E-2 Visa Case Study: Approval for Investor from Canada Canada InvestorColombo & Hurd secured E-2 Treaty Investor visa approval for a Canadian entrepreneur who invested in and established a private charter boat tour company in the United States. The visa was issued following the investor’s interview at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, allowing the investor and the investor’s accompanying family to enter the United States in E-2 status. The client built the business around private, small-group boating experiences, including sunset cruises, sandbar trips, and custom itineraries. The applicant’s investment funded the company’s setup and ongoing operations, with the client taking an active role in directing the business in the United States. For the client, the approval was the start of a new chapter in a new country. The investor had committed her own savings to build the business from scratch, and the visa gave the investor the green light to run it herself and to bring her family with her as they settle into life in the United States. The client was represented by Colombo & Hurd Immigration Attorney Dallan Bunce. Evaluate My Profile Client ProfileA Hands-On Owner Ready to Run Daily Operations E-2 VisaBefore launching this venture, the client spent twenty years running a human resources and administrative consulting practice. The investor handled hiring, onboarding, payroll, and compliance for the businesses the investor supported. That work gave the investor experience managing the behind-the-scenes functions a business depends on every day. The investor’s background also included the customer-facing side of running a company. Across earlier roles supporting executives in the insurance, telecommunications, and investment sectors, the investor worked on marketing, content, social media, and customer relationship management. These are the same tools a tour business relies on to attract guests, earn repeat bookings, and build a strong reputation through online reviews. The investor now owns the private charter boat tour company and serves as its full-time manager. Her responsibilities include hiring and overseeing the licensed captain and first mate who run the charters, managing bookings and scheduling, coordinating vendors and marketing partners, and handling the licensing and safety requirements that govern marine tours. The licensed crew will bring the on-water expertise, while the investor will set the company’s direction and make the decisions that guide its growth. The Challenge Showing an Investment in an Operating Tour Business A successful E-2 visa application must show that the investor made a real and substantial investment, that the business is active or ready to operate, that the funds come from a legitimate source, and that the investor can develop and direct the business. In this case, the client had formed the company, committed capital, acquired the vessel and equipment, secured storage, obtained insurance, and built the booking and marketing systems the business would require. Consequently, the legal strategy needed to present those facts as one clear record. The application needed to trace where the investment funds came from and how they reached the U.S. business. In this case, the funds were derived from the sale of property the client owned abroad. The records had to show a clear path from that original source to the company’s account and then to the expenses used to establish the business. Strategic Approach Building a Clear Record of a Genuine, Investor-Run Business The client’s bank records traced the committed capital to the assets the company purchased, while contracts, insurance records, and corporate filings showed a company that was already operating. For the source of funds, the application documented each transfer from the sale of family property, into the company’s U.S. account, and out to the expenses it covered. The records showed that the capital was lawfully obtained, under the client’s control, and irrevocably committed to the business, making it an at-risk investment as the E-2 standard requires. The application also showed that the client would develop and direct the enterprise rather than simply hold a passive stake. The investor makes the decisions that run the company day to day and set its direction, supported by the licensed crew she hires to operate the charters and the contractors who handle specialized tasks. The business plan projected steady hiring and growth, showing how the operation could support more than just the client. As Attorney Bunce explained: “Documentation is everything in an E-2 case. The client built a business and committed substantial capital to it, and my job was to put that record clearly in front of the consulate so the strength of her investment and her role running it came through.” Start Your E-2 Journey TodayGet a Free Case Evaluation Evaluate My Profile The Result E-2 Visa Issued at the Toronto Consulate The U.S. Consulate in Toronto issued the client’s E-2 Treaty Investor visa in September of 2026. With the visa issued, the investor can enter the United States to develop and direct her business during her authorized period of stay. Case Overview Category Details Visa Classification E-2 Treaty Investor Visa (Consular Processing) Nationality Canadian Professional Field Investor, Marine Tourism Request for Evidence (RFE) No Attorney Immigration Attorney Dallan Bunce Outcome E-2 visa issued Date of Issuance September 25, 2026 Attorney Perspective Dallan BunceImmigration AttorneyRead More “It is always beneficial when clients engage our team early in the investment process. In this case, the client began working with us well before critical decisions were made, which allowed us to obtain fresh, well-documented evidence and present it in a strategic and persuasive manner.” Evaluate My Profile This case was represented by Immigration Attorney Dallan Bunce of Colombo & Hurd, a U.S. immigration law firm that represents investors and professionals across EB-2 NIW, EB-1A, and other employment- and investment-based immigration matters.