Investor visa Renewable

Run your own US business, on your own visa.

If you're a citizen of a treaty country investing in a US business you'll direct, the E-2 can be the fastest route to running it. We document the investment, the business and the source of funds, and your attorney prepares the application.

Start your E-2Not sure? $200 strategy review
Flat fee
$10,000
Time to submission
~3 weeks
Minimum investment
None by law
Renewals
No limit

Is the E-2 right for you?

It's built for founders who put their own money into a US business and run it — with no lottery and no cap.

A strong fit

  • Founders from treaty countries investing in their own company
  • Buyers of an existing US business or franchise
  • Small teams with a real plan to hire in the US
  • Investors who want to live in the US and run the business
  • Founders who don't fit the O-1 criteria yet

Probably not yet, if

  • Your only citizenship is from a non-treaty country, such as India or China
  • The funds aren't committed to the business yet
  • The investment is passive — shares or property you won't run

That's not a no. A second citizenship from a treaty country can qualify — or an O-1A or EB-2 NIW may fit instead.

Six things to show.

There's no minimum amount set by law — but the consulate needs to see all six.

Quick self-check: tap each one you think you can show.

0 / 6

Tap the requirements that fit your plans.

There's no fixed minimum. The test is proportional: enough to make this particular business viable.

Get a candid assessment

A quick self-check, not a legal assessment. Only an attorney can judge whether your evidence meets a criterion.

From first call to submitted application.

About three weeks, most of it spent documenting the investment and the business — not paperwork.

  1. 1

    Week 1

    Treaty and investment review

    An attorney confirms your treaty nationality, the structure and the investment, and tells you whether the case is ready.

  2. 2

    Weeks 1–2

    Source of funds

    We trace the money from where you earned it to the business account, and AI organizes every statement and transfer.

  3. 3

    Weeks 2–3

    Business plan and package

    We review your business plan, projections and hiring plan, and assemble the full application.

  4. 4

    Week 3

    Attorney finalizes

    Your attorney reviews and finalizes the package for the consulate — or for USCIS, if you're already in the US.

AI prepares the application. Your attorney finalizes it.

Every E-2 application is prepared and reviewed by a licensed immigration attorney who answers for it — and for the response if the consulate asks for more.

Meet the attorneys
  • AIOrganizes evidence and drafts. It doesn’t give legal advice.
  • AttorneySets the strategy, reviews the package, signs off and prepares you for the interview.
  • YouReview and approve everything before it’s submitted.

Evidence, gathered once.

Start with what you have. We’ll tell you what each document proves — and what’s missing.

01

About you

  • Passport from a treaty country
  • Résumé or CV
  • Proof of ownership — cap table or share register
02

The investment

  • Bank statements and wire transfers
  • Purchase agreements, leases, invoices
  • Equipment, inventory or build-out costs
03

Source of funds

  • Where the money came from — salary, sale, gift, loan
  • Tax returns and supporting records
  • A clear trail into the business account
04

The business

  • Formation documents and EIN
  • Business plan with five-year projections
  • Hiring plan and any licenses

Don’t send passports or documents through the website — we set up a secure channel once you start.

One fixed fee. Government fees shown separately.

Cooperative · E-2

$10,000

flat fee per application

Individual filing: $3,000

  • Treaty and investment review by an attorney
  • Source-of-funds documentation
  • Business plan review
  • Complete application package
  • Responses if the consulate or USCIS asks for more
Start your E-2
Where you apply
Filing
Cooperative fee
Initial registrationFlat fee · RFE responses included
$10,000
Paid to the government
Visa application feeState Department · per applicant, including family
$315
Reciprocity feeDepends on your nationality · some pay none
Varies
Total to file$10,315$10,000 Cooperative + $315 State Department

Government fees are paid to the State Department or USCIS, not to Cooperative, and change from time to time. Figures as of October 2026.

After the application is ready.

Most founders apply at a US consulate. If you're already in the US in valid status, you can ask USCIS to change your status instead.

Step 1

Package ready

Outside the USConsular interview

You submit the application to the US consulate and attend an interview. The visa goes in your passport.

Inside the USChange of status

If you're in valid status, a petition to USCIS can change your status without travel — you'll still need the visa to re-enter later.

Step 2

Running your business

How long you can stay

Each entry usually lets you stay up to two years, and the E-2 can be renewed for as long as the business runs — there's no overall limit.

Your family

Your spouse can work in the US, and unmarried children under 21 can study. They come with you in E-2 dependent status.

E-2, plainly.

How much do I need to invest?

The law sets no minimum. The investment has to be substantial in proportion to the cost of the business — enough to make it viable. Your attorney will tell you whether your amount fits your plan.

Which countries qualify?

Citizens of countries with an E-2 treaty with the US — including most of Europe, the UK, Canada, Japan and many others. India and China are not on the list. The State Department publishes the current list, and our form checks it for you.

Can I buy an existing business or franchise?

Yes. Buying an existing business or a franchise can qualify, as long as you invest substantially and come to the US to run it.

Can I bring employees on the E-2?

Yes. Once your company is approved, employees with the same treaty nationality — in executive or managerial roles, or with essential skills — can get E-2 visas through an individual filing, which costs less because the company has already been proven.

Can my spouse work?

Yes. The spouse of an E-2 investor is authorized to work in the US. Unmarried children under 21 can study, but can't work.

Does the E-2 lead to a green card?

Not on its own — it requires an intent to leave when your status ends. Many founders plan a separate route, such as EB-1A, EB-2 NIW or EB-5, once the business grows.

How long does it take?

We typically prepare the application in about three weeks. After that, it depends on the consulate — interview wait times vary by country.

From our notes.

All notes
E-2

The E-2 Visa for Founders: A Plain-English Guide

How the treaty investor visa works, what “substantial” really means, and why it’s a strong — but temporary — way to build a company in the U.S.

Oct 2, 2026 · 8 minEB-2 NIW

The National Interest Waiver, for Founders

A green card without an employer sponsor. The three-part Dhanasar test, the 2025 policy update, and what the evidence needs to show.

Oct 2, 2026 · 9 minTechnology

What AI Can — and Can’t — Do in Immigration

Evidence mapping and first drafts: yes. Strategy, judgment and the signature on the filing: no. Where we draw the line, and why.

Oct 3, 2026 · 7 min

Start your E-2.

Tell us about your background. An attorney will tell you how strong the case is today — before you pay for a petition.

Start your E-2

Cooperative is not a law firm. Legal services are provided by independent licensed immigration attorneys. AI tools assist with evidence organization and drafting; they do not provide legal advice. No attorney can guarantee the outcome of a visa or green card application — decisions are made by U.S. government agencies. Submitting a request or using this website does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.