E visa for Traders and Investors

Traders and Investors from countries with a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States may apply for an E visa. Specialty occupation workers from Australia also fall under this category.

General Information.

Treaty Trader (E-1 classification).

A Treaty trader (E-1) is one who conducts substantial trade in goods, including but not limited to services and technology, mainly between the U.S. and their country of origin of which they are citizens or nationals.

To qualify for E-1 classification, generally you must (1) be a national of a treaty country; (2) carry on substantial trade; and (3) carry on principal trade between the U.S. and your treaty country. Substantial trade generally refers to the continuous flow of sizable international trade items, involving numerous transactions over time. 

If you are an employee of a Treaty trader, generally you must (1) be the same nationality as the main alien employer (who must have the nationality of the treaty country); (2) be a qualified “employee” under relevant law; and (3) be either engaging in duties of an executive or supervisory position, or if employed in a lesser capacity, have special qualifications.

Click here for more information on Treaty Traders.

Treaty Investor (E-2 classification).

A Treaty investor (E-2) is one who invests a substantial amount of money and directs the operations of an enterprise they have invested in, or are actively investing in.

To qualify for E-2 classification, generally you must (1) be a national of a treaty country; (2) have invested, or are actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide enterprise in the U.S.; and (3) be seeking to enter the U.S. solely to develop and direct the investment enterprise.

If you are an employee of a Treaty investor, generally you must (1) be the same nationality as the main alien employer (who must have the nationality of the treaty country); (2) be a qualified “employee” under relevant law; and (3) be either engaging in duties in an executive or supervisory capacity, or possess special special skills or qualifications.

Click here for more information on Treaty Investors.

Australian Specialty Occupation Worker (E-3 classification).

An Australian specialty occupation worker (E-3) performs services in a specialty occupation.

To qualify for E-3 classification, generally you must (1) be a national of Australia; (2) have a legitimate offer of employment in the U.S.; have the necessary academic or other qualifying credentials; and (3) fill a position that qualifies as a specialty occupation.

How to apply.

If you fall under any of the above categories and are outside the U.S., you must apply for an E visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy having jurisdiction over your residence. 

If you are already in the U.S. holding a different nonimmigrant status, you or your employer may request for a change of status to the E classification.

Treaty Countries.

Below is a list of countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States and the date when the treaty was entered into force.

CountryClassificationEntered into Force
AlbaniaE-2January 4, 1998
ArgentinaE-1/E-2December 20, 1854
ArmeniaE-2March 29, 1996
AustraliaE-1/E-2/E-3December 16, 1991 / December 27, 1991 / September 2, 2005
AustriaE-1/E-2May 27, 1931
AzerbaijanE-2August 2, 2001
BahrainE-2May 30, 2001
BangladeshE-2July 25, 1989
BelgiumE-1/E-2October 3, 1963
BoliviaE-1/E-2November 09, 1862 / June 6, 2001
Bosnia and Herzegovina E-1/E-2November 15, 1982
BruneiE-1July 11, 1853
BulgariaE-2June 2, 1954
CameroonE-2April 6, 1989
CanadaE-1/E-2January 1, 1994
ChileE-1/E-2January 1, 2004
China (Taiwan)E-1/E-2November 30, 1948
ColombiaE-1/E-2June 10, 1948
Congo (Brazzaville)E-2August 13, 1994
Congo (Kinshasa)E-2July 28, 1989
Costa RicaE-1/E-2May 26, 1852
Croatia E-1/E-2November 15, 1982
Czech RepublicE-2January 1, 1993
DenmarkE-1/E-2July 30, 1961 / December 10, 2008
Ecuador E-2May 11, 1997
EgyptE-2June 27, 1992
EstoniaE-1/E-2May 22, 1926 / February 16, 1997
EthiopiaE-1/E-2October 8, 1953
FinlandE-1/E-2August 10, 1934 / December 1, 1992
FranceE-1/E-2December 21, 1960
GeorgiaE-2August 17, 1997
GermanyE-1/E-2July 14, 1956
GreeceE-1October 13, 1954
GrenadaE-2March 3, 1989
HondurasE-1July 19, 1928
HondurasE-2July 19, 1928
IrelandE-1/E-2September 14, 1950 / November 18, 1992
Israel E-1/E-2April 3, 1954
ItalyE-1/E-2July 26, 1949
JamaicaE-2March 7, 1997
JapanE-1/E-2October 30, 1953
JordanE-1/E-2December 17, 2001
KazakhstanE-2January 12, 1994
Korea (South)E-1/E-2November 7, 1957
Kosovo E-1/E-2November 15, 1882
KyrgyzstanE-2January 12, 1994
LatviaE-1/E-2July 25, 1928 / December 26, 1996
LiberiaE-1/E-2November 21, 1939
LithuaniaE-2November 22, 2001
LuxembourgE-1/E-2March 28, 1963
Macedonia E-1/E-2November 15, 1982
MexicoE-1/E-2January 1, 1994
MoldovaE-2November 25, 1994
MongoliaE-2January 1, 1997
Montenegro E-1/E-2November 15, 1882
MoroccoE-2May 29, 1991
NetherlandsE-1/E-2December 5, 1957
New Zealand E1/E-2June 10, 2019
NorwayE-1/E-2January 18, 1928
OmanE-1/E-2June 11, 1960
PakistanE-1/E-2February 12, 1961
PanamaE-2May 30, 1991
ParaguayE-1/E-2March 07, 1860
PhilippinesE-1/E-2September 6, 1955
PolandE-1/E-2August 6, 1994
RomaniaE-2January 15, 1994
SenegalE-2October 25, 1990
Serbia E-1/E-2November 15,1882
SingaporeE-1/E-2January 1, 2004
Slovak RepublicE-2January 1, 1993
Slovenia E-1/E-2November 15, 1982
SpainE-1/E-2April 14, 1903
Sri LankaE-2May 1, 1993
SurinameE-1/E-2February 10, 1963
SwedenE-1/E-2February 20, 1992
SwitzerlandE-1/E-2November 08, 1855
ThailandE-1/E-2June 8, 1968
TogoE-1/E-2February 5, 1967
Trinidad & TobagoE-2December 26, 1996
TunisiaE-2February 7, 1993
TurkeyE-1/E-2February 15, 1933 / May 18, 1990
UkraineE-2November 16, 1996
United Kingdom E-1/E-2July 03, 1815
Yugoslavia E-1/E-2November 15, 1882

Feel free to contact us if you are interested in pursuing this visa classification.

The information above is for general purposes and should not be treated as legal advice. Please refer to our Terms of Use.