Many investors from countries that have signed the E-2 treaty with the United States have this question in their minds. E-2 processing is fast and considerably cheaper than EB-5. The required investment amount is less, and the processing time is shorter. Unlike EB-5, E-2 does not have a set investment amount requirement. Therefore, E-2 is an attractive alternative route for many eligible investors. If there were a possibility that the investors might want to use the funds initially used for the E-2 to form the base of their future required EB-5 investment, then those initial funds would have to be able to survive the rigorous source of funds scrutiny of the EB-5. In addition, they will need to create ten new full-time positions. Many applicants are also under the impression that their business, when expanded, would qualify for the $ 900,000 reduced required amount that might not necessarily be the case. They might find themselves having to up their investment to $ 1.8 million when the time comes for them to upgrade to EB-5. They might be discouraged due to the economics of the upgrade.