Live & Work
in the U.S. Through
Investment.
A faster, more flexible path to U.S. presence — whether you're starting a new business, expanding your existing one into the U.S., or acquiring a U.S. enterprise. Bring your family and renew indefinitely.
Request a Consultation
Confidential. No obligation.
Request a Consultation
Confidential. No obligation.
What Is the E-2 Visa?
A treaty-based visa that allows business owners and entrepreneurs from qualifying countries to live, work, and grow a business in the U.S.
Treaty Country National
You must be a citizen of a country that has an E-2 treaty with the United States — including Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Japan, and 80+ others.
Substantial Investment
Invest a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide U.S. enterprise. Many business owners start from $100K — proportionality to the total cost of the business matters.
Active Business
The investment must be in a real, operating business that you direct and develop. Passive or speculative investments do not qualify.
Renewable Indefinitely
The E-2 visa can be renewed every 2–5 years as long as the business remains operational and you remain active in its management.
E-2 vs. EB-5
The E-2 is the faster, lower-capital path — ideal for active business owners who want to operate and grow in the U.S. The EB-5 requires $800K minimum and leads directly to a Green Card, but requires no active business management. We help you choose the right path.
Discuss Your OptionsCommon Questions
Charles Raether
Managing Partner
E-2 Is Not a Checkbox Exercise.
"E-2 approvals come down to how you tell the story of your investment. Weak documentation — not a weak investment — is what gets cases denied."
— Charles Raether
20+
Years in Investor Immigration
E-2 & EB-5
Treaty & Investment Cases
Risk-First
Strategic Approach
E-2 Cases Require Precision
Unlike other visa categories, E-2 success depends on how well you present the investment — not just how much you invest.
Treaty & Business Law
We combine deep knowledge of E-2 treaty law with practical U.S. business structuring to build cases that hold up under scrutiny.
Substantiality Analysis
We rigorously assess and document the proportionality of your investment — the most contested element of any E-2 petition.
Business Plan Preparation
A compelling, USCIS-compliant business plan is essential. Our team develops the narrative and financials that examiners expect.
Faster Processing
E-2 cases can move quickly. We prepare complete, well-documented petitions designed to avoid unnecessary RFEs and delays.
From Concept to Visa Stamp
STEP 01
Eligibility & Strategy
We confirm treaty eligibility, evaluate your investment concept, and map the strongest path forward.
This includes nationality verification, investment substantiality analysis, and a full review of your intended business. We identify potential objections before they arise.
STEP 02
Business Plan & Documentation
We prepare a comprehensive, USCIS-compliant business plan and gather all supporting documentation.
STEP 03
Filing & Consular Processing
We file your petition and guide you through consular interview preparation and approval.
Who the E-2 Is Built For
Ideal Fit
Citizen of an E-2 treaty country
Ready to invest from $100K in a U.S. business
Interested in managing and directing the business
Seeking a faster alternative to EB-5
Want to bring your spouse and children
Open to renewing your status every 2–5 years
Not a Fit
Not a citizen of a treaty country
Seeking permanent residency directly
Passive investor with no role in the business
Looking to invest in real estate only
If you're seeking a direct path to a Green Card, our EB-5 practice may be a better fit. Learn about EB-5 →
The People Behind Every Case
A small, intentional team — built for depth, not volume.
Charles Raether
Managing Partner
Charles Raether
Managing Partner
Charles has led AmLaw Group's investor immigration practice for over 20 years. He personally oversees every E-2 case — from treaty eligibility and investment structuring through consular processing — with a focus on getting business owners into the U.S. correctly and efficiently.
Yulia Novik
Senior Immigration Counsel
Yulia specializes in E-2 investment documentation and business plan preparation, guiding clients through the substantiality requirements that define every successful petition.
Asmina Simonyan
Senior Paralegal
Asmina manages case preparation, document coordination, and filing logistics across the firm's E-2 docket. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures every petition is complete, compliant, and submission-ready.
Trusted by Families Worldwide
AmLaw Group did an excellent job guiding me through the EB-5 process and helping me secure my green card. They were knowledgeable, responsive, and handled all the complex paperwork…
Alex Volkov
EB-5 Green Card · October 2024
Yulia very meticulously, time and again, carefully verified all transactions and confirmed the provided documents. The result was visa approval — which, honestly, I never doubted. …
Vasily Panikhin
EB-5 Visa · December 2023
We worked with Charles, Yuliya and the team at AmLaw Group to get our EB-5 visa. We were able to get our approval faster than what we were expecting. Everything went smoothly and e…
Flavio Guimaraes
EB-5 Visa · March 2019
I highly recommend AmLaw Group for anyone interested in immigration to the U.S. Their team was very reliable, trustworthy and effective in handling our EB-5 petition. Unlike other …
Elena Belonogova
EB-5 Petition · November 2020
AmLaw Group gets the job done like no one else! The Department of Labor initiated an audit and issued a denial for a technical reason. We deliberated with AmLaw about the best stra…
Yury Kharitonenkov
EB-2 Green Card · November 2020
Charles explained every step of the EB-5 process in simple terms. He helped us choose the right regional center and investment project, and supported us throughout — especially whe…
Ayman El Sebaie
EB-5 Visa · June 2016
Ready to Invest in Your Future?
Schedule a confidential strategy session with our team to evaluate your E-2 eligibility and explore whether starting a new business, acquiring an existing one, or expanding your current business into the U.S. is the right path for you.
Senior attorney involvement on every case
Investment substantiality analysis included
Response within 1 business day
Request a Consultation
Confidential. No obligation.