E-2 Visa for Canadian Investors: Build a U.S. Business and Bring Your Family
For Canadian citizens who want to invest in and run a U.S. business, including a franchise, and want to know, before spending money, whether the E-2 fits and how the consulate process works. Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the filing.
since 1991
- Canada has been on the State Department treaty list since 1 January 1994, so Canadian citizens can use the E-2.
- Canadians do need an E-2 visa. First-time applicants apply through the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto, and the package is emailed in before any appointment is booked.
- There is no fixed minimum investment. You need a substantial amount at risk in a real, active business that is not marginal, and at least half ownership or control.
- A franchise is one way to build that business. It does not change the legal test, and it is not a promise of approval.
- Your spouse can work on E-2. Your unmarried children under 21 can come too, but cannot work.
Why do E-2 applications from Canada fail?
Most Canadian E-2 problems come from a weak plan, thin proof of funds, or a package that is not ready when the consulate reviews it. The consulate and USCIS look at whether your money is truly at risk, whether the business is real and active, and whether it can do more than support you and your family. A refusal can cost you months and put money you already committed at risk (U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada, USCIS).
Here is how it usually goes wrong. You assume that because Canadians can enter freely, an E-2 is a formality. You commit funds before anyone has checked your plan. Or you email a package that does not match the document list for your case.
Underneath, the feelings are real. You feel hopeful, because Canada is on the treaty list. You feel anxious, because your savings are on the line. And you feel rushed, because a business deal may have a date.
None of that means you made a mistake. It means the E-2 is a real visa with a real process. The sections below show it step by step.
Who is behind your E-2 plan, and why trust them?
Amir Ismail & Associates has guided 25,000+ clients since 1991, from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you check your fit and plan your investment, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the legal work and the filing.
Empathy: We know how big it feels to put your savings into a business in a new country.
Authority: Amir Ismail has worked in immigration since 1991. Over 35+ years, our team has guided 25,000+ clients from Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. That includes many Canadians.
Philosophy: We believe you should test your plan before you spend a dollar on it. We believe a good advisor tells you when the E-2 or a franchise is the wrong move. And we believe you should know exactly who files your case and who pays whom.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you pick your U.S. route, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the legal work and the filing.
Honest route check
We tell you when a route does not fit, before you spend money.
A plan for your profile
We look at your record, citizenship and capital, not a template.
Clear on who does what
AIA organizes your plan. Independent U.S. attorneys give legal advice and file.
A two-country view
We know the Canada and U.S. sides, so you can compare both.
Built for your passport
We check your citizenship first, so you never plan around a visa you cannot use.
Since 1991
35+ years in immigration, 25,000+ clients guided, and the 2026 Canadian Choice Award.
What clients say
“Amir’s team helped structure this to show it was sufficient. The business plan they developed was really detailed.”
Riaz R., E-2 client
Excerpt from a Google review of Amir Ismail & Associates.
What is the E-2 visa for Canadians?
The E-2 treaty investor visa lets Canadian citizens live and work in the United States while they run a business they invest in. You must invest a substantial amount in a real, active business, own at least half of it or hold operational control, and plan to leave when your status ends (USCIS). Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can come with you.
Canada’s E-2 treaty came into force on 1 January 1994 (U.S. Department of State). The E-2 is a visa, not a green card, and you can extend it for as long as you keep running the business. See the general E-2 page for the full rules.
Canadians do not walk into the E-2. You apply for a visa, just like other nationalities.
Where do Canadians apply for an E-2 visa?
First-time Canadian E-2 applicants apply through the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto, and the full package is emailed to the consulate before any appointment is booked. Employees of a registered company and dependents of a current E-visa holder can book at Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa or Vancouver. Company registration is valid for five years (U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada).
Since 6 September 2025, the State Department advises all visa applicants to apply in their country of residence or nationality, so you must be able to show you live where you apply.
What are the steps at the consulate?
You gather your documents, email the package for review, complete the online forms, pay the fee, and attend an in-person interview. The consulate tells you when its review is done and how to book the interview. If a visa is issued, your passport comes back by courier (U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada).
- Step 1: Gather your documents. Collect the list for new cases, then email the complete package to the consulate. Do not book an appointment yet.
- Step 2: Complete the forms. Fill in the online visa application (DS-160) and the treaty investor form (DS-156E). Dependents do not need the DS-156E.
- Step 3: Pay and book. Pay the fee through the appointment service. The consulate cannot accept your application until payment is verified.
- Step 4: Attend the interview. Appear in person at the consulate, and bring the whole package.
- You are a Canadian citizen with a plan
- Next:
- Are you the first E-visa applicant from this company?
- Yes:
- Apply through the Consulate General in Toronto: email the package, wait for the review
- Next:
- Complete DS-160 and DS-156E, pay the fee, attend the interview
- Next:
- Visa issued, passport returned by courier
- Next:
- Complete DS-160 and DS-156E, pay the fee, attend the interview
- Next:
- Apply through the Consulate General in Toronto: email the package, wait for the review
- No, you are an employee or dependent:
- Book the next appointment at Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa or Vancouver
- Next:
- Complete DS-160 and DS-156E, pay the fee, attend the interview
- Next:
- Visa issued, passport returned by courier
- Next:
- Complete DS-160 and DS-156E, pay the fee, attend the interview
- Next:
- Book the next appointment at Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa or Vancouver
- Yes:
- Are you the first E-visa applicant from this company?
- Next:
E-2 with a franchise: a defined way to build the business
Buying a franchise is one of the most common ways to build the business an E-2 needs, because the costs and the business model are written down. It does not change the E-2 test, and it is not a promise of approval. You still need treaty citizenship, a substantial investment at risk, a business that is not marginal, and at least half ownership or control (USCIS).
The FTC Franchise Rule says the franchisor must give you its Franchise Disclosure Document at least 14 days before you sign or pay (FTC). Ask in writing what happens to your money if the visa is refused, and get the answer before you pay. Have a licensed U.S. attorney review the agreement against the E-2 test.
See the E-2 franchise visa for the checks and the disclosure.
Can a Canadian buy a franchise on an E-2?
Yes, if the franchise meets the E-2 test and you hold Canadian citizenship, which is on the treaty list. You invest a substantial amount at risk in a real, active franchise unit, and you own at least half or hold operational control (USCIS). Whether a franchise suits you depends on whether you can run it well and prove the plan.
Who qualifies for an E-2 as a Canadian?
You qualify if you hold Canadian citizenship, invest a substantial amount at risk in a real, active U.S. business, and come to develop and direct it. The business must not be marginal, which means it should produce more than a living for you and your family. USCIS says a new business can qualify if it can reach sufficient income within five years (USCIS).
Here are the requirements, in plain words:
- Treaty nationality: you hold Canadian citizenship, and Canada is on the State Department list.
- Substantial investment: you have invested, or are actively investing, a substantial amount, and the funds are at risk.
- Real, active business: the business produces goods or services for profit and follows the law.
- Not marginal: it can produce more than a minimal living for you and your family.
- Ownership or control: you own at least 50 percent, or you hold operational control through a managerial role.
- Intent to depart: you plan to leave the United States when your E-2 status ends.
Who this is not for. If you own a company in Canada and want to transfer, look at the L-1 for Canadians. If your main goal is a green card, look at the EB-2 NIW for Canadians.
Not sure which side of the line you are on? The short form tells you, in a few minutes.
Not sure you qualify? Test your E-2 fit in six steps. It takes about three minutes and shows your gaps before you spend money.
What does AIA do for you?
We help you check your fit, test your plan, and arrange an independent U.S. attorney for you who files. We do not file with USCIS or the State Department, and we do not give U.S. legal advice.
| What we do | What you get | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Investment fit review | A view on whether your plan looks substantial and not marginal | You adjust the plan before you commit funds |
| Consulate package checklist | A list of what to gather for the Toronto review | You avoid scrambling for documents later |
| Franchise introductions | Vetted introductions to franchise partners we know | You compare options with the facts in front of you |
| Independent U.S. attorney hand-off | A licensed attorney advises you and files | You can trust the legal side |
| Green card planning | A first view of what could come after the E-2 | You plan the next step from day one |
Think of us as the person who reads the map with you. The attorney drives the car.
How our process works
You take three steps: answer the short form, get your route review, and meet an independent U.S. attorney. AIA helps you check your fit and organize your plan, and the attorney handles the legal work and the consulate package.
Step 1: Answer the short form
Tell us your citizenship, your business idea or franchise and your budget.
Step 2: Get your route review
If your answers fit the E-2, we call you to go over your plan and the checks above.
Step 3: Meet an independent U.S. attorney
They confirm your eligibility, advise you on the law, review any franchise agreement, and file for you once they are engaged under your signed agreement.
Find my U.S. route
Answer a few questions. A member of our team will contact you. No obligation.
AIA is not a law firm. U.S. legal services are provided by independent, licensed U.S. immigration attorneys we arrange for you under a signed agreement.
Questions about cost, time and results
Most Canadian investors ask three things before they start: what it costs, how long it takes, and whether they will qualify. The answers below are honest and short. If yours is missing, the short form lets you ask.
What does an E-2 cost, and who do I pay?
You pay different parties for different things: the government and the consulate, your attorney, and the business itself. Fees are set by the State Department and USCIS, and each attorney sets their own fees. The investment is the largest cost, and it is the part you control through your plan.
We do not quote fees on this page.
A wrong filing costs more than a good plan, because the visa application fee is non-refundable. Testing your plan first is the cheaper path.
Does citizenship by investment count for the E-2?
Yes, it can count, but only after a waiting period. Someone who gained citizenship through a financial investment, and has never held E status, must have lived in that country continuously for at least three years at some point before applying (Public Law 117-263, section 5902). It does not affect you if you apply as a Canadian citizen by birth, descent or naturalization, and the country still has to be on the State Department treaty table.
How long does the process take?
It depends on how ready your documents are, how long the consulate’s review takes, and when an interview slot opens. The consulate’s own processing note can change, so we do not quote it. We do not quote dates before we review your case, because a guess helps nobody.
The part you control is the start. The short form takes a few minutes, and the route review follows.
Will I qualify?
No one can promise you will qualify. The short form and the route review tell you honestly where you stand, including when the E-2 or a franchise does not fit. If it is a poor match, we say so before you spend money.
A better-fitting route beats a hopeful filing.
What happens if you wait, and what does success look like?
If you wait, you keep guessing, and a deal deadline may decide for you. If you test your plan first, you move forward with the right business and the right attorney. The short form takes a few minutes.
If you stay stuck: another year of hearing that Canada is on the treaty list and assuming that settles it. A rushed deposit goes in before anyone checks the plan. A plan that does not fit costs you months and fees you will not get back.
If you act now: you know whether you qualify, you know what to gather for Toronto, and you know who files your case. You feel relieved and confident, because the next step is clear. That is what we help you reach.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
U.S. legal scope. AIA is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in the United States. U.S. legal services are provided by independent, licensed U.S. immigration attorneys, chosen case by case for fit and cost, whom we arrange for you under a signed agreement. Any attorney-client relationship is between you and that attorney. AIA’s Canadian immigration services are separate. This page is general information, not legal advice.
