Procedures for Initial Registration of a Company – or – Renewal of the Registration of a Company with fewer than 25 permanent employees
If you are an applicant from a treaty country, the enterprise itself possesses treaty country nationality, and you or the enterprise’s owner has invested or is actively in the process of investing in the US, you may qualify for an E-2 visa. 9 FAM 402.9-6(B). The enterprise must be real and operating. See 9 FAM 402.9-6(C) and the investment must be substantial. See 9 FAM 402.9-6(D).
If you believe you qualify for an E-2 visa, you must first register and pay the application fee(s) through our visa service provider, CGI Federal.
Follow the instructions and submit your application by mail. After your application has been received and processed, you will be contacted to schedule an interview.
Required Format for E-2 Visa Applications
As of August 1, 2015, the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt will not be accepting E-visa applications exceeding 90 pages (maximum). These pages may not be double-sided or include several miniature pages pasted on one page.
Please adhere to the following format in submitting your application. Applications not complying with the format below may not be accepted by the E-visa Unit. For specific examples of documentation that could satisfy many of the elements below, please see 9 FAM 402.9-11.
Tab 1a |
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Tab 1b |
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Tab 1c | Cover letter describing company, position and beneficiary. This letter must address all requirements for E-visa eligibility as defined by the Foreign Affairs Manual and U.S. law. It should address the following in detail:
If the company has previously qualified for E-visa status, please include the date and location of the initial qualification. Also, please include a paragraph concerning the applicant’s unequivocal intent to depart U.S. when E-status ends. |
Tab 2a |
Business plan including a five-year forecast in a Profit/Loss format (one page), tax returns for the past 2 years (if an existing company) and a year-to-date profit/loss statement. The plan must verify the capacity of the enterprise to realize a profit within a maximum of five years. **This is only a requirement for newly created enterprises or those in existence for 2 years or less. ** |
Tab 2b |
Proof of treaty country ownership and controlling interest in the enterprise.
Note: A permanent resident alien does not qualify to bring in employees under INA 101(a)(15)(E). Moreover, shares of a corporation or other business organization owned by permanent resident aliens cannot be considered in determining majority ownership by nationals of the treaty country to qualify the company for bringing in alien employees under INA 101(a)(15)(E). |
Tab 2c | Demonstrate the applicant has invested or is in the process of investing. See 9 9 FAM 402.9-6(B). The applicant must demonstrate that the enterprise is a real and operating commercial enterprise, and not a passive investment. |
Tab 3a | Evidence that investment is substantial as defined by 9 FAM 402.9-6(D). Any evidence of employment should only consider employees on payroll. |
Tab 3b | Evidence that the enterprise is more than marginal as defined by 9 FAM 402.9-6(E). An applicant is ineligible for E-2 status if the investment in the United States will only return enough income to provide a living for the applicant and his or her family. Outside sources of income do NOT count. |
Tab 4 | Applicant’s resume and, if an essential employee, evidence that employee has essential skills that the enterprise urgently needs, as well as the projected duration of this essentiality. Please include an organizational chart showing the line-management relationship. You may also wish to explain why the enterprise was unable to find a qualified U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident to fill the position. |
Submission
Companies applying for Initial Registration or Renewal of the Registration must simultaneously submit a paper application and an additional PDF copy of the paper version.
Original paper application not exceeding 90 pages please mail to: U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt |
Scanned copy of the paper application as PDF file not exceeding 5 MB per e-mail to: FrankfurtVisaInquiries@state.gov Email subject must specify company, applicant’s name, and Att: E-Visa Team |