E-2 Visa for Turkish citizens: Validity and Stay

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

Page reviewed October 30, 2026.

What it is

The State Department issues E-2 treaty investor visas to Turkish citizens 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 Turkish citizens

  • 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 Turkish E-2 applicants. The standard visa application fee still applies.
  • The E-1 treaty trader visa has the same validity and entries for Turkish citizens: 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 Turkish E-2 applicants should prepare

  • Nationality: you must hold Turkish nationality, and the U.S. business must be owned at least 50% by Turkish nationals.
  • The Embassy's checklist asks for family documents that are specific to Turkey, such as the population registry extract, and these need translation. Check the live page for the current list.
  • For companies under five years old, the checklist asks for a business plan with five years of profit and loss projections.
  • 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 Turkish cases are processed

The State Department's treaty list gives February 15, 1933 as the date Turkey's E-1 status entered into force and May 18, 1990 for the E-2. The two dates point to two different instruments. We have not identified the instrument behind the 1933 date from a source we opened.

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 order for Turkey is the opposite of Japan, South Korea and Israel: you book an appointment first, and the E visa unit then tells you when to send documents. The Embassy page says not to send anything until the unit instructs you.
  • Documents go by email to EVisasIstanbul@state.gov as exactly seven PDFs named by tab, each up to 15MB and with searchable text. ZIP files and shared folders are not accepted, and non-conforming submissions are returned.
  • The cover letter on the Embassy page should not cite the Foreign Affairs Manual.
  • Consulate General Istanbul: Poligon Mahallesi, Sariyer Caddesi No: 75, 34460 Istinye, Istanbul. Embassy Ankara: Cukurambar Mahallesi, 1480 Sokak No: 1, 06530 Cankaya, Ankara.

E-2 visas issued to Turkish nationals

By our sums of the State Department's monthly tables (October to September), Turkish nationals received 543 E-2 visas in FY2023, 697 in FY2024 and 586 in FY2025. That ranks thirteenth, eleventh and thirteenth, and 1.1% of the 51,047 issued worldwide in FY2025. Istanbul issued 479, 530 and 323 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.

The Embassy page does not say outright that E cases are decided only in Istanbul. We infer it from the E visa unit's email address and from the appointment-service page. We have not read the treaty texts, and the page states no review time.

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.
  • Taiwan: 60 months (5 years), multiple entries.
  • Israel: 24 months (2 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 Turkish citizens?

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 Turkish citizens 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 Turkish citizens apply for an E-1 instead?

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

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

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

Does the E-2 give Turkish citizens 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.