E Visas for Business Owners

The E visa allows a business owner to establish a new business in the U.S. and remain indefinitely within the country in that visa category, as long as the business, which is the basis of the visa’s granting, continues to succeed.

Most E-1 or E-2 visas are grounded in trade treaties between the U.S. and other nations, to foster international trade and economic growth.

To be eligible for an E Visa, one must show that any of the following five scenarios are satisfied:

• The applicant is entering the U.S. for the purpose of carrying on substantial trade (the law does not indicate an amount, but generally $100,000 USD is the basement on eligibility) of an international nature; or

• The applicant is entering the U.S. to develop and direct the operations of the business for which s/he personally has a substantial investment therein; or

• The applicant is entering the U.S. as a key employee from his country whose services are essential to the operation of the business; or

• The applicant is entering the U.S. as a principal employer who is a national of a treaty country or of an enterprise which is at least 50% owned by a treaty country national; or

• Is a dependent of one of the above.