The Grenada E-2 visa route is a two-step path: first you acquire Grenadian citizenship through the country’s investment program, then, after three years of domicile in Grenada, you apply to the United States for an E-2 Treaty Investor visa based on a separate U.S. business investment. Grenada is one of the few citizenship-by-investment countries whose nationals qualify for the E-2, which is why entrepreneurs from non-treaty countries use it as a bridge to operating a business in the United States.
Why Grenadian Nationality Opens the E-2 Door
The United States and Grenada signed a bilateral investment treaty on May 2, 1986, and it entered into force on March 3, 1989.1U.S. Department of State. Grenada Bilateral Investment Treaty That treaty places Grenada on the State Department’s official list of E-2 treaty countries.2U.S. Department of State. Treaty Countries Most Caribbean nations offering citizenship by investment do not have this treaty relationship with the U.S., so Grenadian citizenship carries a benefit its neighbors’ passports do not.
Getting Grenadian Citizenship
The Grenada Citizenship by Investment Act creates two qualifying routes: a donation to the National Transformation Fund or a purchase in an approved real estate project.3Government of Grenada. Grenada Citizenship by Investment Act 15 of 2013
National Transformation Fund Contribution
The NTF option is a non-refundable contribution of at least $235,000 for a single applicant or a family of up to four.4Investment Migration Agency (IMA) Grenada. Citizenship by Investment Larger families pay more per additional dependent. The money funds government development projects and is not returned.
Approved Real Estate
The real estate option requires purchasing an interest in a government-approved development at a current minimum of roughly $270,000, plus a separate non-refundable government contribution of at least $50,000. If you later resell to another CBI applicant, the interest has to be held for at least five years; sales to non-CBI buyers are not subject to that holding restriction. These thresholds have risen over time, so confirm current figures with the Citizenship by Investment Committee or an authorized agent before committing funds.
Eligibility and Extra Costs
Every applicant must be at least 18, pass a background check with no criminal convictions, and provide a medical certificate showing no contagious diseases. The same standards apply to spouses and children on the application. A third-party due diligence firm reviews each applicant.
The headline investment is not the total cost. Interviewing fees are $1,000 per applicant, and dependent parents aged 65 and older carry a $5,000 due diligence fee. Legal fees and document preparation add more. The all-in cost runs meaningfully higher than the minimum investment.
How the Application Is Filed
You cannot apply directly to the government. Every citizenship application must be submitted through an authorized agent licensed under the CBI program.5Investment Migration Agency (IMA) Grenada. Application Guide Supporting documents include certified birth certificates, marriage licenses, valid passports, proof of address, and passport-sized photos, all in English and properly legalized. Processing generally runs three to four months from formal acceptance.4Investment Migration Agency (IMA) Grenada. Citizenship by Investment Approval-in-Principle triggers finalization of the investment, and once funds clear you receive a Certificate of Naturalization and a Grenadian passport.
The Three-Year Domicile Requirement
A Grenadian passport does not by itself make you eligible for an E-2 visa. Under a provision commonly known as the AMIGOS Act, which amended the Immigration and Nationality Act at 8 U.S.C. ยง 1101(a)(15)(E), anyone who acquired treaty nationality through a financial investment must have been domiciled in that treaty country for at least three continuous years before filing for an E-2.
Domicile is more than periodic visits. You need Grenada as your primary residence with genuine ties during that three-year window. Once you factor in the citizenship processing time and the waiting period, the realistic timeline from your first CBI step to E-2 eligibility is about four years.
E-2 Investment Requirements
The E-2 has its own investment standards under U.S. federal law, entirely separate from what you paid Grenada.
Substantial and At-Risk
There is no fixed dollar minimum. Consular officers apply a proportionality test comparing your investment to the total cost of the business: the smaller the business, the closer to 100% of startup costs you need to have invested. Funding a $100,000 business typically means putting up close to the full amount, while a larger enterprise can qualify with a lower percentage. The money also has to be “at risk,” meaning irrevocably committed. Cash sitting in escrow or a personal account waiting to be deployed does not count. You need to show capital already spent on equipment, inventory, lease deposits, or other operational costs.
Source of Funds
Every dollar has to be traced to a lawful source. That paper trail typically includes tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, transfer records, loan documents, or probate paperwork, and it can easily run over a hundred pages. Acceptable sources include savings, property sales, gifts, secured loans, inheritances, and insurance settlements. Gifted funds require a letter from the donor and documentation of where the donor’s money came from.
Non-Marginal Enterprise
The business cannot exist solely to provide a living for you and your family. It must either already produce significantly more than your basic living expenses or show the realistic capacity to do so within five years. A business with no employees, no growth plan, and just enough revenue to pay the owner is the textbook denial. Officers look for hiring plans, revenue projections grounded in market data, and evidence of contribution to the U.S. economy.
Ownership and Control
You must own at least 50% of the U.S. business or otherwise hold operational control through a managerial role or comparable corporate arrangement.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. E-2 Treaty Investors Passive investors do not qualify. The visa is for people who will actively develop and direct the enterprise.
Applying for the E-2 Visa
The application starts with Form DS-160, the online nonimmigrant visa application submitted through the Consular Electronic Application Center. You will also need a detailed business plan, financial projections, and full supporting documentation for the investment. The visa application fee is $315.7U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
If you are already in the United States on another status, the sponsoring enterprise can file Form I-129 with USCIS to request a change to E-2 status instead of going through a consulate abroad. The right path depends on where you are and what status you currently hold.
The Consular Interview
Interviews at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate are substantive. The officer will probe the specifics of your business, your investment, your role, and your operating plan. Every oral answer has to line up with the documents you submitted; inconsistencies are one of the fastest routes to denial. Officers assess whether the investment is genuine and substantial, whether the enterprise is non-marginal, and whether you intend to depart the United States when your status ends. The E-2 is a nonimmigrant visa, and that expected departure is part of what the officer is judging.
Validity for Grenadian Nationals
If approved, the E-2 visa for Grenadian nationals is issued with a validity period of up to 60 months and allows multiple entries.8U.S. Department of State. Grenada Reciprocity Schedule No reciprocity fee applies.
How Long You Can Stay and Renew
The E-2 has no lifetime cap on renewals. Extensions are granted in increments of up to two years, and you can keep renewing as long as the business remains operational and you continue to meet all E-2 requirements.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. E-2 Treaty Investors Inside the U.S., extensions are filed on Form I-129; from abroad, you apply for a new visa stamp at the consulate. Your right to stay is tied entirely to the active operation of the business, and if the business closes, the status ends without a grace period to regroup.
What Spouses and Children Get
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can accompany you in E-2 dependent status.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. E-2 Treaty Investors If they are already in the U.S., they can file Form I-539 to switch to dependent status.
Since November 2021, E-2 spouses are considered employment-authorized as part of their immigration status. USCIS and CBP issue Forms I-94 coded “E-2S” to qualifying spouses, and that document alone proves work authorization.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employment Authorization for Certain H-4, E, and L Nonimmigrant Dependent Spouses A spouse can also apply for a standalone Employment Authorization Document on Form I-765. The spouse’s work is not restricted to the investor’s business; any U.S. employer in any field is fair game.
Children in dependent status can attend school but cannot work. When a child turns 21 or marries, they age out and must qualify for their own visa or depart.
Tax Exposure Once You Move
Moving to the United States on an E-2 triggers federal tax obligations. The IRS applies the substantial presence test: 31 days in the current year and 183 days across a weighted three-year calculation makes you a U.S. tax resident.10Internal Revenue Service. Substantial Presence Test E-2 holders are not exempt from that test the way certain students and government-visa holders are. Once you meet it, you owe U.S. tax on worldwide income, including rental income from Grenadian property, offshore investment returns, and profits from businesses in other countries.
To claim benefits under the U.S.-Grenada tax treaty, you have to file IRS Form 8833 each year you take a treaty-based position.11Internal Revenue Service. Form 8833 – Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure Missing that disclosure carries a $1,000 penalty per instance.
Does the E-2 Lead to a Green Card
Not directly. No matter how many times you renew, an E-2 never converts to permanent resident status. It is also not officially a dual-intent visa the way the H-1B or L-1 is, so the law does not expressly permit immigrant intent while you hold E-2 status. In practice, federal regulations create a workable middle: filing for permanent residency is not, by itself, grounds to deny an E-2 or its renewal, provided you can still show intent to depart if the nonimmigrant status ends.
The most common bridge from E-2 to a green card is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor program, which currently requires an investment of $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area, and the creation of at least 10 full-time positions for U.S. workers. An existing E-2 business can sometimes be restructured to meet EB-5 criteria, but the programs have different rules and qualifying for one does not guarantee qualifying for the other. Employer-sponsored routes such as EB-1 or EB-2 may also be available depending on your background.