The preferred U.S. investment immigration path for 200 years and counting
The E2 visa is a non-immigrant visa for investors, entrepreneurs, and people looking to run a business in the United States. With an E2 visa, you can start a U.S. business or invest in a U.S. business and work for that business.
E2 visa investors are required to show how they will start or buy a U.S. business, hire U.S. workers, and grow a profitable enterprise in 5 years.
The E2 visa can be renewed over and over as long as the business continues to operate and meet the E2 requirements.
Here at Visa Franchise you can learn about the E-2 visa and figure out if it fits your goals. Over the past 10 years, E-2 visa issuances have increased 80%, to more than 43,000 in 2019 alone. With an overall approval rate of 89%, the E2 investor visa has one of the highest approval rates for all U.S. visas.
The foreign franchisee goes through a similar process as an American franchisee. The main difference is applying for the visa and, in most cases, opening the franchise after the visa has been approved. Again, for prospective franchisees who have the funds available and a set date to move to the U.S., the process generally takes 3-9 months.
The biggest variable is how long the consulate or embassy takes to process the E2 visa interview. We have seen process times in the range of one month to over 12 months depending on the consulate chosen. Now that the pandemic is largely over, processing times are decreasing.