The E-2 Treaty Investor Visa is one of the most fluid ways for entrepreneurs to reside and work in the United States. Although attached to the caveat that it is not an immigrant visa similar to a green card, it gives you the chance to move to the U.S. and actively run a business you’ve invested in — and as long as your business keeps going strong, you can keep renewing your status. The stipulation is that you need to be a citizen of a treaty country. The U.S. has investment treaties with many nations, and the silver lining is that Pakistan joined the list of treaty countries in 1961.
There’s no fixed “minimum investment” for the E-2. Instead, the focus is on whether your investment is substantial for the type of business you’re starting. Either way, the money has to be at risk — meaning you’ve already committed it to things like leases, equipment, payroll, or other business expenses. Simply holding real estate or stocks won’t cut it; the E-2 is all about active businesses that create value.
Another key factor is the “marginality” test. U.S. officers want to see that your business can do more than just cover your own living costs. It should be up and running to be able to generate local jobs or at least make a meaningful economic contribution. That’s why a solid business plan with realistic projections can make the fine difference between an approval and a rejection.
The good news is, your family can come along for the ride. Spouses and children under 21 qualify for derivative status, and spouses can even apply for work authorization once they’re in the U.S. On top of that, you can bring employees from your treaty country if they’re essential to running the business — whether as managers, executives, or specialists.
The E-2 visa is temporary, but it is not time barred. As long as your business continues to thrive and meet the rules, you can renew indefinitely. Many investors use it as a launchpad: a way to ground their feet in the U.S. while exploring more permanent options down the line. If you’re considering the E-2, the smartest move is to treat it like any serious business venture — put together a strong plan, keep your records clean, and be ready to show how your business will make an impact.
A major advantage of the E-2 is that it gives you status mobility: you can enter the U.S., start operating, and then extend or renew as your business grows—without being locked into a single employer or a one-time, non-renewable permission. The key is to treat each extension/renewal like a fresh “status snapshot”: your business must remain active, properly structured, compliant, and financially credible. If your plans evolve (for example, scaling into a new service line, adding a second location, changing ownership percentages, or shifting the operational model), that change must be documented and presented correctly so it strengthens—rather than complicates—your continued eligibility.
This is where our firm can handle the matter end-to-end. We can structure the investment and corporate setup, prepare a consulate-ready E-2 petition package (including a robust business plan, lawful source-and-path-of-funds documentation, and an evidentiary index), and then continue supporting you post-entry with renewals/extensions strategy—showing non-marginality through payroll, contracts, revenues, and expansion milestones. As your U.S. presence stabilizes, we can also map a long-term pathway (where appropriate) to more permanent options—while ensuring your E-2 compliance stays clean, consistent, and audit-ready throughout.