Applying for an E-2 visa can be a complex process. In this article, you can find out more about the required documents for the E-2 Investor’s Program.

Once you identified a type of business that would qualify you as a potential investor in the United States, the next step is to make sure you provide the required documents that prove your eligibility for the E-2 Investor Visa Program.

The immigration laws suggest a list of documents that would make your case stronger and increase your chances of obtaining the E-2 visa. The following categories describe the range of documentation that a foreign investor needs to produce:

I. Proof of Nationality of Investor, such as birth certificate, citizen certificate, copy of passport, other documents that will prove the nationality of the investor. This is important because it establishes your eligibility under the nationality requirement and whether your country has a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States.

II. Business Ownership documents The investor must provide evidence that he/she owns the business in the United States. Such documents include: business registration documents, articles of organization/incorporation, operating agreement, certificates of ownership and other documents that prove that the investor owns at least 50% of the company.

III. Source of Funds: The investor must prove that the source of funds is legitimate and that he/she has control over the capital that will be invested in the U.S. The capital to be invested in the U.S. cannot originate from criminal activity. Documents that prove that the source of funds to be invested is  legitimate include: bank statements that show personal income, sales transactions, inheritance documents, rental income, gift letters, which prove donations. The funds can come from within the United States, as any other country, as long as the source can be traced.

IV. Evidence of Investment: This may include receipts of funds already spent in the U.S., such as receipts for business-related equipment and inventory purchases, payment receipts, purchase orders, wire transfers, lease agreements, bank statements and financial records of any transaction that show that the capital was or is in the process of  being invested in the United States.

V. Business and Financial Plans: The investor must show a detailed business plan, which is instrumental in the application process for an E-2 Investor Visa because it outlines the entire concept of your business idea showing your focus on strategy, growth, profit and success on the U.S. market. The financial projections must be made for a period of five years from the moment the business is established.

Another way to show the profitability of the business is by hiring American employees and expanding the business. Documents to be presented in this sense could include: payroll register, records of salaries paid to employee (if any), employee data, including names, rates of pay, copies of W-2’s.

VI. Investor’s credentials: Finally, the investor must also provide evidence that he will have an executive and managerial role in the company. In the business plan, it is important to outline the credentials of the investor in running the business. Convincing documents include: a comprehensive resume detailing the investor’s experience and education, training certificates, diplomas or transcripts. It is not required for the investor to have work experience in the field of the business that he will lead in the U.S., although it is a good idea for the investor to have a good understanding of the business climate in the United States.

If you have more questions about the documents that you have to present when applying for an E-2 investor’s visa, feel free to reach out and book a consultation with Vizdoaga Law Office.