Grenada is the only Caribbean citizenship by investment jurisdiction whose nationals currently qualify for the US E-2 treaty investor visa. The US-Grenada E-2 treaty has been in force since 3 March 1989. Citizenship by investment, however, does not create an immediate E-2 route for most new investors.

Since December 2022, US law has required anyone who acquired the relevant treaty nationality through a financial investment, and who has not previously been granted E status under INA 101(a)(15)(E), to have been domiciled in that treaty country for a continuous period of at least three years at some point before applying for the E visa.

Grenada’s current CBI minimum is US$235,000 through the National Transformation Fund. Approved-project real estate normally starts at US$350,000, while a qualifying shared tourism-accommodation investment can start at US$270,000, with a separate US$50,000 government contribution.

What the route requires, step by step

Stage	Requirement	Typical timing
Grenada citizenship	US$235,000 NTF contribution, or qualifying approved-project investment	IMA Grenada states about 3–6 months
Domicile period	Three continuous years domiciled in Grenada where the investment-nationality rule applies	3 years
E-2 business	Real, operating US enterprise with substantial capital at risk	Before filing
E-2 application	Consular application, or eligible change of status inside the US	Case dependent
Stay and renewal	Visa validity can be up to 60 months; admission and status extensions are generally up to 2 years	Renewable while eligible

IMA Grenada currently gives an indicative processing time of three to six months.

Domicile is more than holding the passport

The statute uses “domiciled”, not simply “resident”. Domicile generally involves a genuine principal home and an intention to maintain it. A passport, occasional visits or a dormant rental agreement should not be treated as enough on their own.

The law says the three-year period must have occurred “at any point before” the E visa application. It does not expressly say it must start on the citizenship approval date. Anyone relying on an earlier period of genuine Grenadian domicile should take case-specific US immigration advice.

The exception needs careful handling

The three-year rule applies where nationality was acquired through financial investment and the applicant has not previously been granted status under INA 101(a)(15)(E). Someone previously granted qualifying E status may therefore fall outside the domicile condition.

A spouse should not automatically assume they are exempt. Where Grenadian citizenship was obtained through the same investment programme, the US statutory wording still needs to be considered carefully against the way that nationality was acquired.

Our note on Grenada citizenship for global entrepreneurs explains the wider planning issues, while Grenada’s E-2 route amid the US Gold Card challenge covers the wider US policy context.

What the E-2 itself still demands

Grenadian nationality only establishes treaty-country eligibility. The applicant must still invest substantial capital genuinely at risk in a real and operating US enterprise and develop and direct that business. The enterprise cannot be marginal: it must have the capacity to generate more than a minimal living for the investor and family or make a significant economic contribution.

E-2 is a nonimmigrant classification and does not itself provide a direct green-card route. Grenadian nationals can currently receive multiple-entry E-2 visas valid for up to 60 months. Each admission is normally for up to two years, and extensions of E-2 status may be granted in two-year increments while the requirements continue to be met.

A principal E-2 holder’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 can obtain derivative E status even if they do not have Grenadian nationality.

Where this sits against the alternatives

Grenada’s 2026 amendment bill proposes a separate physical-presence requirement of at least 30 days during the first five years for CBI citizens. As of September 2026, that proposed requirement has not been shown in current official programme materials as having commenced. It is separate from the US three-year E-visa domicile rule.

If your priority is European access rather than the US, St Lucia citizenship by investment and the Hungary golden visa solve different objectives. Our comparison of Caribbean citizenship options in 2026 and our guide to citizenship by investment background checks are worth reading alongside this route.

Next steps

Build the three-year domicile issue into the plan before committing to the US business. Speak to our team about whether Grenada genuinely fits your E-2 strategy and what timing your case would require.