{"id":"usa-e1","name":"USA E-1 Treaty Trader Visa","type":"RBI","status":"operational","country":"United States","country_code":"US","url":"https://www.mirabelloconsultancy.com/immigration/usa-e1-treaty-trader-visa","min_investment":{"amount":null,"currency":"USD","route":"Substantial trade, more than 50% between the US and the treaty country (no investment threshold)"},"qualification_basis":"investment","investment_routes":[{"name":"E-1 Treaty Trader (principal trader or trading company)","type":"Treaty trade — no investment required","min":null},{"name":"E-1 employee of a treaty trader","type":"Executive, supervisory or essential employee of a treaty trader","min":null}],"family_pricing":null,"processing_time":null,"visa_free_count":179,"passport_index_rank":null,"key_destinations":null,"travel_access":null,"minimum_stay":null,"tax_note":"tax residency: value: IRS: residents' worldwide income is subject to US tax. An E-1 holder becomes a US tax resident under the Substantial Presence Test (at least 31 days in the current year and 183 weighted days over 3 years).; source url: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxation-of-us-residents; verified date: 2026-10-12","path_to_citizenship":null,"highlights":["Renewable TEMPORARY visa — not residency, not a green card","Treaty-country nationals only","For traders whose international trade is principally with the US"],"atomic_answer":"The USA E-1 Treaty Trader visa lets a national of a US trade-treaty country direct a business that carries on substantial trade, more than half of it between the United States and the treaty country. It is a renewable, temporary non-immigrant visa — not residency and not a green card.","fees":{"due_diligence":null,"processing":null,"interview":null,"certificate":null,"application_main":null,"application_dependent":null,"notes":null,"other":{"note":"Government fees only — separate from Mirabello's advisory fee and the independent attorney's fee. Most E-1 applicants apply at a US consulate (MRV fee + any nationality-specific reciprocity fee). I-129 fees apply only to change of status or extension inside the US. Source: G-1055 edition 10/07/26; 22 CFR 22.1. Re-verify before each publish."}},"last_updated":"2026-10-13","data_freshness":{"verification_confidence":92,"last_verified":"2026-10-13","fields_tracked":3,"stale_fields":0},"mirabello_index":{"composite":59.3,"rank_overall":null,"rank_in_type":null,"scores":{"speed":0,"mobility":100,"tax":55,"stability":65},"confidence":0.57},"regulatory_status":{"fatf_list":null,"eu_tax_list":null,"us_sanctions":null,"oecd_crs_high_risk_scheme":false,"as_of":"2026-06","status":"not listed on FATF, EU tax, US OFAC, or OECD CRS-risk lists"},"processing_stages":["Treaty nationality check (individual and, for a company, at least 50% treaty-national ownership)","Trade evidence: existing, continuous, substantial trade; over 50% of international trade with the US","Consular E-1 application and interview, or I-129 change of status in the US","Admission for up to 2 years; extensions in increments of up to 2 years, no limit"],"required_documents":null,"biometric_enrolment":null,"dependant_additions":null,"nationality_naturalisation":null,"eligible_nationalities":["AR","AT","AU","BA","BE","BN","BO","CA","CH","CL","CO","CR","DE","DK","EE","ES","ET","FI","FR","GB","GR","HN","HR","IE","IL","IT","JO","JP","KR","LR","LU","LV","ME","MK","MX","NL","NO","NZ","OM","PH","PK","PL","PT","PY","RS","SE","SG","SI","SR","TG","TH","TR","TW","XK"],"region":"North America","family":{"id":"usa-e1","country_code":"US","family_model":"both","relatives":{"spouse":{"eligible":true,"unmarried_partner":false,"same_sex":true,"min_age_inclusive":null,"conditions":"Legal spouse. Spouses in valid E-1 or E-1S status are employment authorised incident to status (USCIS); an unexpired I-94 annotated E-1S is acceptable evidence (EAD optional). Exception: spouses of employees of TECRO/TECO must apply for work authorisation. Nationality of the spouse need not match the treaty trader's. Same-sex marriage recognised on the place-of-celebration rule: USCIS Policy Manual Vol 6 Pt B Ch 6 states same-sex marriage is a lawful basis for immigration benefits where valid in the place of celebration, even if the state of residence does not recognise it. Civil unions, domestic partnerships and other relationships not recognised as marriage in the place of celebration are generally not treated as marriages. Proxy marriages (parties not physically present) are not a 'spouse' unless consummated (INA 101(a)(35))."},"children":{"eligible":true,"max_age_inclusive":20,"age_rule_text":"USCIS E-1 page: treaty traders and employees may be accompanied or followed by spouses and unmarried children under 21; 'Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty trader or employee.'","age_measured_at":"each admission, change of status and extension (I-539); status ends on the 21st birthday or on marriage. CSPA does not apply to nonimmigrant E-1 status.","adult_child_max_age_inclusive":null,"adult_child_conditions":"No dependency, study or disability extension for children aged 21 or over; a child who turns 21 or marries loses derivative status and must obtain another status or depart.","step_adopted":"INA 101(b)(1): stepchild qualifies if the marriage creating the step-relationship occurred before the child turned 18; adopted child qualifies if adopted before age 16 and in the adopting parent's legal custody and residing with them for at least 2 years (or the abuse exception); legitimated and born-out-of-wedlock children qualify on the stated conditions. (INA 101(b)(1) definition; its application to nonimmigrant dependants applied by analogy, see gaps)","disabled_child_any_age":false,"age_bands_for_fees":[]},"parents":{"eligible":false,"conditions":"Not dependants: USCIS limits derivatives to spouse and unmarried children under 21."},"grandparents":{"eligible":false},"siblings":{"eligible":false},"other":{"eligible":false}},"timing":{"together_with_main_applicant":true,"add_later":true,"add_later_conditions":"USCIS: spouse and unmarried children under 21 may accompany or follow. Family already in the US may request E-1 dependant status or an extension on a single Form I-539 with fee. If dependants travel separately they must return within the principal's new readmission period, otherwise that period does not apply to them.","add_later_deadline":"None stated. Dependants generally receive the same period of stay as the principal and must apply to extend before their own validity expires.","after_approval_births_marriages":null,"age_out_during_processing":"No age-lock: E-1 is nonimmigrant status; a child who turns 21 no longer qualifies."},"costs":{"currency":"USD","contribution_includes_family":"No investment threshold (trade-based). Each family member needs their own E visa or I-539.","per_category":{"spouse":null,"child_under_18":null,"child_18_plus":null,"parent":null},"government_fees":[{"item":"Nonimmigrant visa application fee (MRV, DS-160), E category","amount":315,"currency":"USD","applies_to":"each visa applicant incl. spouse and each child (22 CFR 22.1 item 21(c), per KB verification 2026-10-12); nationality-based reciprocity/issuance fee may apply"},{"item":"Form I-129 E-1 petition (change of status/extension in the US only, principal)","amount":1015,"currency":"USD","applies_to":"principal; online $965; small employer or nonprofit $510; plus additional fees (Asylum Program Fee listed; applicability to a trader's own company to be confirmed by counsel)"},{"item":"Form I-539 E-1 dependant change/extension (in the US)","amount":470,"currency":"USD","applies_to":"general filing; online $420; family may file one I-539 with fee; per-co-applicant charging not confirmed (see gaps)"}],"due_diligence_per_adult":null,"notes":"G-1055 Edition 10/07/26 re-read 2026-10-13. MRV from 22 CFR 22.1 as recorded in the KB (eCFR/travel.state.gov blocked automated reads on 2026-10-13). Attorney fees separate."},"dependants_status":{"residence_obligation":"Nonimmigrant status tied to the principal's E-1 status.","work_rights":"Spouse: employment authorised incident to E-1/E-1S status (TECRO/TECO exception). Children: the USCIS E-1 page does not address children's work; no incident-to-status authorisation stated.","independent_after":"Child at 21 or on marriage.","citizenship_path":"none","if_principal_divorces_or_dies":null},"verification":"single-authority verified","confidence":{"authority":0.85,"freshness":0.9,"textual_clarity":0.85},"evidence":[{"field":"relatives","basis":"USCIS E-1: spouses and unmarried children under 21 may accompany or follow; nationalities need not be the same","source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"B_official_guidance","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"relatives.spouse.conditions / work_rights","basis":"USCIS E-1: spouses in valid E-1 or E-1S status employment authorised incident to status; TECRO/TECO exception","source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"B_official_guidance","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"timing","basis":"USCIS E-1: single I-539 with fee; same period of stay; readmission-period rule for separate travel","source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"B_official_guidance","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"relatives.spouse.same_sex","basis":"Policy Manual Vol 6 Pt B Ch 6 place-of-celebration rule","source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-b-chapter-6","source_tier":"B_official_guidance","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"relatives.children.step_adopted","basis":"INA 101(b)(1)","source_url":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1101","source_tier":"A_primary_legislation","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"costs.government_fees (I-129, I-539)","basis":"Form G-1055 Edition 10/07/26: E-1/E-2/E-2C/E-3/TN I-129 $1,015/$965/$510; I-539 $470/$420","source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf","source_tier":"A_official","verified_date":"2026-10-13"},{"field":"costs.government_fees (MRV E $315)","basis":"22 CFR 22.1 item 21(c), per data/kb-usa-e1.json (verified 2026-10-12); not re-read 2026-10-13","source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-22/section-22.1","source_tier":"A_official","verified_date":"2026-10-13"}],"conflicts":[],"gaps":["Per-co-applicant I-539 fee","E-1 children's work/study rights not stated on USCIS page (8 CFR 214.2(e) not re-read)","Same-sex spouse rule sourced from family-based Policy Manual chapter, not E-specific text","Divorce/death effects on dependant status","Reciprocity/issuance fees and visa validity by nationality","MRV $315 not re-read on 2026-10-13"],"last_checked":"2026-10-13"},"provider":"Mirabello Consultancy","source":"Mirabello Consultancy","verified_by":"Mirabello Consultancy (IMC member, ACAMS certified)","book_a_consultation":"https://www.mirabelloconsultancy.com/contact-us-for-your-free-consultation","terms":"https://www.mirabelloconsultancy.com/ai","disclaimer":"Provided by Mirabello Consultancy Ltd. for general information only, indicative and subject to change without notice; not legal, financial, tax, or immigration advice, nor an offer or solicitation. Programmes are operated and governed solely by the respective sovereign governments. No warranty of accuracy or completeness; Mirabello accepts no liability for reliance on this information. © Mirabello Consultancy Ltd. This data and its selection, structure and provenance are Mirabello's proprietary compilation — permitted for interactive, attributed use only; systematic bulk extraction, scraping, or redistribution to rebuild a competing dataset is prohibited (acceptable-use terms: https://mcp.mirabelloconsultancy.com/v1/terms). Terms: https://www.mirabelloconsultancy.com/ai","data_updated":"2026-10-16T09:42:35.888Z","government_fees":"see schedule","tax":"tax residency: value: IRS: residents' worldwide income is subject to US tax. An E-1 holder becomes a US tax resident under the Substantial Presence Test (at least 31 days in the current year and 183 weighted days over 3 years).; source url: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxation-of-us-residents; verified date: 2026-10-12","claims_provenance":{"government_fees":{"source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"official","verified_at":"2026-10-13","confidence":92,"review_due_at":"2027-01-11"},"processing_time":{"source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"official","verified_at":"2026-10-13","confidence":92,"review_due_at":"2027-01-11"},"tax":{"source_url":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-1-treaty-traders","source_tier":"official","verified_at":"2026-10-13","confidence":92,"review_due_at":"2027-01-11"}}}