The E2 visa has three non-negotiable requirements: a substantial investment, a real and operating enterprise, and an investor who will develop and direct it. Every section of our E2 business plan is built around those three criteria — and nothing else.
USCIS requires E2 applicants to satisfy three core criteria: (1) a substantial investment — the funds must be committed and ‘at risk’ in a commercial sense; (2) a real, for-profit, active enterprise — not a marginal or passive investment; and (3) the investor must develop and direct the enterprise — holding at least 50% ownership and having an active operational role. The E2 business plan must address all three directly.
USCIS does not specify a fixed dollar minimum for substantial investment. Instead, it applies a proportionality test: the investment must be substantial relative to the total cost of the enterprise. For a low-cost service business, $50,000–$100,000 may be sufficient. For a restaurant or franchise, $200,000–$500,000+ is more typical. Our discovery call will help establish what’s appropriate for your specific business model.
Yes. Canada has a bilateral investment treaty with the United States that includes E2 visa eligibility for Canadian citizens. Canadian nationals can apply at US consulates in Canada or at a US port of entry. Planwrit has experience writing E2 plans specifically for Canadian applicants targeting the US market.
Yes — and we require it for E2 engagements. Planwrit is a business plan writing service, not an immigration law firm. We collaborate with your licensed US immigration attorney or advisor to ensure the plan meets their specific requirements for your consulate or USCIS filing. If you don’t yet have a US advisor, we can suggest the right timing for engaging one.
A general business plan is written for investors, banks, or internal planning. An E2 business plan is written specifically for USCIS adjudicators — and the audience makes all the difference. Every section must speak to the three E2 criteria (substantial investment, real enterprise, investor direction), document capital sources and risk, and address the marginal enterprise concern proactively.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We’ll walk through your situation honestly and tell you exactly what we can and can’t do for you.
No payment, no obligation. We confirm your situation is a good fit first.
After the discovery call, you receive an exact price and timeline in writing before anything starts.
Non-refundable once writing begins. Covers research, planning, and writing time committed from day one.
Balance due on delivery of the final document. The file is released only upon receipt of payment.
Rush revisions within 48 hours carry a 25–50% surcharge. All additional revision rates are confirmed in writing before work begins — no surprise invoices.
Start the free assessment and we’ll confirm your situation is a fit — then connect you with your writer and coordinate with your US advisor from day one.
Or email: jocelyn@planwrit.com