Approvals and refusals worldwide

E2 · Treaty investor

For nationals of treaty countries investing a substantial amount in a U.S. business. How many applications were approved and refused, every fiscal year with data.

Source: U.S. Department of State, NIV workload by visa category · Unofficial

Visa category

E2 visas · FY2021

93% approved

33,129 approved (issued) · 2,683 refused · 35,812 applications, worldwide.

Approved share by year

Choose a year

79%79%77%76%75%89%93%90%91%90%

1420152016201720182019202120222023202420

Every year

Fiscal year	Approved	Refused	Applications	Approved %
FY2024	55,324	6,108	61,432	90%
FY2023	54,812	5,615	60,427	91%
FY2022	45,878	4,823	50,701	90%
FY2021	33,129	2,683	35,812	93%
FY2019	43,286	5,115	48,401	89%
FY2018	41,181	13,489	54,670	75%
FY2017	43,673	14,080	57,753	76%
FY2016	44,243	13,370	57,613	77%
FY2015	41,162	10,970	52,132	79%
FY2014	36,825	9,782	46,607	79%

A fiscal year runs from October to September. Refused counts the applications still refused at the end of the year.

The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality for visitor (B) visas only. For E2 you can see the worldwide numbers above. See B visas by nationality →

In plain words

Refusal rate: Out of 100 people who applied, how many were told no. A 20% refusal rate means about 20 in 100 were refused.
Adjusted: The State Department leaves out people who were refused for paperwork reasons and later got the visa, so the number is fairer.
Approved: The visa was issued. We show it as what is left after the refusals.
Applications (workload): Everyone the embassies decided on in the year: visas issued plus visas refused.
Fiscal year (FY): The U.S. government year, October to September. FY2025 is October 2024 to September 2025.

E2 in short

How many E2 visa applications are approved?

Worldwide in FY2021, 33,129 of 35,812 E2 visa applications were approved (issued), about 93%, and 2,683 were refused. This is a group figure, not a prediction for any one person.

Visa Status is an unofficial site and does not give immigration advice. These numbers describe all applications worldwide in one fiscal year. They do not predict what will happen to any one applicant.

Every year

Fiscal year

Approved

Refused

Applications

Approved %

FY2024

55,324

6,108

61,432

90%

FY2023

54,812

5,615

60,427

91%

FY2022

45,878

4,823

50,701

90%

FY2021

33,129

2,683

35,812

93%

FY2019

43,286

5,115

48,401

89%

FY2018

41,181

13,489

54,670

75%

FY2017

43,673

14,080

57,753

76%

FY2016

44,243

13,370

57,613

77%

FY2015

41,162

10,970

52,132

79%

FY2014

36,825

9,782

46,607

79%

A fiscal year runs from October to September. Refused counts the applications still refused at the end of the year.

In plain words

Refusal rate

Out of 100 people who applied, how many were told no. A 20% refusal rate means about 20 in 100 were refused.

Adjusted

The State Department leaves out people who were refused for paperwork reasons and later got the visa, so the number is fairer.

Approved

The visa was issued. We show it as what is left after the refusals.

Applications (workload)

Everyone the embassies decided on in the year: visas issued plus visas refused.

Fiscal year (FY)

The U.S. government year, October to September. FY2025 is October 2024 to September 2025.