E-2 Treaty Investor Visa in 2026: Which Passports Qualify, How Much to Invest and Why It Is Not a Green Card

E-2 is the visa I recommend most often to entrepreneurs who want to move quickly and run their own business in the US. It is not an investment programme with a price list, and it is not a green card. Below are the rules from USCIS, the Department of State and the BRIDGES E-2 page, checked on 4 November 2026.

The conditions

• you are a citizen of a treaty country, and the business is at least 50% owned by nationals of that country;
• you have invested, or are actively investing, a substantial amount at risk in a real, operating US business;
• the business is not marginal: it must do more than feed your own family;
• you come to develop and direct the business.

How much to invest

The law names no minimum. The amount must be substantial relative to the total cost of the business. In BRIDGES practice applications for a service business start at $100,000-150,000 and a franchise from about $200,000. Money in a bank account is not enough: it must already be spent or committed to the business. Company formation is the first practical step, see BRIDGES company registration.

Treaty countries

On the list (examples)	Not on the list
Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia	Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan
Grenada, Israel, Egypt, Jordan	India, mainland China, Brazil
Poland, the Baltic states, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom	the UAE

Second citizenship and the 3-year rule

Investors without a treaty passport often look at a second citizenship, for example of Grenada or Turkey. Since the 2022 AMIGOS Act, a person who acquired the treaty nationality through investment must have been domiciled in that country for at least 3 years before applying for E-2. According to BRIDGES, Grenada has not accepted applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals since 31 March 2023. So this route takes years, not months.

Validity and renewal

The visa is issued for up to 5 years depending on your nationality. At each entry the officer usually admits you for up to 2 years, and you can renew without limit while the business operates. BRIDGES gives 2-4 months from a ready file to the visa. The spouse may work, and children under 21 may study.

The 2026 proposal on extensions

On 14 October 2026 DHS proposed to remove the rule that tells officers to give deference to earlier approvals when status is extended through USCIS. If it becomes final, each extension will be reviewed from scratch. Comments are open until 13 November 2026. For now it is only a proposal, but I already advise clients to keep every renewal file as strong as the first.

My honest view

E-2 is the fastest and cheapest way for an entrepreneur with the right passport. But it ends when the business ends, and it never becomes a green card by itself. I suggest planning a permanent route from day one: EB-5 for those with capital, EB-1A or EB-2 NIW for those with a strong record. See the talent guide and the EB-5 guide.