16 Statistics E-2 Visa Holders Should Know
Here is what the latest State Department and USCIS data means for E-2 investors, including visa issuance and processing times.
Key takeaways
- The State Department issued 55,324 E-2 visas in Fiscal Year 2024. These accounted for most E-2 applications that went through consular processing.
- The FY 2024 E-2 issuance rate was approximately 90.1%. Out of 61,432 total E-2 applications, U.S. embassies and consulates issued 55,324 E-2 visas and refused 6,108.
- Monthly State Department reports show 51,047 E-2 visas issued in FY 2025. These are consular visa issuances, not USCIS petition approvals.
- Japan was the top E-2 issuing country by consular post location in FY 2025. U.S. posts in Japan account for about 30.3% of the total E-2 visas issued.
- As of May 2026, USCIS processing for Form I-129 E-1 and E-2 filings was 13 months. This figure applies to USCIS filings such as changes of status and extensions, not initial E-2 visa applications filed abroad.
E-2 visa issuance statistics
- 55,324 E-2 visas were issued in Fiscal Year 2024. These account for the majority of total E-2 applications that went through consular processing.
- The FY 2024 E-2 issuance rate was approximately 90.1%. Out of a total of 61,432 applicants, U.S. embassies and consular offices only denied 6,108 petitions.
- 51,047 E-2 visas were issued in FY 2025. Monthly E-2 issuances ranged from 3,690 in November 2024 to 5,185 in July 2025, based on the State Department’s monthly reports.
E-2 visa issuance by country and consular post
- Japan had the highest E-2 issuance total in FY 2025. Two consulates accounted for the majority of the 15,491 E-2 visas issued, with Tokyo at 8,710 and Osaka at 6,761.
- Canada had the second-highest E-2 issuance total in FY 2025. U.S. posts in Canada issued 7,650 E-2 visas, led by Toronto with 6,464.
- South Korea ranked third among E-2 issuing post locations in FY 2025. The U.S. embassy in Seoul issued 5,327 E-2 visas.
- The top five country or territory post locations accounted for about 67.3% of FY 2025 E-2 issuances. Japan, Canada, South Korea, France, and Germany together accounted for 35,515 of the 51,047 E-2 visas issued in the FY 2025 monthly reports.
- Consular post location is not the same as applicant nationality. These figures show where E-2 visas were issued by U.S. embassies and consulates, not the citizenship of every petitioner.
E-2 processing time statistics
- As of May 2026, USCIS took 13 months to complete 80% of Form I-129 E-category (treaty trader and investor) petitions. Several factors can affect the time an individual case takes to adjudicate, including case complexity and USCIS workload.
- This USCIS figure does not include initial E-2 visa issuance abroad. The State Department handles this process, and the agency does not publish its processing times data.
- That means the USCIS processing times figure is most useful for E-2 changes of status and extensions. It should not be used as the expected wait time for a first-time E-2 visa interview or visa issuance at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
