Law Offices of Metin Serbest PLLC · Last reviewed: November 2026
Short answer: Yes, Turkish citizens can apply for the E-2 treaty investor visa. Türkiye is an E-2 treaty country, so a Turkish national who invests a substantial amount in a real U.S. business, and comes to develop and direct it, may qualify. The questions below cover the basics. For the full overview, see our E-2 Treaty Investor Visas page.
Yes. The United States and Türkiye have an investment treaty that entered into force on May 18, 1990 (U.S. Department of State, TIAS 90-518). The State Department keeps the official list of E-2 treaty countries (Treaty Countries).
No fixed dollar amount is set in the regulations. The investment must be “substantial” in relation to the cost of buying or starting the business, and enough to show commitment to its success. The lower the cost of the business, the higher the investment needs to be as a share of that cost (USCIS: E-2 Treaty Investors; 8 CFR 214.2(e)).
The investor must show at least 50% ownership, or operational control through a managerial position or other corporate device. If the business is owned by a company, that company must be at least 50% owned by nationals of the treaty country, here Türkiye (USCIS).
Yes. The capital must be committed to the business and subject to partial or total loss if the business fails. You must also show that the funds did not come, directly or indirectly, from criminal activity (USCIS; 8 CFR 214.2(e)(12)). In practice, this means documenting where the money came from, for example the sale of property or savings in Türkiye, and how it reached the U.S. business.
It can be small, but it cannot be “marginal.” A marginal business is one that cannot generate more than a minimal living for the investor and family. A new business may qualify if it should be able to do more than that within five years (8 CFR 214.2(e)(15); USCIS).
It depends on where you apply. If you apply at a U.S. consulate abroad, the State Department currently issues Turkish citizens an E-2 visa valid for up to 5 years (60 months), with multiple entries, and it can be renewed (State Department, Türkiye reciprocity schedule). Each entry gives you E-2 status of up to two years. If you change to E-2 status while already in the U.S., USCIS grants up to two years of status. Either way, status can be extended in increments of up to two years, with no limit on the number of extensions, as long as the business keeps operating, is not marginal, and you still meet the E-2 requirements. E-2 holders must intend to leave the U.S. when their status ends (USCIS; 8 CFR 214.2(e)).
A USCIS change of status gives you E-2 status, not an E-2 visa in your passport. That status stays valid only while you remain in the U.S. If you leave, you generally need to apply for an E-2 visa at a U.S. consulate before you can return in E-2 status. There is one narrow exception, called automatic visa revalidation: if you still have the visa you originally entered with (even if it has expired), your E-2 stay hasn’t ended, you visit only Canada or Mexico for 30 days or less, and you don’t apply for a new visa while there, you may be able to return without a new stamp (22 CFR 41.112(d)). Plan any travel with your attorney first (USCIS; U.S. Embassy guidance).
Yes. The consular officer reviews your case independently and is not bound by the USCIS approval. You apply like a first-time applicant, with the full document package and an interview, and the officer decides again whether you meet every E-2 requirement. The USCIS approval is helpful evidence, but it does not guarantee a visa (U.S. Embassy guidance; 9 FAM 402.9).
You may work only in the activity that was approved. A substantive change, meaning a fundamental change that affects your eligibility (for example a merger, an acquisition, a sale, or moving to a different business), needs approval first. Inside the U.S. that means a new Form I-129 filed with USCIS; outside the U.S. it generally means a new visa application at the consulate. Smaller, non-substantive changes do not need a new filing (USCIS; 8 CFR 214.2(e)(8)).
Your E-2 lets you work only in the enterprise and activity that were approved. Starting another business to develop and direct it, or working in it, generally needs its own E-2 approval through a new Form I-129 or a new visa application, unless it is part of the same approved enterprise. A purely passive investment is different from working in a business, so talk to your attorney before you start (USCIS; 8 CFR 214.2(e)(8)).
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may come as E-2 dependents, and their nationality does not have to be Turkish. Spouses in E-2 status are employment-authorized incident to status. Since January 30, 2022, their Form I-94 may show the code “E-2S” (USCIS). This employment authorization is for spouses; children may attend school in the U.S.
Most Turkish investors apply for the E-2 visa at the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. Consulate in Türkiye (U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Türkiye: Visas). If you are already in the U.S. in another valid status, a change of status may be requested from USCIS on Form I-129 (USCIS). A change of status does not give you an E-2 visa stamp for future travel.
Not by itself. The E-2 is a nonimmigrant (temporary) status. Some E-2 investors later qualify for a green card through a separate category, such as EB-5, EB-1C, or EB-2 NIW. Each has its own requirements. See our EB-5 and EB-2 NIW pages, and our overview of U.S. investment visas.
Yes. The Law Offices of Metin Serbest PLLC is a U.S. law firm headquartered in Chicago. We serve clients nationwide. We meet clients in English and Turkish, in person at our offices in Chicago, Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Burlingame, California, at a meeting location by appointment in Washington, D.C. or Miami, or online. See also Turkish-speaking immigration lawyer.
We speak English.
We speak Turkish.
We speak Kurdish.
Law Offices of Metin Serbest PLLC
1938 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622 · 312-473-5500 · Contact us
General information, not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney–client relationship. Every case depends on its own facts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.
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