Read the general eligibility basics overview
A Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac permanent resident with more than one citizenship may consider an E-2 investment. The applicant’s passport collection does not by itself establish the nationality of the enterprise. The first review should list immigration residence, each citizenship, the passport used for travel, and the ownership facts separately. Hypothetical example: A ceramic inlay tool manufacturer is owned by a Canadian permanent resident with Italian citizenship and a Canadian citizen sibling. The decision is whether the documented ownership chain supplies the treaty nationality needed for E-2, rather than assuming Canadian residence changes either owner's nationality.
Identify the nationality relied upon in the proposal
Record the citizenship actually held and the document supporting the nationality proposed for the case. Canadian permanent residence is a different fact. If TN is being compared, Canadian or Mexican citizenship is required; residence in Québec does not substitute for it. Choose one nationality theory and document it with the relevant citizenship record, not simply the travel document that happens to be current. For TN, Canadian permanent residence is not citizenship and does not meet the citizenship requirement. For E-2, the nationality question also concerns the enterprise and cannot be solved by the investor's residence alone.
Follow the ownership chain to the relevant owners
For E-2, identify the enterprise’s relevant treaty ownership through the actual ownership structure and supporting records. Relevant treaty ownership generally must be at least 50 percent. A mailing address or the country where a company was incorporated does not alone answer who owns it for this analysis. Work from formation documents to the current share ledger, then through any holding company or agreement that allocates voting and economic rights. The reader must decide whether the records prove the required treaty-national ownership, generally at least half, or whether a transaction must be completed and documented first. Addresses, tax filings, and incorporation papers may be useful context but do not replace that ownership analysis.
Separate nationality from the remaining qualifications
Show the applicant’s authority to develop and direct, the lawful committed at-risk investment and the real nonmarginal operation. If ownership evidence is incomplete, identify the missing link rather than selecting a passport that appears convenient. The nationality inquiry is one part of the case, not a substitute for the investment and control assessment. Once nationality is settled, make a separate evidence list for the investment and the applicant's role. E-2 capital must be placed irrevocably into the enterprise and exposed to risk of loss; the operation cannot be marginal, and the applicant must develop and direct it. A correct passport analysis does not establish those conditions or create work authorization by itself.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.