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E-1 (Treaty Trader & Treaty Investor)

E-1 and E-2 visas are available to citizens of foreign countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation, or a bilateral investment treaty providing for nonimmigrant entries, with the United States.  The E-1 (“Treaty Trader”) visa is specifically designed for alien business owners, business managers, and employees who are required to stay in the U.S. for prolonged periods of time to oversee or work for an enterprise that is engaged in trade between the U.S. and the treaty country which qualified the treaty trader for the E-1 designation.  The E-2 (“Treaty Investors”) visa is available to an alien who is a citizen or national of a treaty country and who wishes to enter the U.S. solely to develop and direct the operation of an enterprise in which he or she has invested, or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital. Specific criteria must be met to qualify for either visa.

E-1 and E-2 visas are based on different treaties, however, and depending on which country the beneficiary is from, he or she may not be eligible to apply for both visas. Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) allow for E-2 Treaty Investor status only, whereby Free Trade Agreements (including NAFTA/Fast Track) allow for both E-1 and E-2 visas. For example, a beneficiary from Canada or Mexico would be eligible for both an E-1 and E-2 visa due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between those countries and the United States. A beneficiary from Tunisia, however, would only be eligible for an E-2 visa because the treaty that exists between the U.S. and Tunisia is a BIT. Please refer to the chart below for a list of the specific countries that qualify for each visa.

Both E-1 and E-2 visa holders are initially allowed a maximum stay of two years. Requests for extension of stay can be filed and may be granted for periods of up to two years each. Notably, there is no maximum limit to the number of extensions an E-1 nonimmigrant may be granted, as long as the alien maintains the intention to depart the U.S. when their status expires or is terminated.

There are three main requirements to apply for both E-1 and E-2 visas:

  • A treaty must exist between the United States and the foreign country under whose treaty the E status is sought;
  • Majority ownership or control of the investing or trading company must be held by nationals of the foreign country under whose treaty the E status is sought;
  • Citizenship of the foreign country under whose treaty the status is sought by each employee or principal of the company who is seeking the E status pursuant to the treaty.

For a current list of countries with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation, please see below:

E-1 and E-2 visas are available to citizens of foreign countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation, or a bilateral investment treaty providing for nonimmigrant entries, with the United States.  The E-1 (“Treaty Trader”) visa is specifically designed for alien business owners, business managers, and employees who are required to stay in the U.S. for prolonged periods of time to oversee or work for an enterprise that is engaged in trade between the U.S. and the treaty country which qualified the treaty trader for the E-1 designation.  The E-2 (“Treaty Investors”) visa is available to an alien who is a citizen or national of a treaty country and who wishes to enter the U.S. solely to develop and direct the operation of an enterprise in which he or she has invested, or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital. Specific criteria must be met to qualify for either visa.

E-1 and E-2 visas are based on different treaties, however, and depending on which country the beneficiary is from, he or she may not be eligible to apply for both visas. Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) allow for E-2 Treaty Investor status only, whereby Free Trade Agreements (including NAFTA/Fast Track) allow for both E-1 and E-2 visas. For example, a beneficiary from Canada or Mexico would be eligible for both an E-1 and E-2 visa due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between those countries and the United States. A beneficiary from Tunisia, however, would only be eligible for an E-2 visa because the treaty that exists between the U.S. and Tunisia is a BIT. Please refer to the chart below for a list of the specific countries that qualify for each visa.

Both E-1 and E-2 visa holders are initially allowed a maximum stay of two years. Requests for extension of stay can be filed and may be granted for periods of up to two years each. Notably, there is no maximum limit to the number of extensions an E-1 nonimmigrant may be granted, as long as the alien maintains the intention to depart the U.S. when their status expires or is terminated.

There are three main requirements to apply for both E-1 and E-2 visas:

  • A treaty must exist between the United States and the foreign country under whose treaty the E status is sought;
  • Majority ownership or control of the investing or trading company must be held by nationals of the foreign country under whose treaty the E status is sought;
  • Citizenship of the foreign country under whose treaty the status is sought by each employee or principal of the company who is seeking the E status pursuant to the treaty.

For a current list of countries with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation, please see below:

 

Country Classification Effective Date
Albania E-2 January 4, 1998
Argentina E-1 October 20, 1994
Argentina E-2 October 20, 1994
Armenia E-2 March 29, 1996
Australia E-1 December 16, 1991
Australia E-2 December 27, 1991
Austria E-1 May 27, 1931
Austria E-2 May 27, 1931
Azerbaijan E-2 August 2, 2001
Bahrain E-2 May 30, 2001
Bangladesh E-2 July 25, 1989
Belgium E-1 October 3, 1963
Belgium E-2 October 3, 1963
Bolivia E-1 November 09, 1862
Bolivia E-2 June 6, 2001
Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Brunei E-1 July 11, 1853
Bulgaria E-2 June 2, 1994
Cameroon E-2 April 6, 1989
Canada E-1 January 1, 1993
Canada E-2 January 1, 1993
Chile E-1 January 1, 2004
Chile E-2 January 1, 2004
China (Taiwan) 1 E-1 November 30, 1948
China (Taiwan) 1 E-2 November 30, 1948
Colombia E-1 June 10, 1848
Colombia E-2 June 10, 1848
Congo (Brazzaville) E-2 August 13, 1994
Congo (Kinshasa) E-2 July 28, 1989
Costa Rica E-1 May 26, 1852
Costa Rica E-2 May 26, 1852
Croatia 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Croatia 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Czech Republic 2 E-2 January 1, 1993
Denmark 3 E-1 July 30, 1961
Denmark E-2 December 10, 2008
Ecuador E-2 May 11, 1997
Egypt E-2 June 27, 1992
Estonia E-1 May 22, 1926
Estonia E-2 February 16, 1997
Ethiopia E-1 October 8, 1953
Ethiopia E-2 October 8, 1953
Finland E-1 August 10, 1934
Finland E-2 December 1, 1992
France 4 E-1 December 21, 1960
France 4 E-2 December 21, 1960
Georgia E-2 August 17, 1997
Germany E-1 July 14, 1956
Germany E-2 July 14, 1956
Greece E-1 October 13, 1954
Grenada E-2 March 3, 1989
Honduras E-1 July 19, 1928
Honduras E-2 July 19, 1928
Iran E-1 June 16, 1957
Iran E-2 June 16, 1957
Ireland E-1 September 14, 1950
Ireland E-2 November 18, 1992
Israel E-1 April 3, 1954
Italy E-1 July 26, 1949
Italy E-2 July 26, 1949
Jamaica E-2 March 7, 1997
Japan 5 E-1 October 30, 1953
Japan 5 E-2 October 30, 1953
Jordan E-1 December 17, 2001
Jordan E-2 December 17, 2001
Kazakhstan E-2 January 12, 1994
Korea (South) E-1 November 7, 1957
Korea (South) E-2 November 7, 1957
Kosovo 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Kosovo 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Kyrgyzstan E-2 January 12, 1994
Latvia E-1 July 25, 1928
Latvia E-2 December 26, 1996
Liberia E-1 November 21, 1939
Liberia E-2 November 21, 1939
Lithuania E-2 November 22, 2001
Luxembourg E-1 March 28, 1963
Luxembourg E-2 March 28, 1963
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of (FRY) 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of (FRY) 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Mexico E-1 January 1, 1994
Mexico E-2 January 1, 1994
Moldova E-2 November 25, 1994
Mongolia E-2 January 1, 1997
Montenegro 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Montenegro 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Morocco E-2 May 29, 1991
Netherlands 6 E-1 December 5, 1957
Netherlands 6 E-2 December 5, 1957
Norway 7 E-1 January 18, 1928
Norway 7 E-2 January 18, 1928
Oman E-1 June 11, 1960
Oman E-2 June 11, 1960
Pakistan E-1 February 12, 1961
Pakistan E-2 February 12, 1961
Panama E-2 May 30, 1991
Paraguay E-1 March 07, 1860
Paraguay E-2 March 07, 1860
Philippines E-1 September 6, 1955
Philippines E-2 September 6, 1955
Poland E-1 August 6, 1994
Poland E-2 August 6, 1994
Romania E-2 January 15, 1994
Serbia 11 E-1 November 15,1882
Serbia 11 E-2 November 15,1882
Senegal E-2 October 25, 1990
Singapore E-1 January 1, 2004
Singapore E-2 January 1, 2004
Slovak Republic 2 E-2 January 1, 1993
Slovenia 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Slovenia 11 E-2 November 15, 1882
Spain 8 E-1 April 14, 1903
Spain 8 E-2 April 14, 1903
Sri Lanka E-2 May 1, 1993
Suriname 9 E-1 February 10, 1963
Suriname 9 E-2 February 10, 1963
Sweden E-1 February 20, 1992
Sweden E-2 February 20, 1992
Switzerland E-1 November 08, 1855
Switzerland E-2 November 08, 1855
Thailand E-1 June 8, 1968
Thailand E-2 June 8, 1968
Togo E-1 February 5, 1967
Togo E-2 February 5, 1967
Trinidad & Tobago E-2 December 26, 1996
Tunisia E-2 February 7, 1993
Turkey E-1 February 15, 1933
Turkey E-2 May 18, 1990
Ukraine E-2 November 16, 1996
United Kingdom 10 E-1 July 03, 1815
United Kingdom 10 E-2 July 03, 1815
Yugoslavia 11 E-1 November 15, 1882
Yugoslavia 11 E-2 November 15, 1882

Country Specific Footnotes

  1. China (Taiwan) - Pursuant to Section 6 of the Taiwan Relations Act, (TRA) Public Law 96-8, 93 Stat, 14, and Executive Order 12143, 44 F.R. 37191, this agreement which was concluded with the Taiwan authorities prior to January 01, 1979, is administered on a nongovernmental basis by the American Institute in Taiwan, a nonprofit District of Columbia corporation, and constitutes neither recognition of the Taiwan authorities nor the continuation of any official relationship with Taiwan.
  2. Czech Repubilc and Slovak Republic - The Treaty with the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic entered into force on December 19, 1992; entered into force for the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic as separate states on January 01, 1993.
  3. Denmark - The Treaty which entered into force on July 30, 1961, does not apply to Greenland.
  4. France - The Treaty which entered into force on December 21, 1960, applies to the departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion.
  5. Japan - The Treaty which entered into force on October 30, 1953, was made applicable to the Bonin Islands on June 26, 1968, and to the Ryukyu Islands on May 15, 1972.
  6. Netherlands - The Treaty which entered into force on December 05, 1957, is applicable to Aruba and Netherlands Antilles.
  7. Norway - The Treaty which entered into force on September 13, 1932, does not apply to Svalbard (Spitzbergen and certain lesser islands).
  8. Spain - The Treaty which entered into force on April 14, 1903, is applicable to all territories.
  9. Suriname - The Treaty with the Netherlands which entered into force December 05, 1957, was made applicable to Suriname on February 10, 1963.
  10. United Kingdom - The Convention which entered into force on July 03, 1815, applies only to British territory in Europe (the British Isles (except the Republic of Ireland), the Channel Islands and Gibraltar) and to "inhabitants" of such territory. This term, as used in the Convention, means "one who resides actually and permanently in a given place, and has his domicile there." Also, in order to qualify for treaty trader or treaty investor status under this treaty, the alien must be a national of the United Kingdom. Individuals having the nationality of members of the Commonwealth other than the United Kingdom do not qualify for treaty trader or treaty investor status under this treaty.
  11. Yugoslavia - The U.S. view is that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that the successors that formerly made up the SFRY - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo a continue to be bound by the treaty in force with the SFRY and the time of dissolution.

 

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