E-2 Visa Treaty Countries: Full List and What It Means If Yours Isn't There

The E-2 visa has one eligibility requirement that has nothing to do with your investment amount, business plan, or qualifications: your nationality. If your country doesn't have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States, you simply cannot apply — no matter how strong your financials are.

The US Department of State currently recognizes over 80 qualifying treaty countries. Here's what that looks like in practice, by volume and by geography.

The Countries That Drive E-2 Volume

Issuance data from FY2024, when the program hit a record 55,324 approvals globally, reveals a heavily concentrated pattern:

Japan is by far the largest E-2 market in the world, accounting for roughly 26%–30% of all global issuances. In FY2024 alone, 15,521 E-2 visas were issued to Japanese nationals — driven by corporate transfers, manufacturing investments, and long-established Japan-US business networks.

South Korea and Canada form the second tier, each generating 5,000–6,800 approvals annually. The Canadian corridor is particularly active for franchise acquisitions and cross-border SME expansion, helped enormously by geographic proximity and integrated trade under CUSMA.

Germany, France, and the UK anchor the European tier, with FY2024 issuances of approximately 3,902, 3,574, and 2,720 respectively. Italy (1,531) and Spain (1,438) also contribute meaningful volume.

Mexico issued 1,514 E-2 visas in FY2024, driven by proximity and regional entrepreneurship. Turkey (697) and Israel (657) represent active Middle Eastern corridors. Colombia (623) leads a growing Latin American segment.

Country-Specific Notes

Canada: Canadians apply primarily through the US Consulate in Toronto for first-time E-2 registration, then can use Calgary, Montreal, or Vancouver for subsequent applications. The eVisaCanada submission portal is used for electronic document filing; packages must be a single PDF capped at 50 pages and 20MB. Once a Canadian business is registered (valid for five years), employees of that registered enterprise can apply at any US post in Canada.

Mexico: Mexican nationals receive 12-month visa stamps — shorter than the 5-year stamps available to UK, Japanese, German, and French nationals. However, every entry into the US resets the admission period to two years on the I-94. Under Automatic Visa Revalidation (22 CFR 41.112(d)), E-2 holders with expired stamps but valid I-94s can travel to Mexico for 30 days or less and re-enter — a useful workaround for holders of short-validity stamps.

South Korea: Seoul processes high volumes of E-2 applications efficiently. Korean entrepreneurs frequently use the franchise route, particularly in food service, cleaning, and retail.

Countries That Are Not on the Treaty List

Several of the world's largest economies are excluded:

• India — No E-2 treaty exists with the US
• China (mainland) — No treaty
• Russia — No treaty
• Brazil — No treaty
• Vietnam — No treaty
• Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria — No treaty

This creates a significant constraint for entrepreneurs from these countries. If you're a national of a non-treaty country, you cannot apply based on your primary citizenship. You have a few paths to consider:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Workaround: High-net-worth nationals of non-treaty countries have historically obtained secondary citizenships in treaty countries — most commonly Grenada (which requires a minimum $235,000 contribution to its National Transformation Fund, or a $270,000 real estate investment) or Turkey ($400,000 real estate acquisition). This secondary citizenship can then be used to apply for the E-2.

The AMIGOS Act Change (Critical): In December 2022, Congress passed the AMIGOS Act, which fundamentally changed this pathway. Individuals who acquire treaty-country citizenship through a financial investment must now be domiciled in that treaty country for a continuous period of at least three years before they can apply for an E-2 visa. "Domicile" means real economic and geographic ties — tax residency, banking activity, real property, genuine physical presence. This is not a box-checking exercise.

The three-year domicile rule disrupted the immediate "passport-to-visa" pipeline. If you're an Indian or Chinese national considering Grenada citizenship as a bridge to the E-2, the realistic timeline is now three years of established life in Grenada, then the US investment phase. Brokers promoting "fast-track" CBI-to-E-2 programs often gloss over this requirement.

Grandfathering: If you secured E-2 status via CBI before the AMIGOS Act was enacted, you are generally not affected by the three-year rule. But new applicants must plan for the longer timeline.

Portugal: A Recent Addition

In early 2024, Portugal was formally integrated into the E-2 program following the implementation of the AMIGOS Act's separate provision adding Portuguese nationals to the treaty. This opened a significant new corridor for Portuguese entrepreneurs and professionals.

Dual Nationals

If you hold citizenship in both a treaty country and a non-treaty country, you can use your treaty-country nationality to qualify. The E-2 application will be based on the treaty-country passport. Dual nationals should be aware that the US enterprise must carry the nationality of the treaty country — meaning 50%+ ownership must trace to treaty-country nationals.

US Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) cannot confer treaty nationality onto a business for E-2 purposes, even if they were originally citizens of a treaty country.

If you're from a non-treaty country evaluating the CBI route — or from a qualifying country ready to move forward — the US E-2 Treaty Investor Visa Guide includes a full breakdown of the AMIGOS Act domicile requirements, the Grenada and Turkey timelines and true costs, and the corporate structure decisions that affect your future green card options.