E-2 visa for Turkish citizens

• A Turkish passport valid for at least 6 more months, for each applicant.
• The Form DS-160 confirmation page for each applicant; from the principal investor, a signed Form DS-156E and a signed statement of intent to depart (both on the Istanbul E visa unit's checklist).
• A vukuatlı nüfus kayıt örneği (family registry extract) for the spouse and children under 21.
• U.S. company records: certificate of formation, operating agreement or share certificates, IRS EIN letter, and an ownership chart showing at least 50% Turkish ownership.
• A business plan with 5-year profit and loss projections if the company is less than 5 years old; U.S. tax returns and payroll records if it already operates.
• Source of funds from Turkey: for a property sale, the official sale deed from the land registry (tapu resmi senedi) and the bank record of the price; for company profits, the dividend resolution and bank statements; for savings, Turkish tax returns and payroll records; for an inheritance, the certificate of inheritance (veraset ilamı); for a gift, a signed gift letter and the donor's own source records.
• The path of the funds: Turkish bank statements, currency conversion receipts (TRY to USD), SWIFT transfer confirmations and U.S. business bank statements, each matched to the transfer.
• Investment evidence: an itemized list of expenses in date order with amount, payment method and explanation, plus invoices, leases, purchase agreements or escrow papers.
• Your CV and the diplomas or certificates that show you can develop and direct the business.
• Full English translations of every Turkish document by a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman). USCIS requires a certified English translation of every foreign-language document.
• Apostille: not on the Istanbul E visa unit's checklist. Get one only if a bank, escrow agent or U.S. office asks for it.
• Package format in Istanbul: 7 tabs (A to G), each a searchable PDF of up to 15 MB (about 100 pages). Zip files and shared folders are not accepted.

• Marginal enterprise. The projections cover only your own salary. Within 5 years the business must be able to earn more than a minimal living for you and your family, or make a significant economic contribution.
• Funds not at risk. Money still sitting in your account, or a loan secured by the U.S. business's own assets, does not count. The funds must be spent on the business or held in escrow released on visa approval.
• Unclear source of funds. Cash deposits, transfers between relatives without records, or a gap between the tapu sale and the transfer abroad. The officer may ask for any document needed to see where the money came from.
• Insufficient control. Less than 50% ownership with no operational control, or three or more equal partners.
• Investment too small for the business. The lower the cost of the business, the higher the share of that cost you must invest.
• Not a real, operating business. A paper company, undeveloped land or stocks held for appreciation do not qualify.
• Ownership that does not count. Shares held by U.S. green-card holders are left out when the company's Turkish ownership is measured.
• Working too early after entering as a visitor. Working in the business within 90 days of entering on a visitor visa allows a consular officer to presume misrepresentation later.
• Rejected package. The Istanbul E visa unit returns packages that break its tab and file-size rules and may cancel the appointment.
• Family dates out of step. When the investor re-enters alone, the new 2-year admission does not cover family members who stayed in the U.S.; they need their own extension.

• You will not own at least 50% or hold operational control: look at a transfer from your Turkish company on L-1.
• You want a passive return, such as rental property, stocks or a silent stake: E-2 needs an active business you develop and direct. EB-5 allows a regional center investment but starts at $800,000.
• Your goal is a green card for the family, or a child is close to 21: E-2 children lose dependent status at 21, and E-2 does not lead directly to permanent residence. Compare EB-5.
• You already hold a U.S. green card: you do not need E-2, and your shares do not count toward a company's Turkish ownership.
• Your business is trade between Turkey and the U.S. rather than an investment: see E-1 on the E-1 and E-2 page.
• You are not a Turkish citizen: check the treaty list on the E-1 and E-2 page, or look at EB-5.

Who this is for

• Turkish citizens who buy or start a U.S. business, put their own capital at risk in it and will run it. In fiscal year 2024 the State Department issued 697 E-2 visas to Turkish nationals, a count that includes family members and employees.
• Turkish companies that own at least 50% of a U.S. company and need to send a Turkish manager, supervisor or employee with essential skills.
• Families: a spouse and unmarried children under 21, of any nationality, can join the investor.
• Dual nationals who hold Turkish citizenship. A company may use only one treaty nationality, unless it is owned 50/50 by nationals of two treaty countries.

Key requirements

• Treaty nationality. The U.S.–Turkey E-2 provision has been in force since 18 May 1990, and the E-1 provision since 15 February 1933. The investor must hold Turkish nationality, and Turkish nationals must own at least 50% of the business. Shares held by U.S. green-card holders do not count.
• Investment at risk. The capital must be yours, under your control and exposed to loss if the business fails. Money sitting in a bank account or promised for later does not count. Funds held in escrow and released on visa approval can count.
• Substantial amount. There is no fixed minimum. The amount is weighed against the cost of buying or starting the business: the cheaper the business, the larger the share you must invest (the proportionality test in 9 FAM 402.9-6(D)).
• Real, operating and more than marginal. The business must produce goods or services for profit. Within 5 years it must be able to earn more than a minimal living for you and your family, or make a significant economic contribution.
• Develop and direct. You control the business through at least 50% ownership or operational control. Each of two 50/50 partners can meet this; three or more equal partners cannot rely on ownership alone.
• Intent to depart. You must state that you will leave the U.S. when E-2 status ends. You do not need to keep a home in Turkey.
• Citizenship by investment. If you acquired Turkish citizenship through an investment and have never held E status, U.S. law requires at least 3 continuous years of domicile in Turkey at some point before you apply.

What to check with an attorney

• Whether your amount is substantial for this specific business, and how the 5-year plan shows more than a marginal income.
• Whether every lira can be traced from its source in Turkey to the U.S. company account.
• How ownership is split if family members, partners or a Turkish parent company are involved, and whether anyone holds a green card or a second nationality.
• Whether to apply in Istanbul or change status inside the U.S., given your current status and travel plans.
• How E-2 fits a later plan such as EB-5, and what happens to children who will turn 21.

Fees and rules reviewed 16 Oct 2026. Sources below.

Official sources:

1. 9 FAM 402.9: Treaty traders and investors (U.S. Department of State)
2. 8 CFR 214.2(e): Treaty traders and investors (eCFR)
3. State Department: Türkiye visa reciprocity schedule
4. State Department: Treaty countries
5. 22 CFR 22.1: Schedule of fees for consular services (eCFR)
6. U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Türkiye: Treaty Trader / Treaty Investor Visa
7. U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Türkiye: Visas
8. USCIS: E-2 Treaty Investors
9. USCIS: G-1055 Fee Schedule
10. USCIS: How do I request premium processing?
11. USCIS: About the EB-5 visa classification
12. 9 FAM 302.9-4(B)(3)(g): Conduct within 90 days of admission
13. 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): Translations (eCFR)
14. Public Law 117-263, sec. 5902: E visas and nationality acquired by investment
15. State Department: Nonimmigrant visa issuances by nationality, FY1997–FY2024
16. State Department: Fees for visa services

What changed: new page with the 2026 government fees, the Turkey reciprocity schedule and the Istanbul E visa unit's checklist.