The E-2 visa program is very much like the E-1 visa program. Where the E-1 program is for specialty workers, the E-2 is for investors that want to secure business in the United States. You’ll need almost the same documentation, for the same application form, the I-129. Here’s a look at the paperwork you may want to get started on as you prepare your application.
Eligibility for E-2 Visa
To be eligible for the E-2 visa, you must be conducting trade with the United States. It must be substantial and international. More than 50 percent of your trade must be between the United States and one of America’s treaty countries.
You can prove this trade with the same kind of documentation that you give your accountant. It is not as complicated as it sounds.
Admissable Documentation for E-2 Visa
Anything that you use to document your spending or payments can be used as documentation for your E-2 Visa. This can include invoices, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax returns, shipping invoices, and bank statements.
If you have a spreadsheet that lists every international transaction in the past three years, that can supplement your application. Shipping documentation helps as well. If you are shipping from Canada to the United States, for example, providing those Bills of Lading would help to show you qualify for the visa.
It can take some time to put this all together.
Contact an Attorney
Book an appointment with a local attorney to get help with this petition. Attorneys like an E2 visa law Los Angeles-based attorney will help you secure and file all the documentation that you need.