There are two types of E visas, E-1 Treaty Trader and E-2 Investor visas. In order to qualify, the applicant and company must hold treaty status and be otherwise admissible. Canada does hold treaty status and therefore its citizens can apply for either the E-1 or E-2 visa.
In order to successfully apply for an E-1 visa, United States Consular Officers must determine that there is a requisite treaty, that the individual and/or business possesses the nationality of the treaty country; that the business activities constitute “trade”; and that the trade is substantial and principally between the US and the treaty country.
Citizens of countries with treaty status are able to apply for a US work visa to invest in or purchase a business may be entitled to an E-2 visa. The foreign national must show that s/he has made a substantial investment in an existing business (at least 50%), or with respect to establishing a business. Please note that there is no minimum amount of funds necessary to apply for this visa, but the funds must be at risk to the applicant.
E visas are complicated in that they require a substantial amount of documentation. It is important that the documentation submitted fully address each element of the E-2 application. We encourage all foreign nationals who are considering this class to contact us for a consultation.
E visa processing varies depending on the Consulate where it is processing. In Canada, applications take an average of 12-16 weeks to finalize.
In order to apply, an applicant’s country of citizenship must hold treaty status with the US At the present time, the list of treaty countries is as follows:
E-1 / E-2 Treaty Status:
E-1 Visa Treaty Status Only:
E-2 Visa Treaty Status ONLY:
For further information with respect to US and Canadian immigration or to find out if you or a company employee is eligible for temporary or permanent relocation to Canada or the US, we invite you to contact our experienced immigration lawyers and attorneys by contacting the Bomza Law Group at:
1-800-993-9971 or by clicking here: “Contact Us”.
1-800-993-9971
