Getting a US E-2 Visa: What the Process Really Takes

By Liesa Witt · Published 2026-05-29 · Updated 2026-10-10

What a US E-2 visa really takes: the months of paperwork, costs, waiting and proof behind moving to New York as a European entrepreneur.

E2 Visa - The Application Process, The Waiting, and The Interview

Looking back, the application process itself was pretty straight forward but stressed me like no other.

From the outside, people often only see the moment the visa gets approved. What they usually do not see are the months leading up to it: the uncertainty, paperwork, financial pressure, constant decision-making, and emotional ups and downs that come with trying to build a completely new life abroad.

For me, the process took well over six months.

It involved:

And most importantly: staying mentally focused while your future feels uncertain.

Back then, patience was definitely not one of my strongest qualities. Looking back now, I probably would have benefited from even more guidance and support during the process outside of what my lawyer provided.

If you are currently considering this path yourself, I genuinely understand how overwhelming it can feel in the beginning.

Preparing the Application

One thing I would absolutely recommend is this:

Get support from experts if you can.

I personally worked with:

Technically, yes, you can do everything yourself.

But honestly, hiring support was one of the best investments I made during the process.

Not because I was incapable of doing the work, but because immigration paperwork is incredibly detailed and you want to reduce mistakes as much as possible the first time around.

Documents and Requirements

The application required a substantial amount of documentation, including:

Gathering everything took significantly longer than I expected.

There are always small details you overlook in the beginning.

One missing document suddenly creates another task. One translation creates another requirement. One answer leads to five more questions.

At times, the process felt less like applying for a visa and more like building a company and proving your entire life on paper at the same time.

The Waiting Period

Finally, in March 2023, everything was submitted.

And then came the hardest part:

Waiting.

That waiting period came with a strange combination of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, and complete uncertainty.

During that time, I was already traveling back and forth between Europe and the United States preparing for the possibility of moving.

I spent time in New York City trying to understand what life there could realistically look like.

I looked at apartments. I networked. I explored neighborhoods. I tried to imagine what starting over would actually feel like.

Then, after roughly three months, I finally received the message I had been waiting for:

I was invited to interview at the U.S. Embassy in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

At the time, I was in New York, and for the first time in a very long time, I genuinely could not wait to go back.

The Interview

I traveled thousands of miles from NYC back to Germany for the interview.

And honestly?

I was incredibly nervous.

I arrived far too early carrying a printed version of my entire application like my life depended on it.

In my head, I had imagined sitting in a formal office while someone intensely questioned me about:

But the reality looked completely different.

The interview took place at one of the embassy windows inside a large hall filled with people applying for different visa types.

And surprisingly, the conversation itself lasted maybe eight minutes.

The person interviewing me was kind, calm, and professional. It felt much more like a normal conversation than the intimidating interrogation I had imagined for months.

Then came the sentence I will probably never forget.

“Good luck Ms. Witt, your visa is approved.”

What I Learned From the Process

The moment I heard those words, I knew my life was about to change.

And looking back now, one of the biggest things I realized is this:

I became so consumed by getting the visa that I temporarily lost focus on continuing to build my brand and business while waiting.

That is probably the most important lesson I took away from the entire experience.

5 Lessons I Learned From the E-2 Visa Process

Lesson 1: Invest in expertise

You do not have to know everything yourself. Getting support from professionals can save enormous amounts of stress, mistakes, and time.

Lesson 2: Anxiety is normal

Big life changes come with uncertainty. Feeling nervous does not mean you are making the wrong decision.

Lesson 3: Do not lose focus

Money can be rebuilt. Time cannot. Continue building your skills, network, and brand while waiting for outcomes you cannot control.

Lesson 4: Appreciate the people helping you

Immigration journeys can feel isolating. Small acts of kindness and support matter more than you realize during stressful periods.

Lesson 5: Celebrate your wins

Seriously.

Take a moment to acknowledge how much courage it takes to leave familiarity behind and build a life somewhere new.

That deserves recognition.

Final Thoughts

The visa approval was not the finish line.

It was the beginning of an entirely new chapter filled with lessons, challenges, growth, mistakes, adaptation, and experiences I could never have fully predicted beforehand.

And despite all the uncertainty, stress, paperwork, and waiting, I would still do it again.

Because sometimes growth requires stepping into environments where absolutely nothing feels comfortable yet.