The US E-2 visa law doesn’t set a fixed minimum investment amount — everything depends on whether your investment is sufficient to realize your stated business plan. But money is only part of the requirements: the embassy will verify that your funds come from legal sources, that your business will be profitable, and that it will create jobs for Americans.

How much do you need to invest

There is no strict limit in US law. The USCIS website mentions the need to invest a “substantial amount of capital” — this could be $60,000, $100,000, or more. The key requirement: the amount must be sufficient for the business you described in your application.

If you have several million dollars, consider the EB-5 visa, which is investment-based and leads to a green card. If you have around $100,000, that should be enough to implement most business ideas under the E-2.

The source of funds must be documented

The embassy needs to prove that the money was obtained legally. Acceptable sources include: salary, proceeds from selling real estate, a car or another business, or a gift.

If relatives are gifting you money, ask them to formalize it with a written confirmation — this will be useful when submitting your application. The same applies to money received from inheritance or other official sources. Without proof of the legitimacy of the funds, the visa will not be approved.

The business must be viable and profitable

USCIS checks not only the presence of funds but also the viability of the business itself. The business must generate profit exceeding the minimum family income threshold.

Additionally, you must prove that it will create jobs. This could be an employee to manage the office, a logistics manager for deliveries, or a remote employee — but the worker must be a US citizen, not a foreign national.

You need a 5-year business plan

To get the visa approved, you must prepare a financial plan for 5 years, conduct market research in your field, and forecast banking income and expenses. It’s important to demonstrate a growth trajectory — how your client base or sales volumes will expand.

The officer looks for “red flags”: a business that exists only on paper, investments promised but not acted upon, fake documents, or missing actual payroll. If everything looks theoretical with no practical steps taken, your application may be rejected.

You must be a citizen of a country with a trade agreement with the US

The main requirement for E-2: you must be a citizen of one of the countries with which the US has a trade agreement. For example, Russia is not part of this list.

However, the list includes Israel, Grenada, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and many others. If you are a citizen of one of these nations, you are eligible to apply for an E-2 visa to the US.