E-2 Visa Program

E-2 Visa Program and Business Acquisition Opportunities

Sunbelt Business Brokers has decades of experience working with foreign investors to successfully acquire and develop U.S. businesses in conjunction with obtaining an E-2 investor visa. To qualify for this type of visa, the investor must be from one of the countries with which the U.S. has an E-2 visa treaty. Approximately 100 countries participate in the E2 treaty agreement with the United States, including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Spain, South Korea, Japan, the UK and the Philippines. You can go to a U.S. government website to find a current list of all the countries participating in the E2 treaty program.

If you are a citizen of a country that participates in the E2 visa treaty program, you may be eligible to participate in the program, but your business investment must also meet all of the following criteria:

• Investment of your capital, including funds and other assets, must be at risk in an active, for-profit, commercial enterprise located in the US;
• You’ll need a detailed, 5-year business plan and be able to demonstrate that you have at least 2 staff other than yourself to work in the business;
• The funds you invest in the US business must be yours, and these funds must represent a significant portion of the total investment (typically $150,000 or greater); and
• The E-2 visa applicant must own at least 50% of the US business.

If the E-2 visa program sounds like it could be a good fit for you, please contact a Sunbelt office near you. We have more than 100 offices throughout the U.S., and we can help you find a business to purchase that will meet your needs and the requirements of the E-2 visa program. We can also introduce you to an immigration attorney who can answer your specific questions about the entire process of applying for an E-2 visa and relocating to the U.S.