Updated
GL-E-01
Glossary · Citizenship and residency programs
E-2 Visa - USA, investor visa
A visa for those who want to live and work in the USA while running their own business. It is not a green card, but it renews indefinitely. You need a passport of a country with an E-2 treaty — among the Caribbean ones only Grenada qualifies, which is why it is so popular.
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- What it is
- A US investor visa: you live in the country and run your own business there
- Where it applies
- The USA (under E-2 treaties with a number of countries)
- What is required
- A passport of a country with an E-2 treaty — in the Caribbean, Grenada
- Duration
- Renewable indefinitely as long as the business is genuinely operating
- Can you prepare
- Yes: first a Grenadian passport, then the groundwork for the E-2 visa
02 / In plain words
What E-2 Visa means
E-2 is a visa for those who want to live in the United States and run their own business there. You invest money in an American enterprise and genuinely manage it — and receive the right to live in the country with your family for as long as the business operates. Compared with EB-5, the entry threshold is noticeably lower and processing is faster.
E-2 has two important features. First, it is a visa that is renewable essentially indefinitely — as long as the business is alive, the status can be renewed again and again. Second, to qualify for E-2 you need a passport of a country that has an E-2 treaty with the United States. Among the Caribbean countries, Grenada has such a treaty — which is why its passport is so often obtained precisely for the E-2 visa.
Hence the popular combination: first a Grenadian passport is obtained quickly through investment, and then it is used to apply for a US E-2 visa. The route to America is noticeably cheaper and faster than EB-5, although it gives the right to live and work rather than a permanent green card. It is a deliberate choice of speed and price.
A case from practice
An entrepreneur obtains a Grenadian passport through investment, then opens their own company in the US and applies for an E-2 visa. They live in America with their family and run the business, renewing the visa as long as the enterprise operates. The whole route is faster and cheaper than EB-5, but E-2 does not give a green card.
Why people choose E-2
- To live in the US and run your own business there
- A faster and cheaper route than EB-5
- The right of residence for a spouse and children
- The spouse can work in the US
- Indefinite renewal as long as the business operates
- The “Grenadian passport → E-2 visa” combination
03 / What it covers
What E-2 requires
Citizenship
- A passport of a country with an E-2 treaty
- In the Caribbean — Grenada
- Can be obtained through investment
Investment
- A substantial investment in a US business
- Funds at risk
- Not a “token” sum
Business
- A real operating enterprise
- Active management
- Job creation
Family
- Residence for the spouse and children
- The spouse can work
- Renewed together with the principal
04 / How it works
How to obtain E-2 (the Grenada combination)
A Grenadian passport through investment
Due diligence check
Investment in a business in the US
Applying for the E-2 visa
Living there and running the business
05 / Cost and timelines
What the route to E-2 costs (through Grenada)
01Grenadian passport
from $235,000
A contribution to the NTF fund — the passport that unlocks the E-2 visa. Takes a few months to obtain.
02Investment in a US business
substantial
There is no fixed minimum; the investment must be substantial relative to the business and genuinely at risk.
03Support and fees
separately
Legal preparation of the visa, a business plan, consular fees.
The total is noticeably cheaper and faster than EB-5, but the result is a visa (the right to live and work), not a permanent green card. We calculate the exact budget for your business and family composition.
Timelines
- The key citizenship
- A passport of a country with an E-2 treaty (Grenada — through investment)
- Timeline
- Noticeably faster than EB-5; depends on obtaining the passport and preparing the business
- Renewal
- Indefinitely, as long as the business meets the conditions
- Status
- The right to live and work, but not a permanent green card
06 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
E-2 is available only to citizens of countries with an E-2 treaty — in the Caribbean, that means Grenada
02It is a visa, not a green card
it does not give permanent status
03
Renewable indefinitely as long as the business is genuinely operating
04There is no fixed minimum
the investment must be substantial and at risk
05
Faster and cheaper than EB-5, but the nature of the status is different
Common mistakes
- Counting on E-2 without a passport of a treaty country
- Treating E-2 as a green card — it is a visa and gives no permanent status
- Investing a token sum: the investment must be substantial
- Setting up a “paper business” with no real activity
- Not considering EB-5 as an alternative if you specifically need permanent status
07 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
The route to E-2 usually begins with a passport of a treaty country — in the Caribbean, Grenada, obtained through investment. In parallel, the groundwork for the visa is prepared: a real business plan, the investment structure and evidence of the source of funds. It is important to understand in advance that E-2 gives the right to live and work but not permanent status — and to choose deliberately between the speed of E-2 and the permanence of EB-5.
What we do for you. We handle the whole combination: first we help you obtain a Grenadian passport, then we prepare the groundwork for the E-2 visa. You understand in advance that E-2 gives the right to live and work in the US but not permanent status — and decide deliberately whether this trade-off of speed and price suits you or whether you need EB-5.
Anna KovalevskayaExpert in Caribbean citizenship by investment programs
08 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
Because the E-2 visa is available only to citizens of countries that have the relevant treaty with the United States. Among the Caribbean citizenship by investment programmes, only Grenada has such a treaty, so its passport is the key to E-2.
Essentially, yes — the visa is renewed as long as your business in the US is genuinely operating and meets the conditions. It is a long-term right to live and work, yet it remains a visa and does not automatically turn into a green card.
There is no fixed minimum. The investment must be substantial relative to the scale of the business and genuinely at risk. In practice it is often a matter of several hundred thousand dollars or more.
No. E-2 is a visa giving the right to live and run a business, but not permanent status. If you specifically need a green card, EB-5 is considered.
Yes. The spouse of an E-2 holder can obtain permission to work in the US, and the children can live and study in the country.
A Grenadian passport usually takes a few months, then the business is prepared and the E-2 application filed. Overall it is noticeably faster than the multi-year EB-5 route.
Related terms
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