Grenada is on the US State Department’s list of E-2 treaty countries. That means a Grenadian citizen can apply for an E-2 treaty investor visa if they put a substantial amount of capital into a real US business and meet the other conditions. The treaty behind it, the US-Grenada treaty concerning the encouragement and protection of investment, was signed in Washington on 2 May 1986 and entered into force on 3 March 1989.
The E-2 is a nonimmigrant classification, and the regulation requires the applicant to intend to depart the United States when E-2 status ends. Grenadian citizenship does not give anyone an E-2 by itself: the visa depends on the investment, the business and the applicant, and a consular officer decides each case. This guide sets out what the US government’s own texts say and what we could not confirm.
What the official list says about Grenada
Treaty trader (E-1) and treaty investor (E-2) visas are for citizens of countries with which the United States maintains a qualifying treaty. The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 402.9) lists those countries by classification. Grenada appears once:
| Country | Classification listed | Date of the treaty entering into force |
|---|---|---|
| Grenada | E-2 (treaty investor). No E-1 (treaty trader) is listed for Grenada | 3 March 1989 |
Source: US Department of State, 9 FAM 402.9, treaty country table (sections dated February 2026); US Department of State, Grenada (89-303), Treaty Concerning the Encouragement and Protection of Investment.
The manual notes that a qualifying treaty can be a treaty of friendship, commerce and navigation or a bilateral investment treaty. Grenada’s is the second kind.
What the investor must show
The conditions come from the regulation (22 CFR 41.51) and the manual’s guidance to consular officers. For an individual treaty investor the regulation requires that the applicant:
- has invested, or is actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide enterprise in the United States, as distinct from a relatively small amount of capital in a marginal enterprise solely for the purpose of earning a living;
- is seeking entry solely to develop and direct the enterprise; and
- intends to depart from the United States upon the termination of E-2 status.
The regulation defines investment as placing capital, including funds and other assets, at risk in the commercial sense with the objective of generating a profit. The investor must be in possession of and have control over the capital, and the capital must be subject to partial or total loss if the investment fails. The manual adds that the enterprise must be a real and operating commercial enterprise, and that the applicant must be in a position to develop and direct it. Normally control is shown through at least 50 percent ownership by the applicant, but it can also be shown through operational control. Holding a managerial title is not enough if the applicant does not control the enterprise.
The manual says that many of these standards are subject to the exercise of a great amount of judgment and discretion. We did not find a fixed dollar minimum in the text we read. It asks instead whether the amount is substantial in proportion to the business.
Where Grenadian nationality matters
- The applicant must have the nationality of the treaty country. The regulation states that the authorities of the foreign state of which the applicant claims nationality determine the nationality of an individual treaty investor. For a Grenadian applicant, that means Grenada’s authorities determine whether the person is a Grenadian national. We found no passage in the sections we read that treats citizenship acquired through investment differently, but consular officers decide each case.
- The business needs the same nationality. Where the investor is an organization and the applicant is an employee, nationals of the treaty country must own at least 50 percent of the business. In corporate structures the manual looks at the nationality of the owners of the stock.
- Dual nationals must choose one. Except where an enterprise is owned and controlled equally by nationals of two treaty countries, a business may have only one qualifying nationality. A dual national owner must choose which nationality is used, and the owner and all E visa employees must hold that nationality for all E visa purposes involving the company.
- US permanent residents are treated differently. A trader or investor with the nationality of a treaty country who holds US permanent resident status does not qualify to bring in employees under the E classification, and shares owned by permanent residents cannot be counted when determining the nationality of the business.
Employees and family
An employee of a treaty investor can be classified E-2 if they come to perform executive or supervisory duties or, in a lesser role, have special qualifications that make their services essential to the efficient operation of the enterprise. The employer must be a person of the treaty country who is maintaining treaty investor status, or an organization at least 50 percent owned by such persons.
The spouse and children of a treaty investor accompanying or following to join are entitled to the same classification as the principal, and the regulation states that the nationality of a spouse or child is not material. On work, the manual says that USCIS and CBP have begun to distinguish between spouses of E nonimmigrants, who are authorized to seek employment, and dependent children, who are not.
What we could not confirm
- How long you can stay and how long the visa is valid. We did not read an official statement of the period of stay or visa validity for Grenadian applicants. The State Department publishes a reciprocity page per country; check it for validity, fees and the number of entries.
- Investment amounts, processing times and fees. None is fixed in the text we read.
- The State Department’s travel pages and USCIS pages. They block automated readers, so we worked from the Foreign Affairs Manual, the Code of Federal Regulations and the State Department treaty page, which we could open.
- US tax treatment of an E-2 holder. It depends on how long you are in the United States and on your circumstances. We did not cover it here.
How this fits with Grenadian citizenship
Grenadian nationality can be acquired in several ways, including through the country’s citizenship by investment program, which is run by the Investment Migration Agency Grenada and handled through authorised agents. The E-2 is a separate US process with its own requirements, and the contribution made under the Grenadian program is a different matter from the capital invested in a US business. If an E-2 is part of your reason to consider Grenada, plan the US business first and take US immigration advice before you commit to either route. For the program itself see our Grenada program page, and for what the passport gives in terms of travel see Grenada passport: visa-free access, ranking and what it is worth. GoldPassports is an authorised agent for the Grenada program.
The questions to answer before you apply
- Nationality: will you hold Grenadian nationality, and is it the single nationality you will use for the E visa?
- The business: is there a specific, real, operating US business to buy or start, and does its ownership meet the nationality rules above?
- The money: is the capital committed and at risk, and is it substantial in proportion to the business?
- Control: will you develop and direct the enterprise, and can you show control?
- The exit: are you prepared to depart when E-2 status ends?
- The advice: have you had a US immigration lawyer review the plan before the investment?
Want to know which option fits your situation? Request a free call and an advisor will give you a straight answer, including when an E-2 is not the right tool.
Last verified against the sources below on 18 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. US immigration requirements are applied case by case: take advice from a US immigration lawyer.
Thinking about Grenada?
See the requirements, costs and official sources for the Grenada program, checked against the government's own pages. View the Grenada program.
Frequently asked questions
Can Grenadian citizens get an E-2 visa?
Grenada is on the State Department's list of E-2 treaty countries, with the treaty in force since 3 March 1989, so a Grenadian citizen can apply if they meet the conditions: a substantial investment in a real US business, entry solely to develop and direct it, and the intention to depart when E-2 status ends. A consular officer decides each case.
Is Grenada an E-1 treaty trader country?
Not according to the State Department's table in 9 FAM 402.9, which lists Grenada for E-2 only.
How much do I have to invest for an E-2?
The text we read sets no fixed dollar minimum. The investment must be substantial, as distinct from a relatively small amount in a marginal enterprise, and the manual asks whether the amount is substantial in proportion to the business.
Does it matter that Grenadian citizenship was obtained by investment?
The regulation says the authorities of the state of which the applicant claims nationality determine the nationality of an individual treaty investor. We found no passage in the sections we read that treats citizenship acquired through investment differently, but consular officers decide each case.
Can my family come with me on an E-2?
Yes. The spouse and children of a treaty investor are entitled to the same classification, and the regulation says their nationality is not material. The manual says USCIS and CBP have begun to distinguish between spouses, who are authorized to seek employment, and dependent children, who are not.
I hold two nationalities. Which one counts?
Dual national owners must choose one nationality for the E visa, and the owner and all E visa employees of the company must hold that nationality for all E visa purposes involving that company. A business may have only one qualifying nationality, except where it is owned and controlled equally by nationals of two treaty countries.
Official sources
Figures on this page come from the sources below and were last verified on 18 October 2026. Rules change; always confirm the current position. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
- US Department of State: 9 FAM 402.9, Treaty traders, investors, and specialty occupations - E visas
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 22 CFR 41.51, Treaty trader, treaty investor, or treaty alien in a specialty occupation
- US Department of State: Grenada (89-303), Treaty Concerning the Encouragement and Protection of Investment
- US Department of State: Treaty between the United States and Grenada concerning the encouragement and protection of investment (PDF)
- Investment Migration Agency Grenada: Becoming a citizen
