E1 Visa for Treaty Traders

Characteristics of the E1 Visa

• Many countries have treaties with the United States that allows their citizens to work in the United States to promote trade between the two countries.
• The following countries that have treaties allowing this particular visa:
  • Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brunei, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, U.K., Yugoslavia
• E1 visas typically are issued for 2 years (though sometimes for 5 years), but there is no limit to how many times this can be extended, provided that the applicant is prepared to leave when the visa finally expires.
• Organizations (traders) that qualify for consideration conduct the majority of their trade with the United States, and are based in one of the above mentioned countries. The higher the volume and the longer the history of trade with the United States, the better the trader’s chances are of being approved for this visa.
• Foreign national workers who qualify for this visa are a manager or specialist in an organization that meets the above qualifications and can give evidence of their experience and skills at conducting trade. They are also nationals of the country in which the organization is based. Unlike the L1 visa, there is no requirement of any work history with the sponsoring organization.

Our Services

If you represent an organization that conducts substantial trade with the United States and are considering sending a manager or specialist to the United States to facilitate those trading activities, contact our offices for a free consultation. Our qualified attorneys have a wide range of experience in obtaining visas for all types of international organizations.

Let us advise you on the very latest in immigration regulations, taking your specific business situation into careful consideration. Call us today or come into one of our three offices in the United States in California or Oregon, and put our experience to work for you.