Grenada Citizenship and the E-2 Visa: The 3-Year Domicile Rule

Grenada is an E-2 treaty country, in force since March 3, 1989, so Grenadian citizens can apply for the E-2 investor visa. The catch is for investors who bought their citizenship: since December 23, 2022, anyone who acquired treaty nationality through a financial investment, and has not held E status before, must show at least three continuous years of domicile in that country before applying. That turned the Grenada route from a six-month shortcut into a multi-year relocation.

Is Grenada an E-2 treaty country?

Yes. The Foreign Affairs Manual treaty table (9 FAM 402.9-10) lists Grenada for E-2 classification, entering into force on March 3, 1989. Grenada has no E-1 entry in the table, so the treaty trader visa is not available to Grenadians.

In FY2024, the State Department issued 21 E-2 visas to Grenadian nationals. That number includes principals, employees and family members, and it is small compared with major treaty nationalities.

Why Grenada became popular with E-2 investors

Grenada combines an E-2 treaty with a citizenship-by-investment (CBI) program. Many other Caribbean CBI countries do not appear on the E-2 treaty list, so for years Grenada was the best-known way for nationals of non-treaty countries, such as India, mainland China, Russia, Vietnam or Nigeria, to reach the E-2. Investors obtained a Grenadian passport and applied for the E-2 soon afterward. Turkey offered a similar combination; see E-2 for Turkish citizens.

Program prices, investment options and processing times are set by the Government of Grenada and have changed several times. Check Grenada’s official CBI authority for current terms rather than relying on agent marketing. We do not quote program prices here.

The three-year domicile rule explained

Congress added the rule in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for FY2023 (Public Law 117-263), signed December 23, 2022. In plain terms:

• Who it covers: people who acquired treaty-country nationality through a financial investment and have not previously been granted E status.
• What it requires: domicile in that treaty country for a continuous period of at least three years at some point before applying for an E visa.
• Who it does not cover: Grenadian citizens by birth, descent, marriage or ordinary naturalization.

Domicile means more than a passport and occasional visits. Consular officers look for evidence that Grenada was your real home: a residence, physical presence for most of the period, local tax filings, bank accounts with regular activity, children in local schools, and the absence of a primary home elsewhere.

Your situation	E-2 position on a Grenadian passport
Grenadian by birth or descent	Standard E-2 rules
Grenadian through marriage or ordinary naturalization	Standard E-2 rules
CBI citizen who has lived in Grenada 3+ continuous years	May apply; prepare strong domicile evidence
CBI citizen living in another country	Not eligible until the domicile requirement is met
CBI citizen who previously held E status	Ask your attorney how the exception applies

What does the Grenada route look like now?

For a non-treaty national starting from scratch, the realistic sequence is:

1. Obtain Grenadian citizenship through the CBI program (several months, depending on the program and due diligence).
2. Move to Grenada and live there for at least three continuous years, building a documented life: home, tax filings, banking, schooling.
3. Prepare the U.S. business during the final part of the domicile period, so it is ready to receive the investment.
4. Apply for the E-2 as a Grenadian national, with the U.S. business at least 50% owned by Grenadian nationals.

From decision to arrival in the U.S., that is roughly four years, plus the full cost of the CBI investment, the E-2 investment and three years of living costs in Grenada.

Who the route still fits, and who should look elsewhere

It can fit families who genuinely want to live in Grenada for several years, investors who value the passport for other reasons and see the E-2 as a later option, and people with flexible timelines who prefer the E-2’s renewable structure.

It usually does not fit anyone who needs to be in the U.S. within a year or two, or who plans to hold the passport while living elsewhere. For faster options, compare the L-1A for owners of an operating foreign company, the EB-5 for a direct green card, and the O-1 for founders with a distinguished record. Our overview of U.S. investor visas and the E-2 vs EB-5 comparison explain the trade-offs. Nationals of non-treaty countries can also read countries not eligible for the E-2 and E-2 options for Indian citizens.

How do you document domicile in Grenada?

Plan the evidence from the first month you move, not in the last few weeks before the interview. In our experience, a convincing domicile file usually includes:

• a lease or property deed for your Grenada home covering the full period,
• utility, phone and internet bills in your name,
• local tax registrations and filings, and a tax residence certificate if available,
• Grenadian bank statements showing everyday spending,
• school enrollment and attendance records for your children,
• employment, business or community ties in Grenada,
• travel records showing that most of your time was spent in Grenada,
• evidence that you gave up or no longer use a primary home elsewhere.

Long absences, hotel stays and short-term rentals weaken the case. Your attorney decides how to present the evidence; we can help you organize it alongside the business documents.

Where do Grenadian citizens apply?

The U.S. Embassy in St. George’s, Grenada, has not offered routine visa services, and Grenadian applicants have historically been served by the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados. Since September 6, 2025, applicants generally must apply in their country of nationality or legal residence, and the State Department designates posts for nationalities without local visa services. Confirm the current designated post and E visa instructions before you plan.

The steps are standard: Form DS-160 for each applicant (principal investors answer the E-specific questions inside it), the $315 MRV fee per applicant plus any reciprocity fee, an indexed evidence package, and an in-person interview. CBI applicants should add a dedicated domicile section with three years of evidence. Visa validity for Grenadian nationals is set by the reciprocity table on travel.state.gov.

The E-2 case itself

Once nationality and domicile are settled, a Grenadian E-2 case follows the same rules as any other: a substantial, at-risk investment proportional to the cost of the business, a real and non-marginal enterprise, at least 50% ownership or operational control, and intent to depart when status ends. See the complete E-2 requirements.

Source of funds needs extra care in CBI cases. Expect to document both the money used for the U.S. investment and, where relevant, the funds used for the citizenship investment, tracing each back to its origin in your home country. Our E-2 source of funds guide explains the standard.

Next steps

If Grenada is part of your plan, tell us your timeline. We will give you a candid view of whether the route fits, and if it does, we prepare the U.S. business during your domicile period, write the business plan and coordinate with your independent immigration attorney, who files the case.