US Releases List of 10 African Countries Whose Citizens Qualify for its E-2 Investor Visa

• The US government published a list of treaty countries whose nationals qualify for E-1 and E-2 visas, covering trade and investment categories
• Only 10 African countries appear on the official treaty list, with entry dates ranging from the 19th century to the 1990s
• It is noteworthy that African nationals from countries not on the list cannot apply for E-2 investor visas to the United States

The United States government has released the names of countries whose citizens qualify for E-1 treaty trader and E-2 treaty investor visas, with only 10 African nations making the cut.

The list, maintained by the US Department of State, shows the countries that hold active trade and investment treaties with the United States.

Nationals of these countries can apply for E visas to enter the US for trading or investment purposes, depending on the type of treaty their country holds.

African countries on the US E-2 treaty list

Of the more than 80 nations on the full treaty list, only the following 10 African countries qualify:

1. Cameroon — E-2, entered into force April 6, 1989.

2. Congo (Brazzaville) — E-2, entered into force August 13, 1994.

3. Congo (Kinshasa) — E-2, entered into force July 28, 1989.

4. Egypt — E-2, entered into force June 27, 1992.

5. Ethiopia — E-1 and E-2, entered into force October 8, 1953.

6. Liberia — E-1 and E-2, entered into force November 21, 1939.

7. Morocco — E-2, entered into force May 29, 1991.

8. Senegal — E-2, entered into force October 25, 1990.

9. Togo — E-1 and E-2, entered into force February 5, 1967.

10. Tunisia — E-2, entered into force February 7, 1993.

What the US E-2 visa allows

The E-2 treaty investor visa allows nationals of qualifying countries to enter and work in the United States based on a substantial investment in a US business.

The E-1 visa, available to fewer of the listed African countries, is for nationals engaged in significant trade between their home country and the United States.

Among the 10 African nations listed, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Togo hold both E-1 and E-2 treaty status, meaning their citizens can potentially qualify under either the trade or investment category. The remaining seven — Cameroon, both Congos, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia — are limited to E-2 investor status only.

Major African economies such as Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya do not appear anywhere on the treaty list, meaning their citizens are not eligible for E-1 or E-2 visas through a bilateral treaty arrangement.

The treaty dates on the list show that some of these agreements have been in place for decades, with Liberia's treaty dating back to 1939 and Ethiopia's to 1953, making them among the oldest active US trade and investment treaties on the continent.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US had released the names of all the countries whose citizens are eligible for its E-2 investor visa.

Only country eligible for US E-3 work visa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US had named the only country in the world eligible for its special E-3 work visa.

According to guidance published by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the E-3 visa is exclusively for citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia.

No other nationality qualifies under this category.