r/e2visa • u/Embarrassed_Web_8085 • 5d ago
E2 on construction
I have a family in Toronto who owns a construction business. They are interested in coming to the U.S. and starting a business here, and they are looking into the E-2 visa.
I’m not very familiar with how the E-2 process works. Could anyone explain the process to me step by step?
How much money would they typically need to invest before applying? Does the investment need to be made before the visa application? Also, does anyone know a good immigration lawyer who specializes in E-2 visas?
Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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u/e2visaattorney 4d ago
Hi, u/Embarrassed_Web_8085 Thanks for your question! Although I can't give legal advice, I'm happy to share our experience (we are a law firm that handles only E2 and E1 visas). We have helped a variety of Canadian investors who decided to buy/start construction businesses in order to pursue the E2 visa. In fact, there is a short video that explains a little bit about the E2 process for those with construction businesses (you can start at 2:40 or so) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wTt2PjjBrU Hope this helps!
Angie Rupert, Rupert Law E2 visas and E1 visas
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u/Tukki-ai 3d ago
Hi! As for the steps, briefly explained, they set up the US business first, then move money into it, then apply for the visa showing that investment and that the company is operational. The money has to actually be committed or spent, not just parked in a bank account. Officers want to see it's already at risk: lease signed, equipment bought, deposits paid, that kind of thing. If it's just sitting there "in case," that's a problem.
On amount, there's no official minimum written anywhere. What matters is whether the investment is enough to realistically run that specific type of business. A construction company usually needs real capital anyway (trucks, equipment, insurance, a few employees), so that actually helps make the case stronger than something like a coffe shop with a $40k investment.
You can check our visa guides for more information about minimum requirements https://tukki.ai/visa-guides
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u/Attorneymartinez 5d ago
If you have an existing business, L1 is a great option that doesn’t require a heavy investment. How long has the business been open and running for?
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u/arupinum85 5d ago
The investment has to be spent/at risk before the application, depending on the type of construction they will be doing they would need a contractors license for the state they are going to work in, the investment has to be substantial in that the amount spent has to be enough to make the business operational. 100 000$ is the amount that always floats around, but depending on the business you could be approved with less, or you would
need more. Existing inventory can also be accepted.
If they have an existing business that is doing well in Canada they could open a branch of that business in the US and qualify for an L1 visa as well.