Comprehensive Immigration Guidance for Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researchers, and Multinational Executives
The EB-1 is an employment-based immigrant visa that allows highly accomplished individuals, leading researchers, and multinational executives or managers to obtain permanent residency in the United States.
Unlike many employment-based visas, certain EB-1 categories allow individuals to self-petition, while others require sponsorship from a U.S. employer.
Eligibility depends on the specific EB-1 category:
Evidence development and documentation
Eligibility assessment and case strategy
Employer coordination (if required)
Petition preparation and filing
Guidance on adjustment of status or consular processing
To qualify, you must be a national of a treaty country and invest a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business. The business must be an active commercial enterprise generating more than enough income to support the investor and their family.
The E-2 visa itself does not lead directly to a green card, but you can explore options like the EB-5 Investor Program or family- or employment-based green cards.
The E-2 visa is typically granted for an initial period of 2 to 5 years and can be renewed indefinitely, as long as the business continues to meet visa requirements.
Yes! Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can accompany the E-2 investor. Spouses receive an open work authorization (can work for any employer), and children can attend school in the U.S.
The law doesn’t specify a minimum, but your investment must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of your business. Generally, $80,000–$100,000 is considered a good starting point.
To maintain your E-2 status, your business must remain active and operational. A temporary decline in revenue or profitability should not affect your visa status. In the case that you decide to seize all operations of your business- you would need to consider other immigration options.
A married couple from Germany with three young children dreamed of moving to the U.S. for new opportunities. The wife was a high-income earner in the high-tech industry, while the husband had a mid-level income.
Strategy: They invested $150,000 in a profitable U.S. franchise, with the husband applying for the E-2 visa as the primary investor. The wife, as a dependent of the E-2 main investor, would receive an open work permit that would allow her to work for any company in the US. She would secure a high-paying tech job, while the couple focused on growing their business.
The family successfully established a new life in the U.S. The wife continued her career in the high-tech sector, while their business provided a steady source of income. Together, they achieved financial stability and built a strong foundation for their future.
A married couple from Israel saw the U.S. as the ideal place to expand their digital marketing business while supporting their two adult children, aged 20 and 21.
They invested $115,000 to start a new digital marketing business in the U.S., with the wife as the E-2 visa's primary investor. The husband, as a dependent of the E-2 main investor, would receive an open work permit that would allow him to work forany company in the U.S. Their children would obtain a student visas to study in the U.S.
The couple successfully transitioned their business to the U.S., establishing a foothold in the digital marketing industry. Their children pursued higher education at U.S. universities, the older one obtained a student visa. The younger- first obtained an E-2, which allowed him to study, and then when he turned 21, he transitioned to a student visa. The entire family thrived both professionally and personally, realizing their goals.
A single women in Canada wanted to turn her vision of owning a unique travel business into reality in the U.S.
She invested $66,000 to open a travel bus company in Southern California specializing in themed trips. The majority of her investment went toward purchasing the actual bus. She applied for a five-year E-2 visa to launch and grow her business in the U.S.
She secured a five-year E-2 visa to launch and grow her business. Her travel bus company became a successful enterprise, filling a niche in the tourism industry. With her business thriving, she achieved her entrepreneurial aspirations while creating a stable and fulfilling life in the U.S.
For Individuals Seeking Permanent Residency, Understand your eligibility for EB-1 classification and the strongest path forward.
