E Visas

According to a Liaison between the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the U.S. Department of State: E visa processing is to be consolidated at the U.S. Embassy in Rome and U.S. Consulate in Milan, effective Jan 1, 2007.  Applicants for E visas "in the Florence and Naples consular districts will be asked to apply in Rome, but may also apply in Milan providing they are residents of or physically present in Italy."  This change in procedures is intended to "ensure uniform processing and posts plan to set up dedicated channels of communication for applicants and their attorneys."

The primary requirements for an E-2 Treaty Investor visa are as follows:

In order for a foreign citizen to be able to apply for an E-1 Treaty Trader visa, or an E-2 Treaty Investor visa, the U.S. must have a requisite treaty with the foreign citizen's country of citizenship. The following list identifies which countries have E-1 and E-2 treaties with the U.S. It was compiled by the U.S. State Department, as of 1/23/2006.

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age, regardless of nationality, may receive derivative E visas in order to accompany the principal E visa applicant to the U.S.

The primary requirements for an E-1 Treaty Trader visa are as follows:

Under the general U.S. immigration rule, you must file an EXTENSION OF STAY application for a non-immigrant status (e.g., H-1B, O, L, etc.) BEFORE your original status expires. For example, if your H-1B status expires on November 29, 2006, then you must file your extension of stay application before November 29, 2006. What happens, however, if you fail to file your extension before your original status expires, or you otherwise fail to maintain the previously accorded status? Normally, this means that your extension of stay application will be DENIED. There is an exception however.

"Extension of Stay" refers to the process of extending a non-immigrant status, e.g., H-1B, L, O, etc. It really refers to the extension of the Form I-94, which states a foreign national's STATUS in the U.S. It should not be confused with extending a "visa".

There is no requirement that the spouse and/or children of an E visa holder apply for a student (F-1) visa if they wish to study in the U.S. They may study on a derivative E visa. However, if they are qualified, they may apply for the F-1 visa. For school-age children, it is important to refer to the regulations governing the issuance of F-1 visas.

E visas are very useful visas for investors, executives, managers, supervisors, or highly specialized personnel who are citizens of countries which have a certain type of treaty with the U.S. which provides for these types of visas ("treaty countries"), and who invest in or are employed by companies which also have the nationality of the same "treaty country"; and meet other requirements.