Is a Car a Good E-2 visa expense? Can my car be part of my E-2 investment? Can I include a vehicle in my investment amount?

To obtain an E-2 investor visa, an applicant must spend money in the U.S.  The amount of the expenditures depends on the type of business and other factors (See more of a discussion on E-2 Investment amount requirements by clicking here), and many applicants have trouble finding valid items to spend money on. (A list of common E-2 visa expenditures can be found here).

You can find out more about E-2 Visas by clicking here.

One question that often comes us is whether a Car is a valid E-2 expense. That is, Can I buy a car and include it as an E-2 visa expense? Can I buy a car and include it as an E-2 visa investment?

A car or vehicle can be a valid E-2 visa expense, but the validity would depend on the nature of the business. For example, a home renovation business could easily include the cost of a truck or van as an E-2 visa expense but may have more trouble including a sports car.  The key factors in determining whether to include a car/vehicle are as follows:

• Is the vehicle directly related to the E-2 business and needed for business operations? (this does not mean getting to and from work). For example, a Real Estate agent may be able to better argue the need for car than a Consultant.
• Does the vehicle type match the E-2 business? For example, if the E-2 business is a dog grooming business, a van or other vehicle that would be relevant for the business may make more sense than a sedan. A Sedan is almost always a tough sell given the leisure aspects of the car type.
• Is the vehicle commercially branded? One way to increase the chances of E-2 viability of a car expenditures is to commercially brand the car. This requires getting a special license from the State or City and the car would have the company logo branded on it.