E-1
E-1 Treaty Trader Visa
Move to the U.S. to run substantial, ongoing international trade.
For people whose business is trade itself: goods, services, or technology moving in meaningful volume across borders.
What This Visa Is
For treaty-country nationals running substantial international trade
The E-1 lets a citizen of a treaty country come to the U.S. to carry on substantial international trade, principally between the U.S. and their treaty country.
It's built for people whose business is trade itself: goods, services, or technology moving in meaningful volume across borders.
Like the E-2, there's no cap and no lottery, and it renews indefinitely as long as the qualifying trade continues.
Eligibility
What qualifies you for an E-1
Six requirements decide an E-1 case. Each one is proven from the trade record, not asserted.
Treaty country
You must be a citizen of a country with a treaty of commerce and navigation with the U.S. The E-1 treaty list is similar to the E-2's but not identical, and it changes, so confirm your status before applying.
Substantial trade
A continuous flow of numerous transactions over time, not one large deal. Volume and consistency matter more than the size of any single transaction.
Principal trade with the U.S.
More than 50% of your total international trade must be between the U.S. and your treaty country.
Real, ongoing trade
Trade in goods, services, technology, banking, insurance, transportation, tourism, and more. The item matters less than the volume and that it's genuinely international.
A qualifying role
You must be entering to work in a supervisory or executive capacity, or as an essential employee with specialized skills.
Traceable trade record
The trade has to be documented: contracts, invoices, bills of lading, purchase orders, and shipping and customs records that prove volume, continuity, and weighting.
Understanding the E-1
What makes this visa different.
The E-1 turns on the trade record. The case is built on proving the trade is real, substantial, ongoing, and correctly weighted, more than half of it between the U.S. and your treaty country. That means assembling a clear, organized picture from your trade documentation, showing both the volume and the continuity over time, and establishing your qualifying role in the enterprise. The item traded matters less than the pattern: consistent, numerous transactions rather than a single large one.
Same two paths as the E-2. If you're abroad, the E-1 is applied for at a U.S. consulate. If you're already in the U.S. in another valid status, you may change to E-1 with USCIS, with the same caveat that a change of status doesn't produce a visa stamp for re-entry. The U.S. trading entity typically has to be registered and qualified as an E-1 employer before, or together with, an individual's application.
How We Work
The E-1 lives on the trade record
A records-first approach to E-1 filings.
We manage the full case: assembling and organizing your trade documentation into a clear, defensible package, and pairing you with an independent licensed attorney for the legal strategy and filing. The goal is a file that makes the substantial, ongoing, correctly-weighted nature of your trade obvious to the officer reviewing it.
Step 01
Assess
We tell you where you stand and exactly what's possible, before anything changes.
Step 02
Gather
We know what's needed and walk you through it, step by step.
Step 03
Build
We build your E-1 trade record with precision.
Step 04
Review & File
Attorney-reviewed and filed within two weeks.
Step 05
Guide
We stay with you through approval, RFEs, and everything in between.
Prepared and filed within two weeks, with precision at every step.
*Timeline begins upon receipt of all attorney-requested documents and supporting evidence.
Investment
E-1 case management pricing
Starting at $8,000 USD
flat fee
See full pricing & engagement optionsWhat’s included
- Attorney-led strategy and final sign-off
- End-to-end case management
- Petition drafting and evidence structuring
Frequently Asked Questions