E-2 Visa for Taiwan passport holders: Validity and Stay

The E-2 visa for Taiwan passport holders is valid for 60 months (5 years) with multiple entries. How long you can stay, fees, and what Taiwanese investors should prepare.

Page reviewed October 30, 2026.

What it is

The State Department issues E-2 treaty investor visas to Taiwan passport holders for 60 months (5 years), with multiple entries.

That is how long the visa can be used to travel to the U.S. How long you may stay is set separately by the border officer at each entry, and for E-2 holders is usually up to two years per admission, with no limit on the number of extensions.

Visa validity
60 months60 months (5 years), from the State Department schedule.
Entries
MultipleHow many times the visa can be used to seek entry.
Usual stay
Up to 2 yearsPer admission, set by the border officer.
Reciprocity fee
NoneOn top of the standard visa application fee.

E-2 visa validity for Taiwan passport holders

  • Validity: 60 months (5 years).
  • Entries: multiple entries, so you can travel in and out of the U.S. until the visa expires.
  • The State Department lists no reciprocity fee for Taiwanese E-2 applicants. The standard visa application fee still applies.
  • The E-1 treaty trader visa has the same validity and entries for Taiwan passport holders: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.

Visa validity is not the length of your stay

The 60 months is the window in which the visa can be used to travel. Each time you enter, the border officer sets how long you may stay. E-2 holders are usually admitted for up to two years at a time, and a traveler who is found admissible can generally be readmitted for an automatic two-year period. An extension of stay can be requested for up to two years at a time, with no limit on how many.

The E-2 is a temporary status and requires an intention to depart when it ends. It does not lead to a green card on its own.

What Taiwanese E-2 applicants should prepare

  • Nationality: you must hold Taiwanese nationality, and the U.S. business must be owned at least 50% by Taiwanese nationals.
  • AIT has the most detailed file specification of the five pages we read for this group of countries: a total page cap, a size cap per file, named exhibits and a short list of accepted formats.
  • Send nothing early. AIT's window for the email is one to two months before the interview.
  • A substantial investment in a real, operating business that is not marginal, with the money committed and at risk.
  • A lawful source for every dollar invested, shown with records.

Treaty basis and where Taiwanese cases are processed

Taiwan is handled differently from the other treaty countries. The State Department's treaty list gives November 30, 1948 for both E-1 and E-2 and adds that the agreement, concluded with the Taiwan authorities before January 1, 1979, is administered on a nongovernmental basis by the American Institute in Taiwan and does not signal recognition or an official relationship. The reciprocity page also lists the Taiwan authorities as entitled to E-1 status.

Embassy details below were read on October 30, 2026. Embassy pages change often and most carry no update date, so confirm them on the official page before you file.

  • The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Nonimmigrant Visa Unit in Taipei handles E visas, and every applicant, children included, appears in person.
  • You complete the DS-160, pay the fee and schedule the interview first. You then email supporting documents to aitevisa@state.gov between one and two months before the interview, or the appointment is cancelled.
  • The email can hold no more than 70 pages in total, one file per exhibit, each file 1.9MB or smaller. Only DOC, DOCX, JPEG, JPG and PDF are accepted, with no ZIP files and no shared links.
  • The company name must match the state registration exactly. AIT states that passports are usually returned within three business days after the interview.
  • AIT Taipei Main Office: 100 Jinhu Road, Neihu District, Taipei 114017, Taiwan.

E-2 visas issued to Taiwanese nationals

By our sums of the State Department's monthly tables (October to September), Taiwan passport holders received 2,881 E-2 visas in FY2023, 2,922 in FY2024 and 2,137 in FY2025. That ranks fifth, sixth and seventh, and 4.2% of the 51,047 issued worldwide in FY2025. AIT Taipei issued 2,864, 2,924 and 2,147 E-2 visas in those years, to applicants of any nationality. The counts cover the E-2 class, which includes family members on E-2 dependent visas, and they count visas issued abroad. We do not offer a reason for any change from year to year.

We have not read the 1946 treaty text in an official source, so we give only the State Department's own description of how it is administered. AIT's page states no review time beyond the one to two month window for sending documents.

How this compares with other treaty countries

  • Argentina: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Italy: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Spain: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Colombia: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • United Kingdom: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • France: 48 months (4 years), multiple entries.
  • Germany: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Mexico: 48 months (4 years), multiple entries.
  • Japan: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • South Korea: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Israel: 24 months (2 years), multiple entries.
  • Turkey: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.

How it works

From first call to filed petition

  1. 1. Evaluation

    You get an honest answer.

    We review your situation on a 15-minute call and tell you honestly whether the visa fits and what would make the case stronger. No retainer. No commitment.

  2. 2. Strategy

    You know exactly what your case looks like.

    We map which company documents and evidence prove each requirement, and what is still missing. You see the full picture before we file anything.

  3. 3. Preparation

    Your petition is built without you lifting a finger.

    Our team drafts the support letters and the legal brief, curates every exhibit, and reviews the full petition before it leaves our hands. You approve. We file.

  4. 4. Filing

    Filed. You get on with your life.

    Your petition is filed at USCIS and we manage every communication from there. We handle any RFE at no extra charge.

Common questions

How long is the E-2 visa valid for Taiwan passport holders?

60 months (5 years), with multiple entries, according to the State Department reciprocity schedule. The State Department can change this at any time, and a consular officer may issue a visa for a shorter period.

How long can Taiwan passport holders stay in the U.S. on an E-2?

E-2 holders are usually admitted for up to two years at a time. Extensions of stay are granted in increments of up to two years each, with no limit on the number of extensions, as long as the business and the other requirements are still met.

Can Taiwan passport holders apply for an E-1 instead?

The E-1 treaty trader visa has the same validity and entries for Taiwan passport holders: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.

Is there an extra visa fee for Taiwanese E-2 applicants?

The State Department lists no reciprocity fee for Taiwanese E-2 applicants. The standard visa application fee still applies.

Does the E-2 give Taiwan passport holders a path to a green card?

The E-2 is a nonimmigrant status and requires an intention to depart when it ends. A filed or approved immigrant petition alone is not a reason to deny an E application, but the E-2 itself does not give a path to permanent residence.

Is Lando a law firm?

No. Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys. For advice about your own situation, speak to a licensed immigration attorney.

Sources

Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys.