E-2 vs. EB-5: which treaty route actually fits your business

Both let you build a business in the U.S. as an immigrant investor. Beyond that, they're built for very different people.

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

• Available only to nationals of treaty countries (check the list — it's most of Europe, plus Japan, South Korea, and others, but notably not India or China)
• No fixed minimum investment — judged on proportionality to your specific business
• Renewable indefinitely as long as the business stays active
• Does not lead directly to a green card
• Typical timeline: weeks to a few months, depending on consulate

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

• Open to any nationality
• Fixed minimum investment: $800,000 in a targeted employment area, $1,050,000 otherwise
• Must create at least 10 full-time jobs
• Leads directly to a green card
• Typical timeline: 18 months to several years, with backlogs for some countries

The real decision

If you're a treaty-country national who wants to actually run a business you built — not just fund one and wait — the E-2 is almost always the better fit. It's faster, cheaper, and keeps you in the driver's seat.

EB-5 makes more sense if you're not eligible for E-2 (your country isn't a treaty country), or if permanent residency itself — not running a business — is the primary goal.

Most people who come to us are treaty-country nationals with a real business idea, not just capital to park. That's exactly who the E-2 was built for.