Travelling to the United States on an E2 visa

The E2 investor visa allows a foreigner to reside in the USA to run an American company. The E2 visa also allows you to set up or buy a business in the United States.

For a professional stay of less than 90 days: It is not necessary to apply for an E2 visa. You can simply apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization via the Internet. To obtain your certificate in a few minutes click on the online form.

What is an American E2 visa?

An E2 USA visa is an American visa offered to foreigners wishing to invest in a professional project in the USA. This visa is one of the American non-immigrant visas. The duration of the visa depends on the foreign national’s country of origin.

What are the eligibility requirements for the E2 visa?

The E2 visa is for entrepreneurs wishing to set up or run a business in which they are investing significant capital. There are a number of conditions for obtaining it. The main requirements for obtaining an E2 visa are :

• The applicant must be a citizen of a country that has signed the E2 visa treaty with the United States. The list of countries can be consulted by clicking on this Internet page;
• The investment must be active and invested, not just placed in a bank account;
• The investment must come from the company’s own funds and be substantial enough to ensure the launch and development of the business;
• The applicant must have a management position in the company;
• The entrepreneur must own at least 50% of the company’s shares;
• The company must participate in the local economy, for example by creating jobs.

How do I obtain an E2 USA visa?

There are a number of steps you need to take to obtain your E2 visa:

• Complete form DS-160 ;
• Create an account on the website of the American embassy in your country to pay the visa application fee;
• Assemble a file and send it by e-mail to the embassy, containing the necessary documents;
• The U.S. Embassy will then contact you to schedule an interview with an American consular officer to explain your project;
• If your application is successful, your visa will be sent to you within 5 days.

How long does the E2 investor visa last?

The foreign entrepreneur and his family are authorized to live in the United States for a fixed period of time. The duration of the visa depends on the applicant’s country of origin. The duration of an E2 visa is generally 5 years, but there are special cases: for example, an E2 visa for a French national is valid for 25 months. The E2 visa obtained by a Swiss national is valid for 4 years.

How much does it cost to obtain an E2 visa?

The fee for obtaining an E2 investor visa has increased from 205 US Dollars to 315 US Dollars since June 17, 2023. Click to find out more about US visa prices.

What is the E1 USA visa?

The E1 visa is intended for foreign citizens wishing to undertake international business from the United States. In order to obtain an E1 visa, more than 50% of commercial exchanges must take place between the visa holder’s country and the USA, and the volume of these transactions must be “considerable”: they must be continuous and significant.