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How Long Can an E-2 Visa be Issued for? What is the Difference Between Visa Validity Period, Reciprocity Period and Authorized Period of Stay?

By October 17, 2016May 7th, 2021E-2 Visa, Immigration, Investor Visas

An E-2 visa is an investor visa granted to entrepreneurs who want to start or buy a business in the United States. The investor must invest a substantial amount of money in an enterprise that must ultimately create U.S. jobs. The investor must be from a designated country, meaning a country that has an investor treaty with the United States. We have included a table of the treaty countries with the visa validity period for each country below. Please note that this a point-in-time table and applicants should check current reciprocity times for accuracy. Please also pay special attention to the country-specific footnotes.

To find out more about the E-2 visa requirements, click here.

Visa Validity Period

The amount of time an E-2 visa can be granted for varies by country and depends on the agreement (the legal term is reciprocity) between the applicant’s country and the United States. Some countries, such as Egypt and Bangladesh, have reciprocity periods of as little as 3 months while other countries allow applicants to get an E-2 visa for up to 5 years. Even in cases where the country reciprocity allows the applicant to apply for 5 years, the actual amount of time granted to the applicant is also based on the discretion of the consular officer adjudicating the application. A consular officer may issue less than the maximum period if they would like to monitor the progress of the business and see if the business is on track after a year or two. When the applicant comes back to renew the visa and the consular officer sees that they have hired employees and the business is a success, they are more likely to issue the visa for a 5-year period at that point.

Reciprocity Period

The Reciprocity Period is the maximum amount of time a non-immigrant visa can be issued for. We have included a Reciprocity Table below for the designated E-2 countries. While E-2 visas may be issued for a maximum period of 5 years for most countries, for some countries, it is a very short period (e.g. 3 months).

Period of Stay

Upon entry on an E-2 visa, investors are allowed a maximum stay of two years regardless of how long the visa is valid for. For E-2 investors with multiple entry E-2 visas in their passports, they can leave the U.S. and reenter until the expiration date of their visa and each time they reenter, they are given 2 years in E-2 status.  If the visa is still valid, they must then leave the U.S. and reenter.

For example, if an Investor is issued a five-year E-2 Visa, this means that the investor can enter the U.S. during a five-year period. This also means that within that 5-year period, they may travel outside the U.S. and use their E-2 visa to reenter. Each time they enter the U.S. on their E-2 visa, they should be given two years on E-2 status. (We wrote “should” because at times border officials will make an error or passport validity could impact the timing). In most cases though, even if an E-2 visa holder enters the U.S. on the last day before their visa expires, they should be given two years in E-2 status. However, once the visa expires, if they decide to leave the U.S., they will have to apply at a consulate for a new visa to reenter.

So what if an E-2 visa is issued for only 3 months?

When an E-2 visa is only valid for three months and is a single entry visa, it means that the visa holder has three months to enter the U.S. on the E-2 visa. The length of the visa does not dictate how long they may stay in the U.S. and run their business as the same 2-year rule described above applies. That is, once the applicant enters the U.S., they are entitled to two years in E-2 status to run their business. If the applicant leaves the U.S., he/she must apply for a new visa to reenter.  If the applicant stays in the U.S., the E-2 status can be renewed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before the end of the 2-year period.

If the investor is already in the U.S. in another status and applies for a change of status with USCIS, they will be given two years in E-2 status. However, since they do not have a visa (which can only be obtained at a U.S. consulate abroad), they will have to apply for an E-2 visa at a U.S. consulate if they decide to travel abroad. For more on the difference between a visa and visa status, click here.


You should work with an experienced immigration attorney to see if you should consider a change of status or to apply for an E-2 visa at a consulate abroad. Click here for a helpful blog post on this issue.


The reciprocity concept is complicated and you should consult a qualified attorney if you decide to apply for an E-2 visa, especially if you are a citizen of a country that has a low reciprocity period.  We have written another article – How Long an E-2 Visa can be Issued for? that you can access by clicking here.  An experienced E-2 visa attorney can guide you through the process and help you plan while keeping the reciprocity period and your business needs in mind. We have successfully assisted hundreds of E-2 investors in starting their businesses in the U.S. Contact us for a consultation. We are here to help.

How Long Can An E-2 Visa Be Issued For? – E-2 Visa Reciprocity Schedule

E-2 Country How Long E-2 Visa can Be Issued for Number of Entries to the U.S. Permitted with E-2 Visa
Albania 3 Years Multiple
Argentina 5 Years Multiple
Armenia 5 Years Multiple
Australia 4 Years Multiple
Austria 5 Years Multiple
Azerbaijan 3 Months One
Bahrain 3 Months One
Bangladesh 3 Months Two
Belgium 5 Years Multiple
Bolivia 3 Months One
*Yugoslavia: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 Year Multiple
Bulgaria 5 Years Multiple
Cameroon 1 Year N/A
Canada 5 Years Multiple
Chile 5 Years Multiple
China (Taiwan) 5 Years Multiple
Colombia 5 Years Multiple
Congo (Brazzaville) 3 Months One
Congo (Kinshasa) 3 Months Two
Costa Rica 5 Years Multiple
*Yugoslavia: Croatia 5 Years Multiple
Czech Republic 5 Years Multiple
Denmark 5 Years Multiple
Ecuador 3 Months Two
Egypt 3 Months One
Estonia 5 Years Multiple
Ethiopia 6 Months Multiple
Finland 2 Years Multiple
France 5 Years Multiple
Georgia 1 Year Multiple
Germany 5 Years Multiple
Grenada 5 Years Multiple
Honduras 5 Years Multiple
Iran 3 Months One
Ireland 5 Years Multiple
Italy 5 Years Multiple
Jamaica 5 Years Multiple
Japan 5 Years Multiple
Jordan 3 Months One
Kazakhstan 1 Year Multiple
Korea (South) 5 Years Multiple
*Yugoslavia: Kosovo 1 Year Multiple
Kyrgyzstan 3 Months Two
Latvia 5 Years Multiple
Liberia 1 Year Multiple
Lithuania 1 Year Multiple
Luxembourg 5 Years Multiple
*Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of (FRY) 5 Years Multiple
Mexico 1 Year Multiple
Moldova 3 Months Two
Mongolia 3 Years Multiple
*Yugoslavia: Montenegro 1 Year Multiple
Morocco 5 Years Multiple
Netherlands 5 Years Multiple
Norway 5 Years Multiple
Oman 6 Months Multiple
Pakistan 5 Years Multiple
Panama 5 Years Multiple
Paraguay 5 Years Multiple
Philippines 5 Years Multiple
Poland 1 Year Multiple
Romania 5 Years Multiple
*Yugoslavia: Serbia 1 Year Multiple
Senegal 1 Year Multiple
Singapore 2 Years Multiple
Slovak Republic (Slovakia) 2 Years Multiple
*Yugoslavia: Slovenia 5 Years Multiple
Spain 5 Years Multiple
Sri Lanka 3 Years Multiple
Suriname 5 Years Multiple
Sweden 2 Years Multiple
Switzerland 4 Years Multiple
Thailand 6 Months Multiple
Togo 3 Years Multiple
Trinidad and Tobago 5 Years Multiple
Tunisia 5 Years Multiple
Turkey 5 Years Multiple
Ukraine 3 Months Two
United Kingdom 5 Years Multiple

 


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The Government of Bolivia gave notice of termination, effective June 10, 2012, for the bilateral investment treaty between the United States and Bolivia. For more information, please go to the consulate website.

Does not apply to Greenland.

Applies to Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion.

Applies to Bonin Islands and Ryukyu Islands.

Applies to Aruba and Netherlands Antilles.

Does not apply to Svalbard (Spitzbergen and certain lesser islands).

Applies to all territories.

Applies only to British territory in Europe (British Isles, except Republic of Ireland), the Channel Islands and Gibraltar and to “inhabitants” of such territory. This term, as used in the Convention, means “one who resides actually and permanently in a given place, and has his domicile there.” Also, in order to qualify for treaty trader or treaty investor status under this treaty, the alien must be a national of the United Kingdom. Individuals having the nationality of members of the Commonwealth other than the United Kingdom do not qualify for treaty trader or treaty investor status under this treaty.

*The U.S. view is that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that the successors that formerly made up the SFRY – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo a continue to be bound by the treaty in force with the SFRY and the time of dissolution.

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27 Comments

  • RAFAEL says:

    Hello, I am interested in renewing my E2 visa with you, I am Mexican, for how long does the renewal take place? The first visa only gave me 1 year.

    • IanScott says:

      Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you. Please find attached a link that you can use to set up a 30 minute ($150) or 1 hour ($250) consultation. The system allows you to select a lawyer and a day and time that is convenient to you. If you end up hiring the firm and your bill is greater than $2,500, we will apply this consultation fee to your final bill. Please reach out if you have any questions.

      https://ScheduleScottLegalConsultation.as.me/

      Kind regards,

  • Lidia says:

    Hi I am from Argentina and I got my E2 visa for 5 years, but my husband and my 2 daughters are from Bolivia, as my dependents, they got the ViSa only for a 3 months period. I understand that we all going to have a two year period to stay in the us, but if mi husband leaves the u.s. after one year for example, How he has to apply again if he is my dependent?

    • IanScott says:

      Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you. Please find attached a link that you can use to set up a 30 minute ($150) or 1 hour ($250) consultation. The system allows you to select a lawyer and a day and time that is convenient to you. If you end up hiring the firm and your bill is greater than $2,500, we will apply this consultation fee to your final bill. Please reach out if you have any questions.

      https://ScheduleScottLegalConsultation.as.me/

      Kind regards,

  • Ali Rezayee says:

    Hi. I see that Afghanistan is not in the list of E2 countries. Any other alternative way for Afghan nationals?

    • IanScott says:

      Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you. Please find attached a link that you can use to set up a 30 minute ($150) or 1 hour ($250) consultation. The system allows you to select a lawyer and a day and time that is convenient to you. If you end up hiring the firm and your bill is greater than $2,500, we will apply this consultation fee to your final bill. Please reach out if you have any questions.

      https://ScheduleScottLegalConsultation.as.me/

      Kind regards,

  • Aaron says:

    So if I open a Business in the USA and after 5 Years what? Is there a way where I can get a Greencard or for another Visa or do i have to leave the country?

    Thanks in Advance

    • IanScott says:

      Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you. Please find attached a link that you can use to set up a 30 minute ($150) or 1 hour ($250) consultation. The system allows you to select a lawyer and a day and time that is convenient to you. If you end up hiring the firm and your bill is greater than $2,500, we will apply this consultation fee to your final bill. Please reach out if you have any questions.

      https://ScheduleScottLegalConsultation.as.me/

      Kind regards,

  • Ramon says:

    Greetings, The E-2 Visa holder file bankruptcy under Chapter 7. How long he can stay in the US? Is there any risk of deportation?

    • IanScott says:

      Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you. Please find attached a link that you can use to set up a 30 minute ($150) or 1 hour ($250) consultation. The system allows you to select a lawyer and a day and time that is convenient to you. If you end up hiring the firm and your bill is greater than $2,500, we will apply this consultation fee to your final bill. Please reach out if you have any questions.

      https://ScheduleScottLegalConsultation.as.me/

      Kind regards,

  • Aaron Goh says:

    Hi! Thank you so much for all the concise and useful information. Im from Malaysia. I dont see my country listed as a treaty country. Can i still hire you to process my E2 visa?

  • Sands says:

    If I’m considered a British overseas territory citizen am I eligible for a e2 treaty visa?

  • Hannah Sparkes says:

    I am the primary E2 visa holder and we are UK citizens. My husband has an EAD card, which is only valid for a couple of months as it took 3 months to get to us and it is recommended to apply 100 days before expiration date. Our daughter’s and my reentry date on our passport is 4 months before my husband’s so it is my reentry date that his EAD expires. Do I have to leave and reenter the U.S before the 100 days before expiration? To be able to reapply with a better date. And if so, are there any islands or other neighbouring countries I would be aloud to go to or does it have to be maintained U.K? And do I have to be out of the U.S for a period of time? Or have I got this completely wrong?? Thank you in advance!!

    • IanScott says:

      Hello,
      You can leave the U.S. and go to any country even for a day or return the same day. If you have a valid E-2 visa, you should be admitted for 2 years regardless of the date on the visa and when you reenter you can apply for a new EAD for your husband and it should be granted up to the end of your I-94. Thanks,

  • Chetankumar Dobariya says:

    is that German citizen can apply for the EB-2 visa? how much investment required?

  • Andre says:

    Hello,

    Is Portugal an eligible countries?

  • JOSE RICARDO DE FARIA MONTEIRO says:

    Hi Scott,

    I’m Brazilian and I interested in apply for E-2 I live in Brazil and US and I had a small Business in Brooklyn -NY ,

    I can apply for E-2 Visa?

    José Ricardo

  • ES says:

    So for a Lebanese citizen, the application should be applied through Grenada only or it’s possible to have an investment anywhere in the states?

  • KB says:

    So, for a Bahraini citizen, the max time for E-2 is only 3 months? Does that we need to be in US within those 3 months or does that mean that the eligibility of my stay will expire after 3 months?

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