Visa Types
Treaty Trader/Investor
Visa Type | Description |
E | Visa for investors or traders that carry out commercial business between the United States and their home country, or that develop and direct the activities of a company in which they have invested substantial capital, provided that both countries have signed a commerce and navigation treaty, as France has with the United States. |
Continue to submit ALL E visa applications by mail. You will be contacted by the E visa office directly to schedule an interview. Please do not use the Call Center to schedule an interview.
Please choose the type of E visa that applies to you:
- Treaty Trader Visa (E-1)
- Treaty Investor Visa (E-2)
- Large Multinational Corporations
- E Visa Renewals
- E Visas for Family Members
**Please be aware that all E visa applicants aged 14 to 79 will now require an interview .**
Dear E Visa Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in a Treaty Trader (E-1) or Treaty Investor (E-2) visa. US Immigration law and regulations permit holders of E visas to reside in the United States to manage the trade or investments of a US business (the "Enterprise") or, in certain cases, to provide essential skills to the Enterprise. Holders of E visas must intend to depart the United States upon the termination of their E status.
Treaty visas are authorized on the basis of treaties of commerce and navigation between the United States and certain other countries. France is such a country and citizens of France (which under the treaty includes metropolitan France and La Martinique, La Guadeloupe, French Guinea and La Reunion) may seek to qualify for a Treaty (E) visa. Please note that the Enterprise must be majority-owned, as well as developed and directed by nationals of the Treaty Country ("Treaty Country Nationals"), and individual employees must have the same nationality as the Enterprise to qualify.
The spouse and unmarried children (under 21 years of age) of treaty traders, treaty investors, or employees of Enterprises may also receive dependent E visas in order to accompany or follow to join their spouse or parent. They are not required to have the same nationality as the principal applicant to obtain an E visa.
E visas permit the investor/trader and his/her family to live in the United States during the validity period of the visa. These visas are not immigration visas; consequently, you are allowed to live in the US so long as the conditions under which the visa was granted remain valid. Dependents are not authorized to work in the US unless they receive explicit authorization to do so from BCIS (formerly INS) in the US This authorization must be applied for after your arrival in the US Please ask the Immigration Officer at the Port of Entry for details.
Before deciding to apply for an E visa, we suggest you review the step-by-step guide describing our E visa application procedures. You may decide that an E visa will not be of benefit to you or that you need professional legal advice before proceeding further. Also attached is the Nonimmigrant Visa Application. Please address any inquiries to the following e-mail address: PARISEV@state.gov. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR PASSPORT only a photocopy of the bio-data.
Reminder: When you have decided to submit your application and documents, please pay the application fee. You will be required to send the original postal receipt with the application. The application will not be adjudicated until the fee has been paid.
It currently takes us about 4 weeks to process your application. Please note, however, that visa processing times vary according to our workload. We cannot guarantee that a visa will be processed in time to meet your schedule. We always suggest that you apply well ahead of any planned travel date, allowing extra time for any unforeseen delay.
Please read through the Guide for Seeking E Visa Status (PDF) to determine which E visa applies to you. If you are a large, multinational corporation, please proceed directly to E-1 or E-2 Application for Large Multinational Corporations.
Family Members of E Visa Applicants
If you are an E visa applicant and plan to take your family with you to the US, they will also need E visas. Spouses and all unmarried children under age 21 are eligible for derivative E visas. A separate DS-156 application form must be completed and separate photo provided for each eligible family member. Include proof of the family members' relationship to you, such as a copy of your marriage certificate and/or a copy of your children's birth certificate(s). The Mandat-Compte must accompany EACH application.
Spouses of E visa holders are now eligible for employment in the US. They must apply for work authorization with BCIS (formerly INS) after entering the US on an E visa. The Embassy has no information about the work authorization, so you will need to inquire with CIS upon your entry to the US.