of Grenada you’re issued a Grenadian passport, which permits you to apply for the E2 visa*. We at Range Developments are the leading CBI developer in the Caribbean and have just broken ground on our second luxury resort in Grenada.
To expand or open a business in the United States, this is the best solution. For more information regarding Grenada’s Citizenship by Investment programme and the wide range of advantages holding citizenship in their country brings, we strongly suggest you read here:
Grenada Citizenship by Investment | Range Developments
To begin exploring your path to having a business in the US, you can speak to one of our CBI consultants by clicking below.
Contact Range Developments – Your Path To Citizenship by Investment
* Terms and Conditions apply. Please contact a US immigration lawyer for further information.*