Greenwood Hanlon Kendrick 
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E-1 Visa (Trader Visa)
Can I travel to the US on an E1 visa?
If you have been physically present in the UK or Ireland, Europe, Brazil, China, or Iran within the 14 days before your scheduled arrival into the US you may need a national interest waiver.
E1 visas are available to certain individuals and businesses whose international trade with the United States is over 50%. Where trade is under 50%, an E2 visa may be an appropriate alternative category of visa.
At a glance, E1 visa eligibility is based, among other things, on:
- A qualifying treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation;
- Individuals and/or businesses who possess the nationality of the treaty country;
- Carry on substantial trade;
- Carry on principal trade between the United States and the treaty country which qualifies the treaty trader for the E1 visa.
The easiest way to understand the terms of the E1 visa are to consider them in the context of a number of industries as often seen by the attorneys of Greenwood Hanlon Kendrick. Alternatively, you may contact one of our attorneys for a free no-obligation assessment of your particular circumstances.
Greenwood Hanlon Kendrick act as immigration counsel for individual traders, as well as companies of all shapes and sizes, providing bespoke advice and strategy. We are based internationally by the US Embassy in London to better serve our clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well those in Asia and Australasia.
In an effort to facilitate foreign investment and trade the United States has entered into reciprocal agreements, called treaties, with certain countries, allowing individual investors and traders bearing the nationality of these countries, as well as foreign companies and their employees, owned by a majority of treaty nationals, to enter the United States to live and work pursuant to the terms of the treaty.
The treaty terms vary depending on whether the person, partnership or company is a trader or investor. The US classifies traders under a category of visa called ‘E1’ and investors under a category called ‘E2′. Please see our E3 visa page for the Australian ‘Specialty Occupation’ visa.
Trade
Trade is the existing international exchange of items of trade for consideration between the United States and the treaty country. Items of trade include but are not limited to:
- Goods
- Services
- International banking
- Insurance
- Transportation
- Tourism
- Technology and its transfer
- Some news-gathering activities.
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