B-1/B-2 Visa (Business/Tour)

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

Here are some examples of activities permitted with a visitor visa:

Business (B-1)

• Consult with business associates
• Attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
• Settle an estate
• Negotiate a contract

Tourism (B-2)

• Tourism
• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
• Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
• Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

Visitor visas will also not be issued for birth tourism (travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for their child).

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We do our best to provide customer-tailed service that you will be satisfied with. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 213-427-0080 or e-mail us at ask@tllsg.com.

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E-1/E-2 (Treaty Trader/Investor)

The E visa category includes treaty traders and investors who come to the United States under a treaty of commerce and navigation between the United States and the country of which they are a citizen or national. This category also includes Australian specialty occupation workers.

E-1 Treaty Trader Visa

Treaty traders (E-1) conduct substantial trade in goods, including but not limited to services and technology, mainly between the United States and their country of origin of which they are citizens or nationals.

To qualify for a Treaty Trader (E-1) Visa,

• You must be a citizen of a treaty country
• The trading firm for which you plan to come to the United States must have the nationality of the treaty country, meaning persons with the treaty country’s nationality must own at least 50 percent of the enterprise.
• The international trade must be substantial, meaning that there is a sizable and continuing volume of trade.
• More than 50 percent of the international trade involved must be between the United States and the treaty country.
• Trade means the international exchange of goods, services, and technology. Title of the trade items must pass from one party to the other.

You must be an essential employee, employed in a supervisory or executive capacity, or possess highly specialized skills essential to the efficient operation of the firm. Ordinary skilled or unskilled workers do not qualify.

Period of Stay

Qualified treaty traders and employees will be allowed a maximum initial stay of two years. Requests for extension of stay in, or changes of status to, E-1 classification may be granted in increments of up to two years each. There is no limit to the number of extensions an E-1 nonimmigrant may be granted. All E-1 nonimmigrants, however, must maintain an intention to depart the United States when their status expires or is terminated.

Family of E-1 Treaty Traders and Employees

Treaty traders and employees may be accompanied or followed by spouses and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty trader or employee.  Spouses and children may seek E-1 nonimmigrant classification as dependents and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay as the employee. Spouses of E-1 workers in valid E-1 or E-1S status are considered employment authorized incident to status.

 

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

Treaty investors (E-2) invest a substantial amount of money and direct the operations of an enterprise they have invested in, or are actively investing in.

To qualify for a Treaty Investor (E-2) Visa,

• The investor, either a person, partnership or corporate entity, must have the citizenship of a treaty country.
• If a business, at least 50 percent of the business must be owned by persons with the treaty country’s nationality.
• The investment must be substantial, with investment funds or assets committed and irrevocable. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise.
• The investment must be a real operating enterprise, an active commercial or entrepreneurial undertaking. A paper organization, speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment.
• It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to you and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the United States.
• You must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. Loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not allowed.
• You must be coming to the United States to develop and direct the enterprise. If you are not the principal investor, you must be considered an essential employee, employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity.  Ordinary skilled and unskilled workers do not qualify.

Period of Stay

Qualified treaty investors and employees will be allowed a maximum initial stay of two years. Requests for extension of stay in, or changes of status to, E-2 classification may be granted in increments of up to two years each. There is no limit to the number of extensions an E-2 nonimmigrant may be granted. All E-2 nonimmigrants, however, must maintain an intention to depart the United States when their status expires or is terminated.

Family of E-2 Treaty Investors and Employees

Treaty investors and employees may be accompanied or followed by spouses and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty investor or employee. Spouses and children may seek E-2 nonimmigrant classification as dependents and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay as the employee. Spouses of E-2 workers in valid E-2 or E-2S status are considered employment authorized incident to status.

Schedule a free consultation!

We do our best to provide customer-tailed service that you will be satisfied with. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 213-427-0080 or e-mail us at ask@tllsg.com.