对于许多考虑申请美国投资类签证的投资者而言，EB-5 签证的吸引力似乎越来越小。幸运的是，还有 E-2 条约商人签证这一选择，对于希望为自己及直系亲属在美国获得合法身份的投资者来说，相比 EB-5 签证，E-2 签证不仅能更快实现这一目标，成本也更低，因此是一个颇具吸引力的选择。
投资类签证（E-2 和 EB-5）
Investor visas, often referred to as “Golden Visas” have been a part of the global mobility marketplace for decades. Several Caribbean countries like St. Kitts and Nevis codified investor visa programs as early as 1984, and the U.S. established its EB-5 investment visa program in 1990. These programs provide a significant source of Foreign Direct Investment to offering countries’ economies and they offer valuable passports to investors -- particularly those residing in countries with undesirable political or economic issues.
但通过获得投资者签证成为另一个国家的永久居民或公民可能会带来一些弊端，其中最显著的一点就是可能需要同时遵守多个国家的所得税法。在美国，一旦外国公民成为永久居民，其全球收入就会作为美国纳税人的收入被美国国税局（IRS）征税。由于EB-5项目的最低投资额相对较高，其申请要求可能会带来一些问题。 根据《EB-5改革与诚信法案》，截至2023年，EB-5签证的最低投资额已上调至1,050,000美元（标准投资）和800,000美元（针对目标就业区（TEA）的投资），其中TEA包括农村地区或高失业率地区。这些上调金额反映了为应对通货膨胀及项目调整所作的相应调整。
Each EB-5 investment must also create ten full-time jobs for U.S. citizens. In addition to these eligibility criteria, the current United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing times for EB-5 petitions is a little over four years. An investor must then complete a 24-month conditional residence period in the United States, followed by filing another petition to remove those conditions that is also averaging a little over four more years. Even in a best-case scenario (no country-based visa quota backlogs), the timeframe for receiving permanent residence through the United States EB-5 program is currently a shocking 10.5 years -- and all this after investing a minimum of $800,000 in a TEA or $1,050,000 for non-TEA investments. Additionally, filing fees have increased as part of the 2023 updates, adding further financial burden to the EB-5 process.
E-2签证的替代方案
Like EB-5 visas, the E-2 visa is an investment-based visa through which an approved investment in a United States business forms the basis of the visa status. However, unlike with an EB-5 visa, an E-2 visa does not grant the investor or their immediate relatives permanent residence. Rather, approved investors and their immediate family members (for children under 21 years old) enjoy what is known as an “evergreen” non-resident visa, which allows them to live, work, and go to school in the United States on a renewable basis as long as the investor's business remains operational.
E-2签证是基于条约设立的，是美国对其与之签订了友好、航行和通商条约、双边投资条约或同等条约的国家的公民所承担的义务。美国与80个国家签订了此类条约，这些国家的公民符合E-2签证的申请资格。E-2投资签证的基本资格要求如下：
- 须为符合资格国家的国民；
- 已向一家正规企业投资或正在积极投资一笔巨额资金；且
- 申请赴美仅为发展和经营该投资企业，且须持有该企业至少50%的股权或拥有其实际控制权。
就E-2签证的资格而言，法律并未规定最低投资金额。要求仅是投资金额必须“相当可观”。这通常可理解为：投资金额应与企业的合格所有权份额相称，或足以有效为该企业提供资本。 投资额是否充足的判断取决于业务的性质和规模，但通常远低于包括EB-5在内的许多“黄金签证”项目。例如，如果投资者要在纽约市开设并经营一家杂货店，其符合条件的“相当数额”投资将远低于在当地开设制造工厂所需的投资额。此外，与EB-5签证不同，E-2签证对创造美国公民就业岗位没有要求。
Another favorable aspect of E-2 visas is that the petitions are not adjudicated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (the USCIS), unless the investor files the petition from within the United States, which is absolutely not necessary to do. In recent years, the fact that E-2 visas are not decided by the USCIS has become more important because in addition to the USCIS's extensive processing times, the USCIS has become hostile towards immigration petitions. E-2 visas are decided by the United States Department of State abroad. Because the basis of the visa is both non-immigrant in nature and a U.S. treaty obligation, E-2 petitions often enjoy processing times measured in months not years, as well as a far less hostile adjudicatory environment.
领事馆的公司注册要求
E-2签证与其他投资类签证的一个关键区别在于，E-2签证申请通常由美国领事馆受理，而非通过美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）办理。自2022年7月起，许多领事馆要求申请人在E-2签证申请过程中完成公司注册。 这需要提供大量文件以证明美国企业的真实性，包括大额投资证明、所有权结构及企业经营可行性等证据。若未完成公司注册，E-2签证申请可能会被延迟或驳回。领事官员会仔细审查公司的财务状况、运营计划及所有权结构，以确保其符合E-2签证的资格要求。
根据客户反馈和相关案例，部分领事馆在签证处理时限方面比其他机构更为灵活，具体等待时间因领事馆而异，从数周到数月不等。例如，加拿大和英国等国家的E-2签证处理效率总体保持良好，而其他领事馆（尤其是拉丁美洲和亚洲部分地区的领事馆）因新冠疫情后的积压案件，导致签证办理出现显著延误。建议投资者咨询经验丰富的移民律师，以应对这些挑战。
E-2 必要员工
E-2签证的另一大优势在于，它允许投资者将其本国公民带到美国，作为其美国企业的“必要雇员”工作。虽然根据E-2签证被认定为“必要雇员”的资格要求可能较为复杂，但符合条件的必要雇员及其直系亲属在美国将获得与投资者相同的身份地位。
维持E-2身份
为了维持E-2身份，企业在签证有效期内必须保持正常运营，且投资资金必须处于风险之中。据移民律师的反馈显示，领事官员在签证续签过程中对企业的财务状况审查日益严格，尤其关注企业是否仍能产生足够的收入以维持投资者和员工的生计。E-2签证持有人必须准备好出示最新的财务报表、纳税申报表及其他证明企业仍具经营能力的证据。
考虑申请E-2签证
对于希望以低于EB-5签证的成本和更快的速度，为自己及直系亲属在美国获得合法身份的投资者而言，E-2签证可能是一个极具吸引力的选择。然而，鉴于领事处理流程和公司注册要求不断变化，寻求法律指导以应对这些复杂情况至关重要。 E-2签证的灵活性——尤其是没有最低投资额或创造就业岗位的要求——使其成为来自条约国的外国公民的热门选择，这些申请人正寻求一种更易获得的美国投资签证。
