Treaty Traders (E-1) and Treaty Investors (E-2) :

E-1 visas are available only to citizens of countries who have trader treaties with the United States. Owners and key employees of businesses which conduct a substantial volume of trade between the U.S. and the home country are treaty traders (E-1). Trade can involve the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods or services. Among the businesses that could be included as enterprises trading in services are data processing, advertising, accounting, design and engineering, management consulting, and law firms;

E-2 visas are available only to citizens of countries who have investor treaties with the United States. To qualify, the alien must be employed by a business who is more than 50% owned by a national of the treaty country. The alien is coming to the United States to work for a U.S. business who is supported by a substantial monetary investment by nationals of a treaty country. The application process that can be carried out at an INS office in the U.S. or at a U.S. consulate in your home country.

To qualify, the home country must have a treaty with the U.S. Some treaties enable only E-1s, or only E-2s, while others provide for both categories.

Countries with Trade treaties include :

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brunei, Canada, China (Taiwan), Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Iran*, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, U.K. and Yugoslavia (valid also for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia).

Countries with Investor treaties include :

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China (Taiwan), Colombia, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire), Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Honduras, Iran*, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, and Yugoslavia (valid also for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia).

* Treaty with Iran inoperative as long as Executive Order remains in place preventing trade with Iran. Note that the list of treaty countries changes often as new treaties are signed and ratified .

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