The treaty investor must hold nationality of a country with a qualifying bilateral trade agreement with the United States. “Country of nationality” does NOT mean country of origin; citizenship of a second country can be used to qualify for E-2 status. In recent years, some such individuals have sought second citizenships in a country such as Grenada, which would allow E- 2 status, though the U.S. government implemented restrictions on this in 2022-23 and second citizenships now have residency restrictions or requirements prior to a person qualifying for E-2 status. Additional information on this procedure is available if you contact us.

E-2 status is only available to individuals of certain nationalities and there is no way to secure it (other than via a second passport) if you are not from one of those countries. However, even between qualifying countries, the nature of E-2 status varies widely. Nationals of some countries may be granted E-2 status under very favorable terms - a five year multiple entry visa is available to nationals of Canada, Korea, and Pakistan, for example (and dozens of others). On the other hand, nationals of some countries receive only a single-entry visa that is good for just 90 days; Egypt is one example of this type of country. When Egyptian E-2 holders arrive to the U.S., they generally receive a two year period of stay. However, if they wish to leave and return at any time within that window, they must reapply for a new E-2 (which again will be valid only for a short time). This makes the E-2 category challenging or unappetizing to individuals from some countries.

If you would like more information on your country’s E-2 relationship, please contact us. If you are interested in obtaining a second citizenship in order to facilitate E-2 status, you can contact us or learn more about the option on the “Second Citizenship” page on our website.