• Home
  • About Us
    • Stacy E. Cozart Martin
    • Michael M. Jolic
    • Sarah Okuh
  • Services
    • Non-Immigrant Visas
      • E-1/E-2 Visas
      • H-1B Visas
      • H-1B Visas for Physicians
      • H-2B Visas
      • J-1 Visa Waivers
      • L-1A and L-1B Non-immigrant Visas
      • O-1 Visa
      • The TN for Professionals
    • Immigrant Visas
      • EB-11 Alien of Extraordinary Ability
      • EB-12 Outstanding Professors or Researchers
      • Multi-National Executive or Manager Category
      • Immigrant Investors/Employment Creation Visas
      • Immigration Issues for Physicians
      • National Interest Waivers (NIW)
      • National Interest Waiver for Physicians Working in Medically Underserved Areas
      • Permanent Residency based on Labor Certification (PERM)
      • I-9 Services
    • Asylum, Deportation, Removal and Crimmigration
      • Asylum
      • Removal Proceedings
      • Criminal Issues & Immigration
      • Bond
      • Appeals – Board of Immigration Appeals
      • Federal Appeals
      • Federal Litigation in District Courts
      • Waivers
      • Other Humanitarian Relief
    • Family
      • K-1 Fiancé Visa
      • I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
      • K-3 Marriage Visa
      • Consular Processing/Adjustment of Status
      • I-751 Removal of Conditions
      • Naturalization
  • Success Stories
  • Consultation
  • Contact

Mobile Menu

Schedule A Consultation Now!

Give us a call to speak with an immigration attorney.

Se habla español.

(216) 328-9878

  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Speak with an Immigration Attorney  (216) 328-9878   Se habla español

MJB Immigration

Immigration Attorneys

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Careers
  • Services
    • Non-Immigrant Visas
      • E-1/E-2 Visas
      • H-1B Visas
      • H-1B Visas for Physicians
      • H-2B Visas
      • J-1 Visa Waivers
      • L-1A and L-1B Visas
      • O-1 Visas
      • The TN for Professionals
    • Immigrant Visas
      • EB-11 Visas
      • EB-12 Visas
      • Multi-National Executive or Manager Category
      • Immigrant Investors/Employment Creation Visas
      • Immigration Issues for Physicians
      • National Interest Waivers (NIW)
      • National Interest Waiver for Physicians Working in Medically Underserved Areas
      • Permanent Residency based on Labor Certification (PERM)
      • I-9 Services
    • Asylum, Deportation, Removal, Criminal Issues & Immigration
      • Asylum
      • Removal Proceedings
      • Criminal Issues & Immigration
      • Bond
      • Appeals – Board of Immigration Appeals
      • Federal Appeals
      • Federal Litigation in District Courts
      • Waivers
      • Other Humanitarian Relief
    • Family
      • K-1 Fiancé Visa
      • I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
      • K-3 Marriage Visa
      • Consular Processing/Adjustment of Status
      • I-751 Removal of Conditions
      • Naturalization
  • Success Stories
  • Consultation
  • Contact
  • Search

E-1/E-2 Visas

Traders and investors, their families, and qualified employees of foreign companies may be eligible to enter and work in the United States using an E visa if they are nationals of a country that has an appropriate treaty of commerce and navigation or other qualifying agreement with the U.S. E visas have certain advantages over other possibly relevant visas, such as L visas for intra-company transferees, since E visa holders need not maintain a business outside the United States and E visas can be renewed indefinitely. The U.S. Department of State lists countries whose nationals may be eligible for an E visa in the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM).

If the requisite treaty exists, a foreign national who desires to come to the United States in order to carry on substantial trade principally between his/her country of nationality and the U.S. may be eligible for an E-1 Treaty Trader visa. A foreign national who comes to the United States in order to develop and direct the operations of a commercial enterprise in which he/she has invested, or is actively in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital may qualify for an E-2 Treaty Investor visa.

An E-1 Treaty Trader visa requires that:

  • A requisite treaty exists between the applicant’s country of nationality and the United States;
  • The individual and/or business possess the nationality of the treaty country;
  • The proposed activities constitute trade within the meaning of immigration laws;
  • The trade will be substantial;
  • The trade will principally be between the United States and the treaty country;
  • The applicant, if an employee, is destined for an executive/supervisory position or possesses skills essential to the firm’s operation in the United States;
  • The applicant intends to depart the United States when the E-1 status terminates.

Documents necessary to support an application for an E-1 visa include, but are not limited to:

  • Proof of nationality of the business and/or the individual;
  • Bills of lading or other documentation of international trade;
  • Contracts for trade;
  • Proof that more than 50% of the business’ trade is with the U.S.;
  • Proof that the volume of trade is substantial.

An E-2 Treaty Investor visa requires that:

  • A requisite treaty exists between the applicant’s country of nationality and the United States;
  • The individual and/or business possess the nationality of the treaty country;
  • The applicant has invested or is actively in the process of investing;
  • The investment is in a real and operating commercial enterprise;
  • The investment is substantial;
  • The investment is more than a marginal one solely for earning a living;
  • The applicant is in a position to “develop and direct” the enterprise;
  • The applicant, if an employee, is destined for an executive/supervisory position or possesses skills essential to the firm’s operations in the United States;
  • The applicant intends to depart the United States when the E-2 status terminates.

Documents necessary to support an application for an E-2 visa include, but are not limited to:

  • Proof of nationality of the business and/or the individual;
  • Evidence of the investment in the United States business;
  • Evidence that the investment is substantial;
  • Evidence demonstrating that the investment is more than marginal;
  • Evidence that the investment is for more than solely earning a living for the investor; and
  • Proof that the investor is coming to the United States to develop and direct the enterprise, or if the applicant is an employee of an E company, proof that the employee has the appropriate nationality and will be working in the United States in an executive, managerial, supervisory position, or has special expertise that makes him/her essential to the enterprise.

The E visa can be granted for up to five (5) years and can be extended as long as the E requirements are met. Admission to the United States in E visa status is usually granted in one (1) or two (2) year increments.

Primary Sidebar

Our services in our clients words

  • Stacy Cozart Martin
  • Michael Jolic
  • Sarah Okuh
  • Jessica Larson
  • Cerena Ibara-Cech

Have a Quick Question?

Send us a message and one of our immigration attorneys will respond to you within 24 hours.

Newsletter

Footer

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Martin Jolic and Associates, LLC is a full service Cleveland-based immigration law practice. We offer representation for almost all immigrant and non-immigrant processes as well as removal defense to clients worldwide.

Phone: (216) 328-9878
Fax: (216) 328-9879
Email: info@mjbimmigration.com

6050 Oak Tree Blvd., Suite 250
Independence, Ohio 44131

Best Law Firms - Regional Tier 1 Badge
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Success Stories
  • Consultation
  • Contact

Site Footer

Attorney advertising. This website is informational only. Information provided herein does not address any specific set of individual facts. Each immigration case is unique and nothing on this or associated pages, documents, forms, comments, e-mails, articles or other communication constitutes legal advice for any individual case or situation. Information provided on this site is not intended as a substitute for legal advice directed to a particular set of circumstances. Legal advice on specific, individual cases should be obtained from an experienced immigration attorney. In exchange for using this site to gather information, you agree not to hold any person involved in the preparation and presentation of this site responsible or liable, either directly or indirectly, for any damages whatsoever that may arise from the use, misuse, and/or reliance on anything contained within this site. Viewing or using information presented on this website is not privileged and does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship will be created only upon the express agreement of the parties.

View Our Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023