E-2 Visa Lawyer in Miami

40 Years of Immigration Practice Applied to Your E-2 Visa Matter

Securing an E-2 treaty investor visa requires more than filling out forms. The investment structure, business plan, and documentation all have to meet a precise legal standard, and the margin for error at a U.S. embassy or before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is thin. Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt has guided investors and entrepreneurs through U.S. immigration matters from our Miami offices for over 40 years. Our immigration department is chaired by john Patrick, Pratt, Helena Tetzeli and Ira J. Kurzban, whose Immigration Law Sourcebook is cited by federal judges and immigration officials nationwide.  Helena has a nationwide reputation as a leading immigration attorney. She is frequently asked to write and speak on immigration law topics. We’re nationally and internationally recognized, and we bring that depth of practice directly to E-2 treaty investor visa matters.

Documented E-2 Visa Processing Experience

Not every immigration firm has handled E-2 cases that go to a U.S. embassy abroad. We have. That experience matters because the documentary requirements and officer discretion at an embassy post can differ substantially from a domestic change-of-status filing.

Helena

John Patrick Pratt, a member of our team, is certified by the Florida Bar in Immigration and Nationality Law. That certification requires demonstrated experience, peer review, and passage of a written examination. It reflects a standard of knowledge the Bar itself has verified.

“John Pratt's team was outstanding in handling my E2 Visa case at the US Embassy in Paris.”

- Marius C.

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa Eligibility Requirements

The E-2 visa is available only to nationals of countries that maintain a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States. Dozens of countries currently qualify. If your nationality isn’t on that list, you’re not eligible for E-2 classification, regardless of the size or nature of your investment.

Beyond nationality, the core eligibility requirements include:

• Substantial and at-risk investment: U.S. law sets no fixed dollar minimum, but the investment must be substantial relative to the total cost of the enterprise. The funds must be irrevocably committed and genuinely at risk in the business. Money sitting in a personal account or secured only by the business assets themselves doesn’t qualify.
• Ownership or operational control: You must hold at least 50 percent ownership of the enterprise or demonstrate control through a managerial or executive role.
• A bona fide, non-marginal enterprise: The marginality test requires that the business generate significantly more than a minimal living income for you and your family. A business that exists primarily to support the investor’s household doesn’t satisfy this requirement.
• A real, operating business: The enterprise must be active, not a future plan. At the time of filing, the business must exist and be functioning.

E-2 status is granted in two-year increments with no statutory cap on renewals. E-2 status can continue as long as the business remains active and you remain eligible.

Why Miami Draws E-2 Investors

Miami is one of the most active markets for E-2 treaty investors in the country. Miami International Airport and PortMiami connect South Florida to Latin America and the Caribbean through substantial trade and cargo networks, and investors from Latin American and European treaty countries are drawn to the city’s Spanish-speaking business community and established trade infrastructure. For entrepreneurs building U.S. operations with international reach, Miami is a natural base.

That concentration of cross-border business activity means E-2 cases originating in Miami often involve complex ownership structures, multi-jurisdictional assets, and consular processing in countries across the region. We’re positioned to handle that complexity.

Talk to Our Miami E-2 Visa Lawyer

Whether you’re structuring a new investment, preparing for a consular interview, or seeking to renew an existing E-2 status, we can review your situation and walk you through your options. We work with investors from across the treaty-eligible world who are building businesses in the Miami area.