The E-1 Nonimmigrant Visa allows nationals of a treaty country to travel to the United Stated and be admitted to engage in the international trade between the applicant’s treaty country and the United States.

Dependents such as spouses and children under 21 years old can also receive an E-1 visa based on the principal applicant’s E-1 Treaty Trade visa. Spouses of E-1 visa holders are allowed to work without having to obtain a work permit during the visa validity and both spouses and children can attend school and live in the United States during the validity of the visa.

To qualify for an E-1 visa, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Be a citizen of a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation, some examples of treaty countries are:

  2. Carry on substantial trade;

• Substantial trade refers to an amount of trade sufficient to ensure a continuous flow of trade between the United States and the treaty country. The threshold to meet “substantial trade” also depends on the nature of the business.

  3. Carry on principal trade, 50% of the volume of international trade must be between the United States and the treaty country; and

  4. The petitioning entity in the United States must be owned, at least 50%, by nationals of the treaty country.