E-2 Investor Visa: Treaty Investor Countries and their Nationals
The E-2 Investor Visa is an attractive visa for foreign nationals who do not have family in the United States or an Employer who is willing to sponsor them to come live and work in the United States. With the right financial resources, an E-2 visa allows foreign nationals to self-sponsor themselves to start a business in the United States.
However, this right is only provided to foreign nationals of nations with a bilateral investment treaty with the United States. As of March 2013, there are 77 nations who have a bilateral investment treaty with the United States:
1. Albania E-2 01/04/1998
2. Argentina E-2 12/20/1854
3. Armenia E-2 03/29/1996
4. Australia E-2 12/27/1991
5. Austria E-2 05/27/1931
6. Azerbaijan E-2 08/02/2001
7. Bahrain E-2 05/30/2001
8. Bangladesh E-2 07/25/1989
9. Belgium E-2 10/03/1963
10. Bolivia E-2 06/06/2001
11. Bosnia & Herzegovina E-2 11/15/1982
12. Bulgaria E-2 06/02/1954
13. Cameroon E-2 04/06/1989
14. Canada E-2 01/01/1994
15. Chile E-2 01/01/2004
16. China (Taiwan) E-2 11/30/1948
17. Colombia E-2 06/10/1948
18. Congo (Brazzaville) E-2 08/13/1994
19. Congo (Kinshasa) E-2 07/28/1989
20. Costa Rica E-2 05/26/1852
21. Croatia11 E-2 11/15/1982
22. Czech Republic2 E-2 01/01/1993
23. Denmark E-2 12/10/2008
24. Ecuador E-2 05/11/1997
25. Egypt E-2 06/27/1992? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 26. Estonia E-2 02/16/1997
27. Ethiopia E-2 10/08/1953
28. Finland E-2 12/01/1992
29. France E-2 12/21/1960
30. Georgia E-2 08/17/1997
31. Germany E-2 07/14/1956
32. Grenada E-2 03/03/1989
33. Honduras E-2 07/19/1928
34. Iran E-2 06/16/1957
35. Ireland E-2 11/18/1992
36. Italy E-2 07/26/1949
37. Jamaica E-2 03/07/1997
38. Japan E-2 10/30/1953
39. Jordan E-2 12/17/2001
40. Kazakhstan E-2 01/12/1994
41. Korea (South) E-2 11/07/1957
42. Kosovo E-2 11/15/1882
43. Latvia E-2 12/26/1996
44. Liberia E-2 11/21/1939
45. Lithuania E-2 11/22/2001
46. Luxembourg E-2 03/28/1963
47. Macedonia E-2 11/15/1982
48. Mexico E-2 01/01/1994
49. Moldova E-2 11/25/1994
50. Mongolia E-2 01/01/1997
51. Montenegro E-2 11/15/1882? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 52. Netherlands E-2 12/05/1957
53. Norway E-2 01/18/1928
54. Oman E-2 06/11/1960
55. Pakistan E-2 02/12/1961
56. Panama E-2 05/30/1991
57. Paraguay E-2 03/07/1860
58. Philippines E-2 09/06/1955
59. Poland E-2 08/06/1994
60. Romania E-2 01/15/1994
61. Senegal E-2 10/25/1990
62. Serbia E-2 11/15/1882
63. Singapore E-2 01/01/2004
64. Slovak Rep E-2 01/01/1993
65. Slovenia E-2 11/15/1982
66. Spain E-2 04/14/1903
67. Sri Lanka E-2 05/01/1993
68. Suriname E-2 02/10/1963
69. Sweden E-2 02/20/1992
70. Switzerland E-2 11/08/1855
71. Thailand E-2 06/08/1968
72. Togo E-2 02/05/1967
73. Trinidad & Tobago E-2 12/26/1996
74. Tunisia E-2 02/07/1993
75. Turkey E-2 05/18/1990
76. Ukraine E-2 11/16/1996
77. United Kingdom E-2 07/03/1815
While there may be many individual shareholders or partners in the investment company, only one principal investor is allowed to apply for an E-2 visa to develop and direct the investment in the United States. However, there can multiple high-level managers or specialty employees who can enter on an E-2 visa. The E-2 employees must have the same nationality as the treaty enterprise.
The company or the individual engaging in the investment must have the same nationality as a treaty country. For an individual, the individual investor must be a citizen of a treaty investor country. The nationality of the company is determined by the nationality of the persons who own at least 50% of the stock of the company. For a large publicly owned company, this may be difficult. The nationality of the stockholders is determined by their citizenship. Citizens of a treaty nation who are also U.S. Permanent Residents do not count as a national of a treaty investor country.
For dependents of the E-2 investor or E-2 Employees, the spouse and unmarried children under 21 do not have to be the same nationality as the treaty enterprise. They can be citizens of any country as long as they have the qualifying family relationship as the principle E-2 visa holder.
In addition, reciprocity agreements with the United States and the treaty countries varies. The U.S. will generally match what the foreign treaty nation provides U.S. citizens. The U.S. only provides Thai nationals a 6-month visa with a two-year period of stay once the Thai national entered the U.S. This is because Thailand only provides U.S. citizens a 6-month visa for investors in its countries.
In most treaty countries such as the Philippines or South Korea, their nationals are provided a 5 year multiple entry E-2 visa. Every time, a Filipino or a South Korean enters the United States, they are provided a new two year authorized period of stay without the requirement of an extension.
E-2 Investor Visas are very complicated. It is recommended that those interested in the process should contact an experienced U.S. Immigration Attorney.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?If you have questions or require us to get a visa for you.Contact us via LINE ID: Virasin or send a message Virasin.com Tel.095- 2584186?
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