Both let you build a business in the U.S. as an immigrant investor. Beyond that, they're built for very different people.
E-2 Treaty Investor Visa
- Available only to nationals of treaty countries (check the list — it's most of Europe, plus Japan, South Korea, and others, but notably not India or China)
- No fixed minimum investment — judged on proportionality to your specific business
- Renewable indefinitely as long as the business stays active
- Does not lead directly to a green card
- Typical timeline: weeks to a few months, depending on consulate
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
- Open to any nationality
- Fixed minimum investment: $800,000 in a targeted employment area, $1,050,000 otherwise
- Must create at least 10 full-time jobs
- Leads directly to a green card
- Typical timeline: 18 months to several years, with backlogs for some countries
The real decision
If you're a treaty-country national who wants to actually run a business you built — not just fund one and wait — the E-2 is almost always the better fit. It's faster, cheaper, and keeps you in the driver's seat.
EB-5 makes more sense if you're not eligible for E-2 (your country isn't a treaty country), or if permanent residency itself — not running a business — is the primary goal.
Most people who come to us are treaty-country nationals with a real business idea, not just capital to park. That's exactly who the E-2 was built for.