E1 & E2 VISAS (Treaty Investors & Traders)

Types of E Visas

There are two types of E visas, E-1 Treaty Trader and E-2 Investor visas. In order to qualify, the applicant and company must hold treaty status and be otherwise admissible. Canada does hold treaty status and therefore its citizens can apply for either the E-1 or E-2 visa.

E1 Visa: Treaty Trader

In order to successfully apply for an E-1 visa, United States Consular Officers must determine that there is a requisite treaty, that the individual and/or business possesses the nationality of the treaty country; that the business activities constitute “trade”; and that the trade is substantial and principally between the U.S. and the treaty country.

E2 Visa: Investors

Citizens of countries with treaty status are able to apply for a U.S. work visa to invest in or purchase a business may be entitled to an E-2 visa. The foreign national must show that s/he has made a substantial investment in an existing business (at least 50%), or with respect to establishing a business. Please note that there is no minimum amount of funds necessary to apply for this visa, but the funds must be at risk to the applicant.

E visas are complicated in that they require a substantial amount of documentation. It is important that the documentation submitted fully address each element of the E-2 application. We encourage all foreign nationals who are considering this class to contact us for a consultation.

How Long Does It Take to Process an E Visa?

E visa processing varies depending on the Consulate where it is processing. In Canada, applications take an average of 12-16 weeks to finalize.

Who Is Eligible to Apply For An E Visa?

In order to apply, an applicant’s country of citizenship must hold treaty status with the U.S. At the present time, the list of treaty countries is as follows:

E1 / E2 Treaty Status:

* Argentina * Australia * Austria * Belgium * Bosnia/Herzegovina

* Canada * China ( Taiwan) * Colombia * CostaRica * Croatia

* Estonia * Ethiopia * Finland * France * Georgia * Germany

* Honduras * Iran * Ireland * Italy * Jamaica * Japan * Korea Liberia

* Luxembourg * Macedonia * Mexico * Moldova * Netherlands * Norway

* Oman * Pakistan * Paraguay * Philippines * Serbia Montenegro * Slovenia

* Spain * Sweden * Switzerland * Thailand * Turkey * United Kingdom

E-1 Visa Treaty Status Only:

* Bolivia * Brunei * Denmark * Greece * Israel * Latvia

E-2 Visa Treaty Status ONLY:

* Armenia * Bangladesh * Bulgaria * Cameroon * Congo * Czech Republic

* Ecuador * Egypt * Grenada * Kazakhstan * Kyrgyzstan * Moldova

* Mongolia * Morocco * Panama * Poland * Romania * Senegal

* Sri Lanka * Trinidad & Tobago * Tunisia * Ukraine * Zaire

For further information with respect to U.S. Work Visas or to find out if you are eligible for an E1 or E2 Work Visa, we invite you to contact our experienced U.S. immigration attorneys and lawyers by calling the Bomza Law Group at 1-800-993-9971 or by clicking on the “ Contact Us” button