In 2005, 28,290 E-2 visas were approved and issued by the USCIS, and State Department.

Of these, Japanese nationals received 12,010, U.K. nationals were awarded 3,170, German nationals received 3,066, and South Korean nationals were awarded 2,169.

E-2 INVESTOR TEMPORARY WORK VISA

Citizens of countries that have a Treaty of Trade and Commerce with the United States, may apply for the E-2 Investor temporary work visa. This visa enables the alien to "Develop and Direct" the active US business enterprise. To qualify, the applicant must make a "Substantial" investment in an active US business. Investments in real property (for appreciation potential), and investments in Stocks, and Bonds, are not considered to be active investments. The amount of investment capital required in order to considered "Substantial" is relative to both the total value of the US investment enterprise; and the amount of capital generally required to conduct the particular business enterprise. Thus, where the total value of the investment enterprise is $100,000, an investment of $75,000 may be considered substantial. As a rule of thumb, in cases where the total value of the investment enterprise is less than $500,000 the investor must invest at least an amount equal to 75% of the value of the investment enterprise, for businesses valued at between $500,000 and $1,000,000 the principal investor must invest an amount equal to at least 50% of the value of the investment enterprise, and for businesses valued at over $1,000,000, the principal investor may invest less than 50% of the value of the enterprise to qualify for the E-2 visa.

The E-2 visa is valid for one (1) year periods renewable for additional one year periods indefinitely.

At least 50% of the US investment enterprise must be owned by citizens of the E-2 qualifying country.

Managers and Essential personnel from abroad may also qualify for E-2 visa status. Thus. foreign companies and individuals from qualifying E-2 countries may send managers and/or essential personnel to the newly established E-2 enterprise. the nationality of a corporation is determined by the nationality of the corporate shareholders.

Persons with valid nonimmigrant status in the United States may submit an E-2 petition to a regional USCIS Service Center, and apply to change their status to that of an E-2. Aliens entering the United States under the visa waiver program may not change their status in the US to that of an E-2.

Nationals of the following countries may apply for E-2 status:

Albania, Armenia (pending), Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, CANADA, Cameroon, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea (South), Kyrgystan, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Jamaica, Jordan, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Spain, Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunizia, Turkey, Ukraine, The United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia, and Zaire.

The legal fee to have our law office prepare and submit an E-2 Visa Application on your behalf, is only $4,000 US dollars, plus application/petition fees, and incidental expenses.