US Announces Only 3 West African Countries Whose Citizens Qualify for its E-2 Investor Visa
- The US government has published its full list of countries whose citizens qualify for the E-2 treaty investor visa
- Only three West African nations appear on the treaty list, leaving most countries in the region without access to this investment-based visa route
- The treaty dates for the three West African countries on the list span from 1939 to 1994, reflecting how long each agreement has been in place
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The United States government has released its official list of countries whose nationals are eligible to apply for the E-2 Treaty Investor Visa, and only three West African nations qualify.
The E-2 visa allows citizens of countries that have signed a qualifying trade and investment treaty with the US to live and work there, provided they make a substantial investment in a US-based business.
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The full list of treaty countries is maintained by the US Department of State.
West African countries on US E-2 treaty list
Out of the 16 countries in West Africa, only three appear on the treaty list:
1. Liberia, classified as both E-1 and E-2, with its treaty entering into force on November 21, 1939.
2. Senegal, classified as E-2, with its treaty entering into force on October 25, 1990.
3. Togo, classified as both E-1 and E-2, with its treaty entering into force on February 5, 1967.
Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and the majority of other West African nations do not appear on the list, meaning their citizens cannot access the E-2 visa route through a bilateral treaty.
What the US E-2 visa requires
To qualify for the E-2 visa, an applicant must be a national of a country that holds a qualifying treaty with the United States. Beyond nationality, the investor must direct and develop the enterprise they are investing in, and the investment must be substantial relative to the total cost of buying or establishing the business.
The visa is not a permanent residency option. It is a nonimmigrant status, meaning holders must maintain their investment and intent to depart once their authorised stay ends.
The full list of treaty countries and entry-into-force dates is available on the US Department of State's official website, where applicants can also verify footnotes that apply to specific countries.
Countries such as Portugal and New Zealand were only recently added to the list, with Portugal's treaty entering into force on March 15, 2024, following legislation enacted in December 2022.
This shows that the treaty list does evolve over time, though additions require both a bilateral agreement and legislative action in the United States.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported the full list of countries eligible for the US E-2 investor visa.
US E-2 investor visa: African countries on list
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US had released the list of African countries whose citizens are eligible for the E-2 investor visa.
The list, maintained by the US Department of State, shows the countries that hold active trade and investment treaties with the United States.
Nationals of these countries can apply for E-visas to enter the US for trading or investment purposes, depending on the type of treaty their country holds.
Source: Legit.ng
