How to Apply for an E2 Visa and The Documents Required?
For investors and business owners, the E2 Visa is a fantastic choice. You are able to live, work, and operate a US business in the country with an E2 visa.
I’ll go over everything you need to know about the application for an E2 visa in this guide.
Applying for E2 Visa at the Consulate?- Italy, France, and the United Kingdom
Many of the U.S. Embassies and Consulates have specific procedures that must be followed when applying for Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas. Below is a brief breakdown of some of the nuances of the E-2 visa consular process for three European countries:
France – Procedure for getting an E2 Visa
Each applicant must complete the DS-160 and E-2 non-derivative applicants must also submit the form DS-156E, except for E-2 principal investors. After submitting the application and receiving confirmation, the consulate will provide the applicant with the date for the consular appointment interview.
There is a 50-page limit for the supporting documents which must then be emailed to the specified consular address using their required format.
- If a company has been approved for an E visa within the past 12 months, and now wishes to apply for additional employees, the company can submit a truncated application per the embassy specifications as well, however, a full application must be submitted at least once a year.
Currently, French nationals need to renew their E2 visa every 25 months which is shorter than the renewal period for many other treaty countries. French nationals are however allowed multiple entries during the 25-month period.
The current wait time for E-2 consular appointments in Paris is 125 days.
Italy – Process of obtaining an E2 Visa
After completing the DS-160 and DS-156E and registering with the online system, all applicants must submit specific documents via email to the specified Rome consular address.
Similarly, after receiving confirmation, the applicant then uploads the supporting documents. For Italy, the documents are limited to 5 MB in PDF or zipped format.
If the application is from an E-2 vetted company, there is a special process to follow which includes completing the DS-156 for the principal applicants only.
Suppose the applicant is not a business owner but an employee. In that case, the applicant must include a job letter from the company describing the business, the job the applicant will do, and his or her qualification for that job, as well as a signed statement from the principal applicant of intent to depart the U.S. upon the termination of the E status.
Currently, E-2 visas for Italian nationals are valid for 60 months and permitted multiple entries.
E visas are only processed in Rome, and although the U.S. Embassy in Rome has now resumed routine nonimmigrant E visa services, they are still significantly backed up. Applicants are encouraged to apply 6-12 months in advance of their anticipated travel.
United Kingdom – Approach to gaining an E2 Visa
After completing the requisite DS-160 and DS-156E, the applicant will be assigned a specific address to which they must then upload the supporting documents according to their specific format.
For Treaty Traders and Treaty Investors (Owners), prior to doing anything, they must first register their company with the UK consular office’s E-Visa Unit. To do this, they submit by email specified supporting documents and wait until the company has been reviewed by the E-Visa Unit. After the E-visa unit completes their review, they will notify the applicant of their interview date.
Employees of companies that are already registered must make their appointments through the U.S. Visa Appointment Service and do not need to submit any documents in advance. On the day of the interview, they are required to present the necessary documents for employees.
Currently, E-2 visas for UK nationals are valid for 60 months and UK nationals are approved for multiple entries.
The current processing time is 45 days.
Please get in touch with us if you have any inquiries about the E2 visa. ✌️