Have you realized something in the world we are living in right now? Every move that we do requires payment for it to process. That is the same thing with processing an E2 visa. Moreover, the process to complete is something that you should know before fully applying for one.
In this feature, we are going to address the processing time and expenses associated with it. It is essential to know this section because it will help you prepare a schedule and your funds.
The E2 Visa
The E2 visa is a sort of visa issued to applicants with investments made in the United States of America. Moreover, this type of visa is approved explicitly for managers or executives, or even skilled workers. To be granted E2 access, the applicant must have a substantial investment made, whether small, medium, or significant assets.
The marvelous thing about an E2 visa is that the validity ranges from three to thirty-six months depending on the applicant’s country of nationality. He can also bring over his spouse and children bearing the same E2 visa that he has. But they need to apply individually as well.
Also, no travel limits are bearing this visa. As long as the access is legitimate, you can travel in and out of the United States of America. This is to any country that you like. Plus, it is required that every two years, the visa holders will have to travel out of the country.
The Processing Time
Let us now discuss the processing time or an E2 visa. Knowing this particular stage is very important as this will keep you on track to your journey to the E2 visa approval. Moreover, if you see the timeline for this process, you can easily set up your schedule and process it faster compared to knowing nothing at all.
Here will be the breakdown of the processing time for an E2 visa:
Submitting the E2 visa application to the US Consulate or Embassy
It will take you roughly six to eight weeks for the US consulate or Embassy to thoroughly review the documents that you have submitted. This particular timeline may vary depending on the load of application your respective consulate or Embassy is handling.
Once they have reviewed your submitted documents, they will accept the documentation and schedule you for a visa interview. On the other hand, they may ask you for additional documentation depending on your case if they see it as a need to pass your application.
Visa Interview
After they accept your application, they will automatically schedule an interview. Usually, they schedule it a week after your application is accepted. But this will depend again on the consulate or Embassy that you are in.
The actual interview usually lasts for about ten to twenty minutes. It will start with identity verification and biometrics. After this, your interviewing officer will meet you and start the interview right away. Right on the spot, he will tell you if you fail or pass the application. If you pass the application, they will hold your passport for visa printing.
Getting the visa
The waiting time for you to get your visa printed in your passport is around one week. They will notify you once it is ready for pickup.
All this process may finish in about three months with no delays. It may take even prolonged depending on the consulate or Embassy that you are working with. In addition, your documents will also play a big part in the easy and fast approval of your visa application.
E2 Visa Change of Status Process Time
Here is the breakdown of the processing time for E2 visa change of status:
Form I-129 Processing
The moment you submit this form, it may take two to three months for the eUSCIS to review and provide a response. After approval, your change of status will begin at the date specified in your Approval Notice.
However, if the USCIs request additional requirements or documentation, they will request further evidence(RFE). This will provide you a chance to prepare and complete all the requested other documents. This specific turn of events may cause a delay of three to six months.
Premium Processing
We know that the regular processing time will take months to get approved. But with premium processing, it will only take fifteen calendar days to finish. Keep in mind; premium processing only requires USCIS to issue the initial response within 15 days. So if the initial reaction is a Request for Evidence, USCIS is no longer necessary to answer within the 15-day timeline.
The E2 Visa fee
Now let us talk about the fee. Of course, all these processes will not go into motion if you have not paid the applicable fee for it. Here are as follows:
Change of Status
- The filing fee for Form I-129 is $460.
- If you have a spouse or children and, you have to file for Form I-539, which is $370.
- If you are going to process this using premium processing, then it will be for a fee of $1,440.
E2 Visa
- If you are applying in your home country’s consulate or Embassy, you have to file DS-160. You and each of your dependents and your spouse will pay a $205 fee each.
- There is also an additional fee depending on the consulate or Embassy you are passing your application with.
Immigration Lawyer fee
- We suggest working with a lawyer that offers its services at a flat fee. This is because you will already know how much you will spend on an immigration lawyer from the start of his services with you. Unlike an hourly rate lawyer that may even charge you for the times that they answer your emails and queries.
But still, make sure to work with someone with experience compared to low fees. Experienced lawyers already know the workarounds in this field, so they will already know how to deal with your case in just a glance.
Business Plan and Investments to the E2 business
- This is according to the kind of enterprise you will execute in the United States of America under this visa. It is not included with the processing time itself, but this is part of the required documentation, so we mentioned it.
Conclusion
Applying for an E2 visa requires time and dedication. If you got flustered initially or worse at the middle of the process, all your effort would go down the drain. Avoid the confusion, and keep this article as your guide in your venture to pass your application.