E-2 treaty countries list

Which countries are E-2 treaty countries?

The U.S. Department of State keeps the official list of countries whose nationals qualify for the E-2 treaty investor visa. At our most recent check, the list has 81 E-2 entries. Nationals of 79 of them can apply for new E-2 investments. Bolivia and Ecuador only cover investments made before set dates.

Only nationals of a listed country can apply. Under 9 FAM 402.9-4(A) and 9 FAM 402.9-10, a qualifying treaty must exist between the United States and the applicant's country of nationality. The business must also have the same nationality, which the next sections explain.

The list changes when Congress passes a law and the other country offers the same treatment to U.S. nationals. Always check the State Department's treaty countries page (opens in a new tab) before you plan an investment. For all 9 points an officer checks, see E-2 visa requirements explained (opens in a new tab). For the investment itself, see how much do you need to invest for an E-2 visa (opens in a new tab), and for timing, see E-2 visa processing time.

What is the full list of E-2 treaty countries?

The table shows every country with E-2 status and the date its treaty entered into force for E-2 purposes, taken from the State Department's table. A treaty date does not change how an application is assessed today. It shows how long the country has had E-2 status.

Brunei and Greece have E-1 treaty trader status but not E-2. The State Department table also lists Yugoslavia, whose treaty now applies to the countries that succeeded it, shown above.

What are the limits for Bolivia and Ecuador?

Bolivia and Ecuador still appear on the list, but their treaties were terminated. Nationals of these 2 countries can only qualify in connection with investments made before a cutoff date. New investments do not qualify. Spouses and children of qualifying E-2 investors can still apply as dependents.

• Bolivia: only for E-2 activity tied to investments established or acquired before June 10, 2012.
• Ecuador: only for E-2 activity tied to investments established or acquired before May 18, 2018. The State Department says this coverage runs until May 18, 2028.

Which countries were added most recently?

The 3 most recent additions came through laws passed by Congress, followed by a reciprocity check. Each law granted E-2 status only once the other country offered similar treatment to U.S. nationals. The State Department confirmed reciprocity and set a start date for each.

• Israel: E-2 visas available from May 1, 2019, under Public Law 112-130. Israel had E-1 status since 1954.
• New Zealand: E-1 and E-2 visas available from June 10, 2019, under Public Law 115-226.
• Portugal: E-1 and E-2 visas available from March 15, 2024, under Public Law 117-263.

Which major countries are not E-2 treaty countries?

Several large countries have no E-2 treaty with the United States, including India, China (mainland), Brazil, Russia, Vietnam, Nigeria and South Africa. Nationals of these countries cannot apply for E-2 status on that nationality. Taiwan is listed separately as China (Taiwan), under an agreement administered by the American Institute in Taiwan.

People from non-treaty countries sometimes look at other routes, such as the L-1 for an existing company abroad or the EB-2 National Interest Waiver. We don't advise on which visa fits. Your immigration attorney can confirm that. For those routes, see L-1 visa requirements explained (opens in a new tab) and EB-2 NIW requirements explained (opens in a new tab).

Can dual nationals use a treaty country passport?

Yes. Under 9 FAM 402.9-4(B), a person who holds the nationality of a treaty country can apply on that nationality, even if they hold another nationality too. The business and its E-2 employees then use the treaty nationality for all E-2 purposes. The nationality must be real and current, shown by a valid passport.

Does the business need treaty nationality too?

Yes. The business takes the nationality of the people who own it, not the country where it is registered. Under 9 FAM 402.9-4(B), treaty nationals of the same country must own at least 50 percent of the business. A U.S. company, registered in a U.S. state, can qualify when it is owned by treaty nationals.

That rule matters for partnerships. If 2 investors from different treaty countries each own half, the business can have only 1 nationality for E-2 purposes. Your attorney can explain how ownership affects your case.

Are there special rules for some countries?

A few treaties carry their own terms, listed in the State Department's footnotes:

• United Kingdom: the treaty covers British territory in Europe and its inhabitants. The applicant must be a national of the United Kingdom. Nationals of other Commonwealth countries do not qualify under this treaty.
• Denmark: the treaty does not apply to Greenland.
• Norway: the treaty does not apply to Svalbard.
• France and the Netherlands: the treaties extend to listed overseas territories.

Where does VisaPlans fit?

VisaPlans prepares the E-2 Business Plan (opens in a new tab), built around the 9 points in 9 FAM 402.9, including the company's ownership and treaty nationality. Expert-trained AI writes the plan and a human specialist reviews every page. Delivery is within 3 business days of confirmed information. See pricing (opens in a new tab) for what is included.