E-1/E-2 Visas for
Traders and Investors
E-1 and E-2 visas are limited to citizens of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation.
For an E-1 visa, a foreign national must be engaged in substantial trade that is principally between the United States and her E-1 qualifying country of nationality.
For an E-2 visa, a foreign national must own at least 50% of an active U.S. commercial enterprise in which he/she invested a substantial amount of capital that is “at risk.” (Ownership of multiple single family homes or condominiums held for rent and appreciation will not qualify a person for an E-2 visa no matter the total value of the investment.)
Foreign nationals also qualify for an E-1 or E-2 visa to work as an executive, supervisor, or essential employee in a commercial enterprise that is at least 50% owned by foreign nationals from his/her same country of citizenship and that country has a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States.
E-1 or E-2 visa duration is dependent on the foreign national’s qualifying country and can be as long as 5 years. Each admission on an E-1 or E-2 visa is for 2 years regardless of visa expiration date, and there is no limit on how long a person can hold E-1 or E-2 status.
Finally, spouses of E-1 or E-2 visa holders can obtain general work authorization in the United States.
IMMLAW Attorneys who practice in this area include…
Jan Pederson is recognized by The Washington Post as one of “seven leading lawyers” in Washington, D.C. She has been dedicated to the practice of immigration and nationality law for over forty years. She has successfully represented thousands of clients – including renowned physicians, Fortune 500 companies, television networks, entertainers, and healthcare providers of all sizes – and is masterful at resolving complex immigration issues.
See Jan M. Pederson's full profile
Tarik H. Sultan is a shareholder in the firm of Wolf Sultan Vazquez P.C. in Tucson, Arizona. He has served on the National Board of Governors for AILA, as well as on numerous national liaison committees with the Departments of Labor, Justice and Homeland Security. His practice is focused in all areas and aspects of immigration law, with a particular emphasis in employment-based visas and employer sanctions defense. Mr. Sultan has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1999, Superlawyers since 2007 and is listed in Martindale Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
See Tarik H. Sultan's full profile
Lori Chesser is a senior shareholder and chair of the Immigration Department at Dentons Davis Brown in Des Moines, Iowa. Her practice encompasses business immigration, employment verification (I-9 review, audits and E-Verify), and family immigration, as well as related areas including employment, tax, health, corporate formation and contracts.
See Lori T. Chesser's full profile
MICHAEL R. JARECKI is the principal of Jarecki Law Group, LLC in Chicago, a full-service U.S. immigration firm that provides customized representation for businesses, individuals and families. His practice includes all areas of immigration law, including representation before immigration agencies and courts, handling appeals from agency and court decisions, and litigating immigration issues in the U.S. federal courts.
See Michael R. Jarecki's full profile
MAILE M. HIROTA is the Manager of Hirota & Associates, LLLC, a boutique immigration law firm in Honolulu, Hawaii concentrating in business and family-based immigration law, including family visas, business and investor visas, permanent residence and U.S. citizenship matters.
See Maile Hirota's full profile
Linda Rose is the Founding Partner of Rose Immigration Law Firm, PLC, in Nashville and serves the firm in an Of Counsel capacity. The firm emphasizes PERM labor certification, nonimmigrant visas for professionals and international transfers, and university research/teaching. Linda is also a jazz musician, so she and the other firm attorneys focus on O&P visas in music, arts, and entertainment. She has practiced business immigration law for more than 35 years.
See Linda Rose's full profile
Nicole Simon is the Managing Partner of Landau, Hess, Simon, Choi & Doebley. She represents businesses and individuals in all areas of immigration law, including employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, family-based cases, and naturalization.
See Nicole Simon's full profile
Marcine A. Seid is a globally-recognized speaker, practitioner, and thought leader in U.S. business immigration matters. She has more than 25 years of experience advising and representing clients in connection with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions and immigration-related corporate compliance issues, including Form I-9 audits and worksite enforcement actions. She also founded and served as principal attorney of the Seid Law Group, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top immigration law firms in the United States.
See Marcine Seid's full profile
Although pursued by national and regional law firms over the years, in late 2010, Susan went back to her own firm, ImLaw, PC, to offer clients the benefits of a personal level of service, backed by more than 25 years of experience resolving immigration cases for clients that include small to medium-sized employers, Fortune 100 and 500 companies, individual and corporate investors, students, and other individuals. She currently has a team of seven, consisting of three attorneys, two paralegals, one legal assistant, and one billing specialist.
See Susan S. Im's full profile
Savitz Law Offices provides U.S. Immigration Law services and expertise in business immigration law for employers and their employees, especially STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields, including obtaining temporary work status and visas (H-1B, L-1, TN, etc.) and Green Cards.
See Bennett Savitz's full profile
Rita Sostrin is a founding partner of Sostrin Immigration Lawyers, LLP. Prior to launching Sostrin Immigration Lawyers in 2010, she worked at top immigration law firms and served in various leadership positions on behalf of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
See Rita Sostrin's full profile
Danielle focuses on United States immigration and nationality law and on employment-based immigration. She represents U.S. companies and their foreign national workforce in navigating the processes for visa and permanent residency applications. She also represents foreign traders and investors seeking work authorization in the United States, as well as Canadian citizens seeking entry to the United States under the U.S. Mexico-Canada-America free trade agreement (USMCA). She helps immigrants find legal paths of entry by filing petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, preparing foreign nationals for visa interviews at U.S. embassies, and navigating land and air ports of entry to the United States.
See Danielle Rizzo's full profile
Ester Greenfield is of counsel at MacDonald, Hoague & Bayless, in Seattle, Washington, and her practice is limited to immigration law. She represents employers and individuals in business and family immigration cases as well as citizenship matters.
See Ester Greenfield's full profile