F1 to E2, Facing a tough immigration situation and looking for advice.

[Eman Asghar 0]

Hi everyone, I'm a student in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. I came here in Aug 2024 (a year ago), but my wife, who is in Pakistan, has been rejected for her F-2 visa three times.
 

Now, I have a new opportunity to start a business with investment from my Aunty. I’m trying to figure out the best way forward:
 

- Should I try to change my visa status to an E-2 (investor) visa while I'm here in the U.S.?
 

If I do that, will my wife be able to get her E-2 dependent visa?
 

I'm really worried about going back to Pakistan to apply because I might get stuck there, and get my student visa canceled. 
 

Has anyone gone through a similar process or successfully changed from an F-1 to an E-2 status with a dependent applying from abroad? Any advice or insights would be incredibly helpful!

[JeanneAdil 7,241]

https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-2-treaty-investors

[appleblossom 4,904]

1 hour ago, Eman Asghar said:

Hi everyone, I'm a student in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. I came here in Aug 2024 (a year ago), but my wife, who is in Pakistan, has been rejected for her F-2 visa three times.
 

Now, I have a new opportunity to start a business with investment from my Aunty. I’m trying to figure out the best way forward:
 

- Should I try to change my visa status to an E-2 (investor) visa while I'm here in the U.S.?
 

If I do that, will my wife be able to get her E-2 dependent visa?
 

I'm really worried about going back to Pakistan to apply because I might get stuck there, and get my student visa canceled. 
 

Has anyone gone through a similar process or successfully changed from an F-1 to an E-2 status with a dependent applying from abroad? Any advice or insights would be incredibly helpful!

 

You can apply to change your status, but E-2 is also non immigrant, so your wife's chances aren't any better with that. Why has she been refused?

 

What's the business you're buying/starting, how many US citizens will you employ, and what's the long term plan? Just spend a couple of years in the US getting the business going and then return to Pakistan? Or are you hoping to stay in the US longer term? 

 

P.S. Thread moved to Work Visas sub forum, as you're not adjusting to LPR status.

Edited Saturday at 07:52 PM by appleblossom

[Coco8 1,058]

Have you finished your degree? 

 

I seriously doubt you qualify for E2 unless your "aunty" is a millionaire. Having an investor visa is not as simple as having money and starting a business. Also, it's going to look shady if you haven't finished the degree.

[OldUser 10,413]

1 hour ago, Coco8 said:

Have you finished your degree? 

 

I seriously doubt you qualify for E2 unless your "aunty" is a millionaire. Having an investor visa is not as simple as having money and starting a business. Also, it's going to look shady if you haven't finished the degree.

E-2 is not just for investors. There's also essential employee category within this visa type. If OP is vital for business, for example posesses rare skills that cannot be found in the US, he doesn't need to invest millions.

Edited Sunday at 02:17 AM by OldUser

[Boiler 47,940]

Are you buying an existing business or is this a new startup?

 

What sort of level of investment are you looking at.

 

How many employees.

 

I do know you will need to show a paper trail for the investment/

[OldUser 10,413]

6 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Are you buying an existing business or is this a new startup?

 

What sort of level of investment are you looking at.

 

How many employees.

 

I do know you will need to show a paper trail for the investment/

He could be trying to get E-2 as an essential employee, not investor. But it's hard (almost impossible) to pull off being a fresh colleague graduate, assuming OP got degree.

Edited Sunday at 02:32 AM by OldUser

[Gabriel5454 29]

What reasons did the consulate give for rejecting your wife's F2 visa?

[Boiler 47,940]

There was a 19 year old Canadian who got a E2 Employee

 

Apparently

Edited Sunday at 03:02 AM by Boiler

[OldUser 10,413]

13 hours ago, Boiler said:

There was a 19 year old Canadian who got a E2 Employee

 

Apparently

There's few people I know on E-2 employee visa, in their 20s. It's doable, but I'd say the chances get better with at least 5+ years of experience in the field 

Edited Sunday at 04:11 PM by OldUser

[appleblossom 4,904]

On 9/14/2025 at 3:16 AM, OldUser said:

E-2 is not just for investors. There's also essential employee category within this visa type. If OP is vital for business, for example posesses rare skills that cannot be found in the US, he doesn't need to invest millions.

He says investor in his first post though so I think the Aunty is the one planning on investing $300k+ for the visa. I just hope she knows it’s a risky way to do it and that it won’t directly lead to a green card for the OP. If all she wants to do is invest a chunk of money I can think of better ways to do it! 

[Boiler 47,940]

We do not know the nature of the investment and how much they have in mind, could be nominal.