How to get US visas with a second citizenship
Caribbean and Vanuatu citizens get B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas to the USA with a validity period of up to 10 years. Maltese citizens don’t need visas for short-term trips at all; only electronic travel authorisation is required.
Learn more about US visa types that are available to investors with dual citizenship
How to get a B‑1/B‑2 visitor visa
Statuses: citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and Vanuatu
Validity period: 5 or 10 years
Period of stay: up to 180 days a year
B‑1 and B‑2 visas are in the Visitor Visa category as they allow a temporary stay in the USA. B‑1 is issued for business trips, and B‑2 is for tourism.
Caribbean citizens usually get a combined B‑1/B‑2 visa valid for 10 years, while Vanuatu citizens get a 5-year combined visa.
Period of stay. The B‑1/B‑2 visa allows the holder to spend up to 180 days a year in the USA. During this time, a visa holder can:
get vacation;
attend conferences;
go for business trips;
get treated in medical clinics.
A B‑1/B‑2 visa holder cannot:
get employed;
do business;
speak at conferences for a fee;
study at school or university.
Where to apply for a visa. The US Embassy in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, provides visa services to Caribbean citizens. The Embassy in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, accepts applications from Vanuatu citizens. However, it’s optional to get visas in these offices.
You can apply for a visa to a US consulate or embassy in any country. For application, you will need to:
book an appointment in a US embassy or consulate in a country where you are going to apply to for a visa;
pay an application processing fee of $160 per person.
You should book an appointment in advance to get a slot in the queue. One usually has to wait for an appointment for two to four weeks. The waiting time can increase during the pandemic as some consulates and embassies might be closed or not accepting new visa applications.
Some embassies and consulates prioritise applications from citizens of the country of location. Information about application processing is usually published on the embassy or consulate’s website.
How to get a multiple-entry US visa with an Antigua and Barbuda passport
Alessandra and her husband Paulo used to get visitor visas to see their children in the USA. But US consulates in Brazil suspended their work due to the pandemic, and the spouses couldn’t get new visas to replace the expired ones.
In 2021, we helped the family obtain Antigua and Barbuda citizenship. Alessandra and Paulo passed an interview at the US Embassy in Barbados and got their US visas three weeks later.
Interview exemptions. An interview is a mandatory step for obtaining a US visa. Only children under 13 and adults over 80 are exempt from it. The interview can be omitted when extending your visa.
A Caribbean citizen can be exempt from an interview at the Embassy in Barbados in the case of a visa extension. The conditions are the following:
the Embassy in Barbados issued the previous visa;
the applicant extends a visa of the same category;
the previous visa was valid for 10 years;
the previous visa expired less than four years ago;
the applicant hasn’t been arrested or convicted of criminal offences;
the applicant can provide a passport with the previous visa.
How to get an electronic travel authorization
Status: Malta citizenship
Validity period: up to 2 years
Period of stay: up to 90 days per trip
Malta is a Visa Waiver Program country, and Maltese citizens don’t need visas to come to the States. But they get an entry permit through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Such a permit is called an ESTA for short.
An ESTA is valid for up to two years, subject to extension. The number of trips during the validity period is unlimited.
Period of stay. An ESTA holder can spend up to 90 days in the USA within one trip to the country. The term is counted from the moment of arrival. If you leave the USA for Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands, you can get back to the USA for the unused time.
Suppose an investor got an ESTA and entered the USA on September 1st. On September 30th, they left for Canada to spend two weeks there.
The stay in the USA started on the day of arrival: in that case, the investor could stay in the country until November 29th. Therefore, they can return to the USA from Canada in mid-October and leave on November 29th.
Purposes of travel. Tourism and business trips are allowed purposes of travel with an ESTA. During the trip, an ESTA holder can take a course that doesn’t lead to a diploma or a degree; for example, those could be cooking lessons. Work, paid performances, school or university studies require a visa.
To get an ESTA, one completes an application form, pays a fee of $21 and submits an application. The whole process takes place online. The applicant needs a passport, a valid credit card, and contact and employment information.
Print the documents and buy return tickets before your trip to the USA
After the application is approved, print the page with an ESTA number and a notification letter for granting the entry permit. They could be requested at the airport during the flight check-in and boarding.
Before leaving for the USA, it’s better to purchase return tickets as they could be requested on the border.
Reasons for refusal include the cases when an applicant:
has been arrested or has criminal records;
has been refused to enter the USA before;
has been deported from the USA;
has a dangerous infectious disease;
has visited Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somali, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen after March 2011;
has dual or second citizenship of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria.
A refusal to grant an ESTA doesn’t mean a person can never visit the USA: they will have to get a visa. Maltese citizens can get a 10-year B‑1/B‑2 visitor visa.
E‑2 visa for business and living in the USA
Status: Grenada or Turkey citizenship
Validity period: 5 years
Period of stay: unlimited within the visa validity period
The E‑2 is a nonimmigrant US visa granted for business investments. It allows the holder to move to the States with a family and do business there. However, the E‑2 visa is only available for citizens of countries with commerce and navigation treaties with the USA.
Grenada citizens can apply for an E‑2 business visa. To get a Grenada passport, one can invest in the country’s economy at least $150,000 and obtain citizenship in four months.
Turkish citizens can qualify for an E‑2 visa, too. Turkey citizenship is granted to those who invest at least $400,000. Investors get passports within six months.
Visa requirements. Opening or purchasing a company in the USA is the main condition for obtaining an E‑2 visa. The investment sum isn’t set: the law states that it should be significant. In practice, applicants invest at least $100,000 in a business. Applications are processed within two to five months.
Who can get a visa? A spouse and children under 21 can get visas with the investor.
Visa validity period. Citizens of Grenada and Turkey get 5-year visas. The visa can be expended if the business continues to operate and bring profit.
How to relocate your business and family to the USA with a Grenada passport
Nicolas was looking for an opportunity to develop his business, ensure his daughter’s best education, and move to a prosperous and diverse country. Relocation to the USA could help him achieve all his goals.
We helped Nicolas and his family obtain Grenada citizenship. With the second passport, the investor could apply for an E‑2 business visa to start his business and new life in San Francisco.
Investors from non-treaty countries can get another US business visa — EB‑5. To get it, one will spend more money and time: the minimum investment amount is $800,000, and the application is processed for up to two years.
The EB‑5 is an immigration visa, meaning its holder can obtain US citizenship over time.
Material prepared by Lyle Julien, Investment programs expert
Frequently asked questions
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