E1 Visa Lawyer

As stated by the U.S. Government, “E-1 nonimmigrant classification allows a national of a treaty country to be admitted to the United States solely to engage in international trade on his or her own behalf.” 

This, in plain language, allows the individual to enter the United States based on a transaction/business he or she will be conducting while in the United States. These visas are available to nationals of certain countries (view list here). The E-1 employee is only allowed to work in the activity that they were approved for when the visa was issued. When applicable, in cases where their employer has a parent company, it may be possible to work for that organization.

In some cases, the E1 visa may cover immediate family, such as a legal spouse and unmarried children under 21. The spouse of the visa holder may work; however, the children under 21 can not. The holder of the E1 visa must prove substantial trade; with that being said, substantial trade is not strictly defined. Trade includes the movement of goods, transportation, or non-physical services; including tech, journalism, tourism, and even banking.

The E1 visa holder must also need to provide proof that they intend to return to their home country when their visa terminates. The E1 visa grants the holder a stay of up to two years and may be followed up with an extension of another two years if initial requirements are met. Luckily, there is no limit to the number of extensions. Processing time for the visa is different case by case, which is why we recommend you book a free consultation to review your situation. On average it may take up to four weeks to process.

*The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create (receipt or viewing does)  an attorney-client relationship*