For Canadian CitizensE-2 Visa Checklist
for Canadians
Eight parts. Every requirement USCIS and the Toronto consulate look at. Built from real client filings - not a generic immigration blog.
Done correctly. Subject to attorney pace, consulate scheduling, and client responsiveness.
We are not lawyers. This checklist is based on what our immigration attorneys have shared with us through real E-2 filings for our clients. It's educational, not legal advice. Immigration law is fact-specific and changes - consult a licensed attorney before acting on anything you read here.
Why the E-2 is a unique opportunity for you.
Canada is a treaty country - and that matters. As a Canadian citizen, you qualify for the E-2 Investor Visa because Canada has a qualifying Treaty of Commerce and Navigation with the U.S. That passport is a genuine advantage most of the world doesn't have.
Canadians don't file by mail - you walk into the U.S. Consulate in Toronto and present your case in person to a consular officer. Get it right, and the visa is stamped within two weeks.
- In-person interview at the Toronto consulate.
- Bring the full printed application package.
- No phones inside the consulate building.
- Approved? Passport is retained on the spot.
- Returned by mail with the E-2 stamp in ~2 weeks.
First, do you personally qualify?
This is about you, not the business yet. Check every box honestly.
- I am a citizen of Canada (an E-2 treaty country).
- I can clearly prove my Canadian nationality (valid passport).
- I plan to live in the U.S. when approved.
- I am willing to actively participate in and manage a business.
- I am prepared to invest $75,000–$100,000 USD into a U.S. business.
- I can clearly show where my money came from (salary, savings, sale of assets, inheritance, etc.).
- I am willing to spend the money before the visa is approved.
- I do not have a criminal record that could affect admissibility.
- I have not previously overstayed or violated the terms of a U.S. visa or status.
Ready to start your E-2 journey?
Book a free strategy call to see how BNB Launch builds E-2 qualifying businesses for Canadians.
Book Your Free Strategy CallWhat the officer actually evaluates.
For an E-2 to be approved, the business must show real activity and traction - not just intent. By the time the case is reviewed:
- Be operational, not just planned or registered.
- Be actively generating revenue, not projections.
- Have real bank activity and early P&L statements.
- Show capital was actually spent on operations.
- Have a clear path to profitability, not survival.
- Run day-to-day, not as a one-time setup.
- Support more than just the owner (marginality).
- Have a realistic hiring plan, even if later.
- Show clean, consistent, defensible records.
- LLC or Corporation formed, EIN issued.
- Business bank account, funded with capital.
- Lease or proof of business address.
- Industry licenses and permits.
- Business plan with 5-yr projections.
- Source-of-funds package (bank, tax, wires).
- Photos of premises, equipment, operations.
- Contracts, bookings, letters of intent.
- Payroll or contractor records if hired.
The 'substantial investment' test.
One of the most scrutinized parts of the application. Here's the line.
- Cash invested and spent on operations.
- Equipment in active business use.
- Inventory for resale.
- Leasehold improvements / renovations.
- Franchise fees where applicable.
- Professional services tied to the business.
- Funds committed and irrevocably at risk.
- Personal living expenses.
- Funds sitting in a personal account.
- Loans to the business that aren't at risk.
- Your labor or 'sweat equity'.
- Goodwill without clear documentation.
The smaller the business, the higher the % your investment must represent.
Proving your money is clean.
The most document-intensive part of the application. Officers want a traceable paper trail from the original dollar to the U.S. business account.
- Salary / T4
- Property sale
- RRSP
- HELOC
- Inheritance
- Gift
- Employment income (pay stubs, T4s, bank).
- Sale of a home or property (closing docs).
- Sale of a business (purchase agreement).
- Inheritance or gift (estate docs / letter).
- RRSP or savings withdrawal (statements).
- Loan against personal assets (e.g. HELOC).
- 3–5 years of T1 generals.
- Bank statements showing accumulation.
- Wire transfer records to the U.S.
- Loan agreement + collateral proof if HELOC.
- CAD → USD exchange records.
- Plain-language source-of-funds letter.
Investment converts CAD → USD. Keep every exchange record. The rate at the time of conversion is what determines whether you cleared the threshold in USD. Your attorney will want the rate and the conversion date in writing.
How to rule out a bad E-2 business in 60 seconds.
Use this before you write a single check to any business or E-2 consultant.
- "Revenue will come later, after approval."
- "You don't need to operate it right away."
- "We'll fix the financials after it's set up."
- "The business plan is the main thing officers care about."
- "You can stay hands-off at the start."
- "Hiring isn't necessary in the first phase."
- "We handle everything, you don't need to be involved."
These are the most common reasons E-2 cases stall, get RFE'd, or fail outright. A viable E-2 needs real activity, real spending, real operations - early.
We don't set you up as a silent investor. We help you establish a legitimate short-term rental property management company that you own and actively direct. We do the heavy lifting on the build, then transition full operational control to you.
At the Toronto window, you present as the owner and manager of a property management company - hiring and overseeing a team under your direction. That's what qualifying, employer-level E-2 businesses do.
Ready to start your E-2 journey?
Book a free strategy call to see how BNB Launch builds E-2 qualifying businesses for Canadians.
Book Your Free Strategy CallYour step-by-step path with BNB Launch.
Decision to approval, end to end. We handle the heavy lifting at every stage so you can move with confidence.
Timelines reflect past clients. Every case differs - attorney pace, consulate scheduling, and your responsiveness all move the dial. Not a guarantee of any specific outcome.
Get started with BNB Launch
- Free strategy call - eligibility, capacity, timeline.
- We explain how our model satisfies every E-2 requirement.
- You join, we begin formation, entity setup, and property search immediately.
We introduce you to an immigration attorney
- Connected to an experienced E-2 attorney.
- You hire them directly - they represent you.
- From here on, our team and your attorney work in coordination.
Form the U.S. business entity
- Register LLC or Corporation in the right state.
- Obtain EIN from the IRS.
- Open a U.S. business bank account.
Secure properties and complete your investment
- We find and secure rental properties on your behalf.
- Capital deploys as we sign leases, furnish, and launch.
- Transfer additional funds CAD → USD as needed.
- Begin generating real bookings and real revenue.
- Every receipt, invoice, and bank record stays organized.
Compile the application package
- Business plan with 5-yr projections and hiring plan.
- Source of funds (T1s, statements, wire records).
- Investment evidence (statements, receipts, photos).
- Formation docs, lease, licenses, personal docs.
- Attorney drafts cover letter and legal brief.
- Package submitted - now you wait for interview.
Prep for the Toronto consulate interview
- Attorney coaches you on what to expect.
- Full package reviewed for consistency.
- You learn your numbers, investment, and management cold.
- Practice common officer questions (see Part 7).
After submission, the interview can take 3–7 months to appear on the calendar. Outside anyone's control. Use the time to keep growing the business.
Walk into the U.S. Consulate in Toronto
- In-person interview at the Toronto consulate.
- Bring the complete printed package - organized, tabbed, clean.
- Do NOT bring your cell phone.
- Officer reviews business, investment, personal docs.
- Approved? Passport retained on the spot.
- Returned by mail with the E-2 stamp in ~2 weeks.
You're approved · move to the U.S.
- Enter the U.S. on your E-2 and start your American chapter.
- Your property management company is already running.
- Spouse receives open work authorization. Kids in U.S. schools.
- BNB Launch stays on as your portfolio grows.
- Plan your 2-year Toronto check-in well in advance (Part 8).
Your Toronto consulate interview, demystified.
The officer is evaluating three things: is the business real, is the investment genuine, and are you - personally - the directing mind. That's it.
- Attorney schedules at the Toronto consulate.
- Slot wait time: 3–7 months after submission.
- Attorney runs a thorough prep session.
- Complete printed package - organized & tabbed.
- Know your plan cold - numbers, investment, management.
- Arrive early - strict scheduling.
- Phones are NOT permitted in the building.
- Security screening on entry.
- Counter interaction at a window, not a sit-down.
- Typically 5–20 minutes.
- Bring originals of every key document.
If approved, the officer keeps your passport on the spot. Standard procedure. The consulate affixes the E-2 visa stamp and returns it by mail in ~2 weeks. Do not book international travel during this window.
E-2 renewals · what Canadians need to know.
The E-2 isn't a green-card path on its own, but it renews indefinitely as long as the business continues to qualify.
- Is the business still operating and earning?
- Is revenue growing - or credibly explained?
- Have you remained the directing mind?
- Jobs created or a documented hiring plan?
- Lawful U.S. status maintained throughout?
- Clean, filed financials consistent with file?
- Letting the business go dormant between check-ins.
- Skipping U.S. tax filings.
- Long stretches outside the U.S. with no record.
- Changing the business without telling your attorney.
- Missing your 2-year Toronto appointment.
- Sloppy financial records.
Ready to start your E-2 journey?
Book a free strategy call to see how BNB Launch builds E-2 qualifying businesses for Canadians.
Book Your Free Strategy CallHear from real E-2 clients.
Canadians who used BNB Launch to build E-2 qualifying businesses and move.
Reminder: this checklist is educational only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult a licensed immigration attorney before acting on your visa.
Checked the boxes? Let's get specific.
The checklist gets you 80% of the way. The call is where we figure out the structure for your capital, your timeline, and your Toronto interview.
Book Your Call