E‑2 business visa to the USA with Grenada citizenship

Individuals need a special visa if they want to move to the USA, start a business or invest in a company there. There are several visas as such, the most convenient is the E‑2 Treaty Investors visa.

The E‑2 Treaty Investors is a non-immigrant visa issued for investors who want to start a business in the USA. It can be your own company or a franchise business.

The E‑2 visa entitles an investor to stay and do business in the USA in return for a substantial investment in the chosen company. The E‑2 visa does not apply to immigration and does not lead to a green card, which is a permanent residence permit in the US.

The visa allows you to live and work in the US, and bring the whole family with you. There are no restrictions on entry and exit from the country.

The E‑2 visa is inaccessible to some nationalities but only to citizens of those countries with which the US has signed an agreement on mutual investments.

With a Grenada passport you can apply for an E‑2 visa. It’s one of the benefits of Caribbean citizenship. Most nationals do not have the right to get this type of US visa.

Investment amount. The law does not establish minimum investment requirements. However, we recommend planning an investment of $200,000 to $250,000. When submitting an application, it must be documented that the investment has already been completed or is at its final stage.

The investor must show that the funds have not been obtained from criminal activity.

What business to invest in. It is possible to invest in any industry, and business management experience is not required. We recommend that you provide a detailed business plan that demonstrates the outlook for revenue growth. There are no restrictions on the minimum number of jobs, but it is better to envisage the creation of five new jobs.

Bringing a family. A spouse and children under 21 can move to the US with the main applicant. The spouse can work in any company, and the child can study at any school or university. When the child turns 21, you will need to issue a student residence permit.

When applying for a visa, the applicant’s account must be sufficient to support the family for at least a year.

What nationals can apply for an E‑2 visa. The E‑2 visa is granted to citizens of Treaty countries, which have entered into bilateral investment agreements with the US, like Grenada.

The obtaining process consists of several stages. All foreigners need to write a Petition for a Nonimmigrant worker to apply for an E‑2 visa.

The documents you’ll need for your visa interview will vary based on where you’re applying and what country you’re from.

The basic list of documents:

1. Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker according to form I‑129.

2. Passport.

3. Certificate of ownership issued by the commercial section of a foreign embassy.

4. Reports from a certified personal accountant.

5. Copies of partnership agreements.

6. Articles of incorporation.

7. Payments for the rental of business premises or offices.

8. Business licences.

9. Insurance appraisals.

10. Business bank accounts containing funds for routine operations.

Pass an interview. An immigration official will decide whether you are a good fit for an E‑2 visa at the interview. Your spouse and children over 14 should come with you.

Get approval. Suppose your application is approved on the spot. In that case, you’ll be fingerprinted and asked to leave your passport at the consulate or embassy, as will your spouse and children. They may ask for further documentation or suggest that your application requires additional processing. Any issues will normally be resolved within 60 days.

E‑2 visa renewal. E‑2 visa allows a maximum initial stay of two years. Requests for extension of stay may be granted for up to two years each. There is no limit to the number of extensions of an E‑2 non-immigrant visa.

With a Grenada passport by investment, people can apply for an E‑2 visa. An investor will get Grenada citizenship for their family in 4—6 months if they invest in the country’s economy.

How to get Grenada citizenship by investment

The Grenada program has two investment options:

1. Non-refundable contribution to a national fund in the amount of $150,000 for the investor. For a family of two to four people, the contribution amount is $200,000. For each next family member, you need to pay an additional $25,000 to $75,000, depending on the degree of relationship and age.

2. Real estate investment of $220,000 regardless of family composition. You can return the investment after five years. For this option, a special state fee in the amount of $50,000 or more is paid in addition.

Regardless of option, a Due Diligence fee of $5,000 is payable for each adult applicant. There are also fees for filing and processing an application is a total of $3,000 for an adult and $1,500 if the applicant is under 18 years old.

Individual cost calculation for Grenada citizenship

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Citizens of Grenada travel without visas to more than 140 countries. They freely visit the Schengen states, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Сhina and also can apply for a US Visitor Visa for ten years.

With a Grenadian passport, you can open a bank account in a reliable international bank in Grenada. It is also easier to get access to a European or American bank. Assets can be registered on the second passport.

The tax resident status in Grenada will allow you to optimise taxation. Grenada doesn’t have taxes on global income, dividends, interest or royalties from other countries. There are no taxes on inheritance, capital gains, income and stamp duty.

The E‑2 visa benefits include:

• The E‑2 is cheaper and faster to get compared to other types of the US business visa like L‑1 and EB‑5. A visa is issued in two to three weeks.

• The E‑2 visa can be renewed an unlimited number of times every two years. The main thing is for the business to generate income and develop. With an E‑2 visa, you can live in the US and apply for an EB‑5 immigrant visa.

• Conditions for family members of the investor are the same for all business visas.

You will be able to live and do business in a stable economy, your family will receive a new quality of life, and your children will be able to study in the best schools and universities in the United States. All family members will receive the right to freely enter and leave the country. You can quickly go to business negotiations, rest or visit relatives.

Foreigners can also obtain a US business visa of the L‑1 or EB‑5 types. The conditions for their registration and opening a company in the US are rather tough.

The EB‑5 visa is expensive, and the obtaining procedure takes a lot of time. It is issued to investors who plan to invest in a business in the US from $500,000 for at least five years. This can be an investor company or a government-licensed project.

The company must have at least ten jobs for full-time employees. If a relative of the investor, such as a spouse, plans to work for the company, her workplace is not counted towards the Immigration Department.

Obtaining an EB‑5 visa takes from two years. All this time the money is frozen in an escrow account. The number of visas is limited, therefore, the process is often delayed up to four years. You receive a conditional green card for two years if your application is approved. If your application is approved, you receive a conditional green card for two years.

You renew the card while the company develops and generates income. In this case, you must be in the US for at least half a year.

The advantage of the EB‑5 visa is the ability to apply for citizenship after five years.

The L‑1 visa sets a duty to work for a particular company. There are two types of this visa: L‑1A and L‑1B.

The L‑1A visa is suitable for business owners and managers based in countries outside of the US. If you plan to invest several thousand dollars in a US subsidiary, you can get the L‑1A.

The L‑1B visa is granted to key company employees who are transferred to work into a new branch in the US.

To apply for an L‑1 visa, you need to open an account with an American bank and put money on it in an amount sufficient to conduct and develop your business. You also need to provide a business plan and rent a room.

Registration also takes place in two stages. First, the applicant submits documents in the US, and then is interviewed at a Consulate in the country where a US consulate works. The process takes about four months.

The L‑1 visa is issued for one to three years and is renewed based on the results of the company’s activities. The company must have financial stability, growth and evidence of financial statements. A visa holder cannot change a company, close a business and open a new one. In this case, the visa will be taken away.

The only advantage of the L‑1 visa is the ability to get a green card after five years.

The E‑2 visa is cheaper and faster to get. It’s issued in two to three weeks. There are no restrictions on entry and exit from the country, the investor gets more freedom compared to the L‑1 and EB‑5 visas. With an E‑2 visa, you can live in the United States and apply for an EB‑5 immigrant visa.

Conditions for family members of the investor are the same for all of the listed visas. A spouse and children under 21 can move with the main applicant. The spouse can work in any company and the child can study at any school or university. When the child turns 21 years old, you will need to issue a student residence permit.