There is no fixed minimum investment amount for the E-2 visa. USCIS and consular officers apply a proportionality test: your investment must be substantial relative to the total cost of establishing the type of business you propose. In practice, investments under $50,000 face high scrutiny, amounts between $80,000 and $150,000 are typically defensible for small service and retail businesses, and capital-intensive ventures are expected to show proportionally more. The funds must also be irrevocably committed and at risk before the application is filed.
How does the proportionality test work?
Officers compare the amount invested against the real cost of making that specific business operational. Investing $70,000 in a consulting practice whose true setup cost is $80,000 shows an 87% commitment and is strong; investing the same $70,000 in a restaurant whose realistic setup cost is $300,000 shows 23% and is weak. This is why the business plan matters: it is the document that establishes the credible total cost of the enterprise and demonstrates that your investment covers it. A well-built plan turns the same dollar figure from questionable into convincing.
Realistic investment ranges by business type
| Business type | Typical defensible investment |
|---|---|
| Consulting / professional services | $60,000–$120,000 |
| E-commerce / online business | $80,000–$150,000 |
| Franchise (service-based) | $100,000–$200,000 |
| Restaurant / food & beverage | $150,000–$350,000 |
| Retail with physical location | $120,000–$250,000 |
Ranges reflect typical adjudication practice, not legal thresholds; individual cases vary with location, business model and evidence quality.
What does "at risk" and "irrevocably committed" mean?
Money sitting in your bank account does not count. Funds must be spent or contractually committed to the business before filing: equipment purchased, lease signed, inventory ordered, services contracted, or held in escrow conditioned only on visa approval. Officers want to see that you would lose the money if the business failed, which is what distinguishes a genuine investor from an applicant holding a reversible position.
What is the marginality test?
Beyond proportionality, the business cannot be marginal: it must have the present or future capacity to generate more than a minimal living for you and your family, typically demonstrated through five-year financial projections showing growing revenue and, critically, the creation of U.S. jobs. A solid hiring plan is often what converts a borderline case into an approval.
How I help you justify your investment
In my E-2 business plans, the investment justification is built in three layers: an itemized breakdown of every dollar invested with supporting documentation, a credible total-cost analysis for your specific business type and location, and five-year projections with a hiring plan that defeats the marginality argument. As an MBA and Master in Immigration Law with 200+ cases delivered, I structure the numbers so the officer's questions are answered before they are asked.