Grenada E-2 Visa: How Grenadian Citizens and Citizenship-by-Investment Holders Qualify

Grenadian citizens can get a U.S. E-2 visa.

Grenada is a long-standing E-2 treaty country, and the U.S. Department of State issues Grenadian investors a multiple-entry E-2 visa valid for up to 60 months with no reciprocity fee.

Citizens by investment face an extra rule: under a law signed December 23, 2022, first-time applicants must have been domiciled in Grenada for at least three continuous years. Pollak PLLC helps Grenadian citizens and citizenship-by-investment (CBI) holders test that rule against their timeline before they commit funds.

Can Grenada Citizens Get an E-2 Visa?

Yes. The U.S.-Grenada E-2 treaty has been in force since March 3, 1989, according to the U.S. Department of State Treaty Countries table, so the E-2 visa for Grenada citizens is open to you. Grenada has no E-1 treaty trader agreement, and its reciprocity schedule shows "No Treaty" for the E-1.

The answer splits by how you became Grenadian: native citizens apply under the normal E-2 rules, while citizens by investment must also meet the three-year domicile rule. A Pollak PLLC E-2 treaty investor visa lawyer can tell you which group you fall into.

What Is the E-2 Treaty Investor Visa?

The E-2 treaty investor visa is a renewable nonimmigrant visa for treaty nationals who invest a substantial amount in a U.S. business. Under section 101(a)(15)(E)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), you must be coming to develop and direct that enterprise.

Do Grenadian Permanent Residents Qualify?

No. Only Grenadian nationals qualify, because E-2 eligibility follows nationality under 8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(E). A Grenada resident who holds another passport relies on that country's treaty status instead.

Why Trust Pollak PLLC for Your Grenada E-2 Visa?

Pollak PLLC checks a Grenada-to-E-2 plan against U.S. law before you invest. Managing Attorney Karen-Lee Pollak, an immigrant herself, has practiced exclusively immigration law for more than 27 years. She once chaired the Dallas immigration practice of a global law firm.

Her recognitions include Chambers Global (USA) 2021, Chambers Regional Spotlight (Texas) 2025, Texas Super Lawyers 2018 to 2025 and D Magazine Best Lawyers in Texas 2014 to 2025, and she is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

The firm rebuilds petitions weakened or denied under prior counsel, though prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Its pro bono work includes Genesis Women's Shelter and the Military Assistance Project.

Our offices are in Dallas (Addison), Texas, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where a Fort Lauderdale E-2 visa lawyer meets Caribbean investors by appointment. We practice in all 50 states and offer video consultations abroad.

Does Pollak PLLC Sell Grenada Citizenship?

No. Pollak PLLC gives U.S. immigration advice only. The Investment Migration Agency Grenada (IMA Grenada), which runs the CBI program, accepts applications only through authorized agents.

Can Pollak PLLC Review My Plan Before I Apply for Grenada Citizenship?

Yes. A confidential case review tests the three-year rule against your residence plans before you invest.

What Are the E-2 Visa Requirements for Grenadian Citizens?

Grenadian E-2 applicants must meet eight core standards under the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 402.9), and citizens by investment must meet a ninth:

1. You hold Grenadian nationality.
2. Grenadian nationals own at least 50 percent of the business.
3. Your investment is substantial for the cost of the business.
4. The funds are committed and at risk.
5. The enterprise is real and operating, not passive.
6. The business is not marginal, meaning it can earn more than a minimal living.
7. You will develop and direct it, usually through at least 50 percent ownership or operational control.
8. You intend to leave when E status ends (9 FAM 402.9-4(C)).
9. If your nationality came through a financial investment, you meet the three-year domicile rule.

Under 9 FAM 402.9-6(D), the cheaper the business, the higher the share of its cost you must invest. There is no education requirement, no age minimum and no English test.

Can a Dual Citizen Use Grenadian Nationality for the E-2 Company?

Yes. You can apply as a Grenadian, but co-owners of other nationalities do not count toward the 50 percent Grenadian share.

How Does the Grenada Citizenship-by-Investment Route to the E-2 Work?

The Grenada route has two stages: you obtain Grenadian citizenship through an approved investment, then you apply for the E-2 as a Grenadian national. Grenada citizenship by investment and E-2 visas are separate applications.

IMA Grenada, called the Citizenship by Investment Unit until March 2024, lists these amounts as of October 2026. Verify them before you commit funds.

IMA Grenada's fees page does not state a holding period for the real estate option, so confirm it with your authorized agent.

Who Uses the Grenada Route?

Nationals of countries without an E-2 treaty use it most, for example investors from India, China, Russia, Nigeria and the Middle East.

Does My Home Country Allow Dual Citizenship?

It depends on your country. India, for example, does not: its Bureau of Immigration states that an Indian citizen who acquires another nationality ceases to be an Indian citizen from that date. Giving up a birth citizenship is a serious personal decision, so check your own government's rules first.

What Is the 3-Year Domicile Rule for Grenada CBI E-2 Applicants?

If your Grenadian nationality came through a financial investment and you have never held E status, you need three continuous years of Grenada domicile before you apply. Congress added the rule, often called the AMIGOS Act provision, in Section 5902 of the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 117-263), signed December 23, 2022.

The text, now in 8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(E), requires nationality of a country "in which the alien has been domiciled for a continuous period of not less than 3 years at any point before applying." Three points follow:

• Domicile means your principal home. A passport alone does not count.
• The years must be continuous, but "at any point" means they need not be the most recent.
• Neither "domicile" nor "financial investment" is defined, and 9 FAM 402.9 had no implementing guidance in October 2026, so officers decide case by case.

Some guides omit the rule or call it three years of residence after citizenship; the statute says neither. Grenada itself imposes no residence requirement.

Does the 3-Year Rule Apply If I Already Had an E-2 Visa?

No. It covers only an applicant "who has not previously been granted status" as an E nonimmigrant, so later renewals also fall outside it.

Does a Grenada Citizenship Donation Count as a "Financial Investment"?

Probably, though it is unsettled. Some argue a National Transformation Fund donation is not an investment, but no ruling supports that view.

Can My Spouse's Citizenship by Registration Avoid the Rule?

Not reliably. The statute does not address family members who registered through an investor spouse, so treat it as untested.

How Much Does a Grenada E-2 Visa Cost?

U.S. government fees for a Grenada E-2 visa are USD 315 per applicant, and Grenadian nationals pay no reciprocity fee.

A family of four applying together pays four MRV fees, or USD 1,260 in total.

Does the Grenada Investment Count Toward the E-2 Investment?

No. Your Grenada contribution buys citizenship, while the E-2 requires a separate investment in a U.S. business, so plan two budgets from the start.

How Long Is a Grenada E-2 Visa Valid?

A Grenada E-2 visa is valid for up to 60 months with multiple entries, under the Grenada reciprocity schedule.

How Does the 5-Year Visa Compare With the 2-Year Stay?

The visa lets you travel to the United States, while Form I-94, issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), sets how long you may stay. Your visa can expire while your I-94 stay is still valid.

How Do Grenada E-2 Holders Renew?

You renew by applying for a new visa or by asking U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to extend your status, and USCIS sets no limit on extensions. Each E-2 visa renewal needs current business evidence.

Where Do Grenadian Citizens Apply for an E-2 Visa?

Grenadian citizens who live in the region apply through the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, which handles U.S. visa applications for Grenada. The embassy accepts E-1 and E-2 cases only from passport holders who reside in a treaty country in its consular district.

The process runs in this order:

1. Form and fund your U.S. company. Funds sitting in an account you can withdraw generally do not count.
2. Prepare your binder under Bridgetown's Documentation Instructions.
3. Complete Form DS-160, plus Form DS-156E if you are applying as an E-2 executive, manager or essential employee.
4. Pay the MRV fee at ais.usvisa-info.com.
5. Courier the binder without booking an appointment first.
6. After review, the consulate emails you to schedule the interview.

Can I Apply for the E-2 from Inside the U.S.?

Yes, in some cases. If you hold valid nonimmigrant status, you may file Form I-129 with USCIS to change to E-2 status. You will still need a visa to travel and return, since Grenada is not in the Visa Waiver Program.

What Documents Do Grenada E-2 Applicants Need?

Grenada E-2 applicants need four kinds of documents: personal, domicile, business and funds records. The embassy's Documentation Instructions set the final list, and typical items include:

• Personal documents. Your Grenadian passport, your certificate of registration or naturalization if you are a citizen by investment, the DS-160 confirmation and a CV.
• Domicile evidence. Where the three-year rule applies, a lease or title, utility bills, local tax filings, school enrollment and travel history can all help show that Grenada was your principal home. There is no fixed checklist.
• Business documents. Formation papers, ownership records, a commercial lease, licenses and a five-year business plan.
• Funds documents. Records that trace the lawful source and path of your money from your home country to the U.S. business account, with certified translations where needed.

How Long Does the Grenada Citizenship-to-E-2 Process Take?

Most first-time CBI applicants should plan for more than three years, because the domicile rule adds at least three continuous years in Grenada. Older articles that promise Grenada citizenship and an E-2 visa within 12 to 18 months predate the December 23, 2022 law.

Native Grenadians skip the first two stages and can apply once the U.S. business is ready.

E-2 vs. EB-5 and Other Options for Investors from Non-Treaty Countries

The right option depends on two things: whether you need a green card, and how much time and money you can commit.

USCIS says these EB-5 amounts rise automatically on January 1, 2027, so verify them before filing. An EB-5 visa lawyer at Pollak PLLC can compare both routes.

Is EB-5 Faster Than the Grenada Route Now?

It can be, depending on your country of birth and the monthly Visa Bulletin. For some nationalities EB-5 may now be more direct, but no one can promise a government timeline.

Can Grenada E-2 Investors Bring Their Families?

Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may accompany or join you as E-2 dependents, whatever their nationality. If your family members hold a treaty country's nationality, their own country's reciprocity schedule applies; if not, they use Grenada's.

USCIS treats spouses in valid E-2 status as employment authorized incident to status, and an unexpired Form I-94 showing E-2S status is acceptable evidence. Our guide to E-2 spouse work authorization explains the details.

Children may attend school in the United States, but the USCIS work rule covers spouses only.

Can a Grenada E-2 Lead to a Green Card?

Not directly. The E-2 is a nonimmigrant visa, so you need a separate basis for permanent residence. Common routes include:

• EB-5. An immigrant investor petition based on a qualifying U.S. investment.
• EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW). A self-petition for professionals whose proposed work has substantial merit and national importance.
• EB-1C. A multinational manager or executive green card, usually reached through L-1 status.
• Family or employer sponsorship. A petition filed by a qualifying relative or a U.S. employer.

How long the move from E-2 to green card takes depends on the route you choose and your country of birth.

Why Are Grenada E-2 Applications Refused?

Grenada E-2 refusals usually trace to weak evidence, most often about domicile or the source of funds. A refusal after paying for citizenship is a hard setback, but you can apply again with stronger evidence. Common reasons include:

• You have less than three continuous years of Grenada domicile.
• Your evidence does not show that Grenada was your principal home.
• Your records do not trace the lawful source of your funds.
• The business is marginal. On the numbers in your plan, it would only support your family, which 9 FAM 402.9-6(E) does not allow.
• Your DS-160 or DS-156E answers conflict with the business plan.
• Grenadian ownership is under 50 percent.
• You applied from B-2 visitor status without planning for questions about intent.