The E-1 visa program is a visa work program for foreign nationals from a treaty country with the United States. Foreign nationals that have a specific trade or conduct trade with the United States may apply for an E-1 visa in order to build a business in America. The first question on every visa application is, “how long will it take?” For E-1 visa applicants, the answer is approximately six months. There are some ways to speed this process up though. Learn more about that here.
E-1 Visa Requirements
To be eligible for an application for an E-1 visa, you must be from a treaty country and want to do business in the United States. The legal term for this is “substantial trade.” It’s not the visa if you just want a job here. You must want to perform trade, and already have some trade volume in your business files.
If you already conduct business with the United States, it would make sense for you to apply for an E-1 visa. Then, you could come to the United States and continue to build your business here. The I-129 petition is the petition you would file if you want to apply for the E-1 visa.
E-1 Visa Processing Times
An E-1 visa on its own merit will normally take approximately 6 months. Your application will be examined by the consular if you are outside the United States. If you are already here, your current visa status will change when it is approved. If not, your visa application will be reviewed by the consulate.
If you need your E-1 visa approved sooner, there are premium processing steps that you can take to have your application processed faster.
Talk to a Lawyer
An E1 visa lawyer Los Angeles-based or elsewhere can help you file your E-1 visa application today. Contact a lawyer to consult on your application and get the process started.
