You have built a business, saved capital, and chosen the United States as your next chapter. Now you need a legal team that can turn that vision into a real American enterprise. The E-2 Visa Lawyers at Onal Gallant help foreign investors from treaty countries open, buy, and run U.S. businesses through the E-2 Treaty Investor Visa.
Our team has guided more than 20,000 clients across 20+ years from our New Jersey and Texas offices. We work daily with investors from Türkiye, the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Japan, and dozens of other treaty nations.
We speak the language of business and immigration at the same time, so your investment is protected from your first wire transfer to your first day of operations.
The E-2 visa is a U.S. nonimmigrant visa that allows citizens of treaty countries to live in the United States to develop and direct a real, operating business in which they have invested.
It is one of the most flexible business visas in U.S. immigration law and can be renewed every two years as long as the business meets program requirements.
The E-2 is created by treaties of commerce between the United States and roughly 80 partner nations, including Türkiye, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, and many more.
Common ways investors use the E-2:
The E-2 does not, on its own, grant you a green card, but it can be paired with later strategies for permanent residency. We will walk you through that long-term roadmap during your consultation.
You need an E-2 visa lawyer because consular officers review every dollar, every contract, and every business plan, and even a single weak piece of evidence can lead to a refusal. An experienced E-2 attorney prepares your case to meet the strict standards used by U.S. embassies and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The U.S. Department of State recently updated 9 FAM 402.9, the manual every consular officer uses to decide E-2 cases. The standards are detailed, and the bar for proof keeps rising.
A skilled E-2 immigration lawyer helps you:
Strong preparation is the difference between a smooth approval and a costly second attempt. Talk with an Onal Gallant E-2 visa attorney about your investor case.
E-2 cases reward law firms that combine deep immigration knowledge with real business experience. Onal Gallant brings both. With 65+ legal professionals across our Elmwood Park, NJ headquarters and Sugar Land, TX office, we treat every E-2 case as both an investment matter and an immigration matter.
We work daily on corporate, contract, and investor matters. That means your business plan, lease, payroll structure, and ownership documents are reviewed by attorneys who understand how real American companies operate.
We serve clients from across the world, with particular experience guiding Turkish investors through every step. Our team communicates in clear, plain English so nothing is lost between you, USCIS, and the consulate.
With more than 20,000 clients served, over $100 million recovered for clients across practice areas, and recognition as an award-winning law firm, our team has built a reputation on preparation, integrity, and results. We do not promise approvals. We promise the kind of work that earns them.
The E-2 process moves through clear stages, but each stage has its own set of evidence rules. Knowing what comes next helps you plan your move, your money, and your team.
Most E-2 cases follow this path:
Processing speed depends on the embassy and on whether you choose consular processing or USCIS change of status. Whether you are applying from abroad through a U.S. consulate or already living in the United States, our team prepares your case for the post that will decide it.
A substantial investment is one that is large enough, compared to the total cost of your business, to show real commitment to making it succeed. There is no fixed dollar amount. Instead, consular officers apply a proportionality test that compares what you have invested to what your business needs to operate.
Here is the general idea:
The funds must also be “at risk.” This means the money is already committed and could be lost if the business fails. Money still sitting in your personal account does not count. Our E-2 treaty investor attorneys help you decide how much to wire, when to spend it, and how to document each transaction.
Yes. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 are eligible for dependent E-2 visas.
Spouses may apply for employment authorization and work for any U.S. employer.
Admission is granted in two-year increments, with unlimited renewals.
An amount sufficient to start and run a profitable business, considering the industry and overall cost of the enterprise.
File for renewal or change of status up to six months before your current authorization expires to avoid gaps.
The E-2 has clear eligibility rules, even though they leave room for case-by-case judgment. Each requirement needs to be backed by real documents and a credible story.
To qualify, you generally must:
These rules feel strict because they are. But with the right legal strategy, most well-prepared cases meet them.
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may join you in the United States as E-2 dependents. They receive E-2 status tied to your visa and may travel in and out of the country with you.
Key family benefits under current rules:
Our team of experienced E-2 visa attorneys helps families plan around aging-out risks and align school enrollment, work plans, and renewals from the start.
A: Most E-2 legal fees range from $7,500 to $15,000, depending on case complexity, family size, and whether you are buying a franchise, building a new company, or transferring from another visa. Many firms offer flat-fee structures, so you know your total cost upfront. Government and business setup costs are separate.
A: There is no fixed legal minimum. The investment must be "substantial" compared to the total cost of your business. In practice, most approved cases involve investments between $100,000 and $300,000 or more, though smaller well-structured businesses can still qualify.
A: About 80 countries currently have qualifying E-2 treaties with the United States, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Türkiye, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. China, India, Brazil, Russia, and Vietnam are not E-2 countries. The U.S. Department of State keeps the official list.
A: Yes. Executive, supervisory, or essential-skills employees who share the investor's nationality may qualify for E-2 employee visas. They follow the same treaty rules and may bring their own family dependents under E-2 derivative status.
A: Each E-2 visa stamp is typically valid for up to five years, depending on your country's reciprocity schedule. Each U.S. entry usually grants a two-year period of authorized stay, which can be extended again and again as long as your business continues to qualify.
A: Yes. Under current U.S. immigration policy, E-2 spouses are work-authorized incident to status, meaning your spouse can usually work for any U.S. employer without filing a separate work permit application.
A: The E-2 is a renewable nonimmigrant visa with no fixed dollar minimum, and it ends when the business does. The EB-5 is an immigrant visa that requires an $800,000 or $1.05 million investment but leads directly to a green card. Many investors start with E-2 and later pursue EB-5.
Your investment deserves more than a generic immigration filing. It deserves a legal team that respects your capital, your family’s future, and the years of work behind your decision to come to the United States. From your first business plan draft to your first renewal, our E-2 Visa Lawyers stand with you.
If you are ready to take the next step, we are ready to help you take it well. Reach out through our secure contact form to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced E-2 treaty investor attorney. You can also call us at our Elmwood Park, NJ office (201) 508-0808 or our Sugar Land, TX office (281) 909-4030.
