United States E Visas

E-1 Visa Requirements:

• You should be from a country the United States continues a treaty of commerce and navigation with;
• conduct substantial trade; and
• conduct principal trade between the United States and the treaty country which made you suitable for E-1 classification.
• Substantial trade basically means the ongoing flow of sizable international trade items, involving frequent transactions over time.

E-2 Visa Requirements:

• You should be from a country the United States continues a treaty of commerce and navigation with;
• Have made an investment in the US, or are profoundly in the process of investing, a considerable amount of capital in a bona fide enterprise in the US; and
• Be willing to enter the United States exclusively to develop and direct the investment enterprise.

E-3 Visa Requirements:

• Be an Australian Citizen
• Have a genuine offer of employment in the United States;
• Have the required academic or other qualifying credentials; and
• Be eligible for a position that qualifies as a specialty occupation.

To start the petition procedure to adjust your status, you or your employer must:

• First read the guide for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker;
• Fill up and sign your Form I-129;
• Pay filing fee(s), if applicable; and
• Provide all necessary documents
• create your USCIS online account here.

Organize and prepare the following basic documents before your visa interview:

• Passport: A valid passport for travel to the United States – Your passport must have at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Separate visa application must be submitted If more than one person is included in the application.
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160confirmation page
• Visa application fee payment document, if you are required to pay before your interview schedule.
• Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails,you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
• Nonimmigrant Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Application, Form DS-156E– This form is mandatory for:
  • all E-1 treaty trader visa applicants; and
  • E-2 treaty investor visa applicants, if you are a Manager/Executive/Essential Employee.

The visa application fee for US E visas is $460.

Applying from Within the United States

E-1 or E-2 visas

• It is not possible to apply for E-1 or E-2 visas from outside of the U.S. There is a different classification for E-2 CNMI-Only Investors.

E-3 visas

• You must attach the following documents with our Form I-129:
• A Labor Condition Application (LCA);
• Academic or other credentials demonstrating qualifications for the position; and
• A job offer or other documentation from the employer

Applying from Outside the United States

E-3 visas

• If we USCIS approves your Form I-129, they will forward a Form I-797, Notice of Action/Approval, to your employer, who should forward it to you.
• The next step is to apply for a U.S. visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate near you, usually in your country of residence abroad.