E-2 Visa for Canadian Nationals: Requirements and How to Apply
Canada is the third-largest source of E-2 treaty investors in the world. The United States issued 6,747 E-2 visas to Canadian nationals in FY2024, behind only Japan and South Korea, under a treaty that took effect on 1 January 1994.
Seven U.S. posts process E-2 cases in Canada, and all of them work from a single published document index — so the page limit, the section structure and the submission routine are the same wherever you file. What changes is appointment availability and the interview city.
U.S. Consulates in Canada
Compare submission methods, binder requirements, and TCN friendliness across all 7 posts.
| Consulate | Submission | Page Limit | Max Size | TCN Score | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Consulate General Toronto | 50 | 20 MB | 3/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Consulate General Vancouver | 50 | 20 MB | 2/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Consulate General Montreal | 50 | 20 MB | 2/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Embassy Ottawa | 50 | 20 MB | 1/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Consulate Calgary | 50 | 20 MB | 1/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Consulate Quebec City | 50 | 20 MB | 0/3 | Custom | |
| U.S. Consulate Halifax | 50 | 20 MB | 0/3 | Custom |
E-2 Visa Toronto
U.S. Consulate General Toronto
E-2 Visa Vancouver
U.S. Consulate General Vancouver
E-2 Visa Montreal
U.S. Consulate General Montreal
E-2 Visa Ottawa
U.S. Embassy Ottawa
E-2 Visa Calgary
U.S. Consulate Calgary
E-2 Visa Quebec City
U.S. Consulate Quebec City
E-2 Visa Halifax
U.S. Consulate Halifax
Which Canadian post should you file at?
Less turns on this than at most countries. The U.S. Mission to Canada runs one E-Visa unit and publishes one supporting-documentation index that all seven posts work from, so the 50-page limit, the six numbered sections and the email-then-paper routine apply identically at each. Assemble the same package regardless.
What differs is appointment availability, which varies widely between posts and moves month to month, and the interview city. Toronto handles the largest share of Canadian E-2 volume. Choose on when you can be seen and where you can travel comfortably, then check the current wait time for that post before committing.
E-2 Visa Requirements for Canada Nationals
Treaty Nationality
As a Canada national, you meet the treaty nationality requirement for E-2 visa eligibility.
Substantial Investment
Invest a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide U.S. enterprise. The investment must be sufficient to ensure the business's successful operation.
Active Business
The business must be a real, operating commercial enterprise — not a paper entity. It must produce goods or services for profit.
Managerial Control
You must own at least 50% of the business or have operational control through a managerial position or other corporate mechanisms.
The 50-page limit covers renewals too
The mission caps the supporting-evidence package at 50 pages and 20 MB, and the wording covers "new cases or renewals" alike. Renewing applicants get no extra room, which catches people who assembled a first package before the cap applied to them.
A useful amount sits outside the count: the DS-160 confirmation page, the DS-156E, a G-28 where an attorney is on record, the appointment confirmation letter, civil documents such as birth and marriage certificates, the passport bio-page copy, and the tabs and dividers themselves.
Application Process
Complete DS-160 Online
Fill out the DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application on the CEAC website.
Pay MRV Fee
Pay the Machine Readable Visa fee through the usvisa-info.com portal.
Schedule Interview
Book your visa interview at your chosen U.S. consulate in Canada.
Prepare Evidence Binder
Assemble your business plan, financial documents, and supporting evidence according to your post's specific requirements.
Attend Interview
Present your case at the consular interview. Bring your evidence binder and all original documents.
Bringing your family on an E-2 visa from Canada
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 apply for E-2 dependent status at the same post as the principal applicant. Each dependent files their own DS-160 and attends their own interview, but the cases are linked throughout.
A spouse in E-2 dependent status may apply for work authorisation once in the United States, which allows them to work for any U.S. employer in any field. Children may attend school but are not automatically authorised to work.
The six sections of the Canadian binder
The mission’s index runs I to VII. Section III is the E-1 trade section, which an E-2 applicant skips — keep the gap, or your tabs stop matching the checklist the officer reads from:
- I — Nationality and legal status
- II — Ownership documents
- IV — E-2 investment
- V — E-2 marginality and economic impact
- VI — E-2 real and operating commercial enterprise
- VII — Executive, managerial, supervisory or essential skills
- Subdivide any numbered section holding more than two documents into lettered subsections, e.g. IV-a and IV-b
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Canada nationals apply for an E-2 visa?
Yes. Canada has an active treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States, making its nationals eligible for E-2 Treaty Investor visas. Applicants must invest a substantial amount in a U.S. business and maintain operational control.
How long does E-2 visa processing take from Canada?
Processing times vary by consulate and time of year. After submitting your application, most embassies in Canada schedule interviews within 2-8 weeks. The visa is typically issued within a few days of a successful interview.
What documents do I need for an E-2 visa from Canada?
You'll need a completed DS-160, valid passport, DS-156E, proof of investment (bank statements, wire transfers, contracts), a business plan, evidence of business ownership, and supporting documents. Requirements vary by consulate — check the specific post page for format and page limit details.
Which consulate in Canada should I apply at?
Canada has 7 U.S. consular posts. Consider factors like TCN friendliness scores, submission methods (some accept digital, others require physical binders), and appointment availability. Compare all options on this page.
What is the minimum investment for an E-2 visa?
There is no fixed minimum investment amount. The investment must be "substantial" relative to the total cost of the business. For small businesses, investments of $100,000+ are generally considered sufficient, though amounts vary by business type and industry.
How many pages can my E-2 package be in Canada?
Fifty pages and 20 MB, submitted as a single PDF. The limit applies to new cases and renewals alike. Forms, civil documents, the passport bio-page copy and the tabs themselves sit outside the count, so the 50 pages are available for evidence.
Do I email my E-2 package or bring it to the interview in Canada?
Both. Email the complete package as one PDF attachment to the mission’s E-Visa unit before your interview date — ZIP archives and links to shared folders are rejected — and bring a printed, tabbed copy of the same package to the interview for the officer to work from.
Why does the Canadian binder skip section III?
Section III is the mission’s E-1 treaty trader section. An E-2 applicant has nothing to file there and skips it, keeping the numbering as published. Renumbering your own sections one through six is the most common binder error at Canadian posts: it means every tab after ownership documents points at a different part of the officer’s checklist.
Can third-country nationals apply for an E-2 visa in Canada?
Some Canadian posts process third-country national cases more readily than others, and Toronto is among the more approachable. That describes willingness to schedule, not eligibility: consular practice expects E-2 applicants to apply where they hold citizenship or residence, and filing outside that stays at the officer’s discretion. Confirm with the post before building a plan around it.