E-1 Treaty Trader visa for Irish companies trading with the US

Your Irish company may already be doing substantial business with customers, suppliers or partners in the United States.

 

At some point, that commercial relationship can create a practical problem. A director needs to spend more time in the US. A senior employee needs to manage the American operation. A specialist with company-specific knowledge needs to be there to support the business.

 

For qualifying Irish companies, the E-1 Treaty Trader visa may provide a route.

 

Flynn Hodkinson advises Irish businesses, founders, executives and employees on E-1 Treaty Trader applications and wider US immigration planning.

 

Discuss your E-1 visa matter

E-1 Treaty Trader Visa Requirements

The E-1 Treaty Trader visa may not be used as much as the E-2 Treaty Investor visa but if all the conditions are met it can be a useful visa category for small, medium and large companies who have significant trade with the US and need to have key staff in the US.

The E-1 Treaty Trader visa is a temporary US visa and the basic requirements for this visa are:

1. The foreign company trading with the US is either owned by, or traded on the national stock exchange of, a country that has a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, a Bilateral Investment Treaty or Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Note that Ireland is a country with a qualifying treaty in place. For a complete list of the treaty countries see the US Department of State website.

To demonstrate the nationality of a company at least 50 per cent of the company’s stock must be owned by nationals of the treaty country. US Lawful Permanent Residents who are nationals of the treaty country and own stock in the company may not be counted towards the total treaty country ownership for purposes of the E-1 visa.

2. The company has on-going and substantial international trade with the United States and its foreign trade is principally between the treaty country and the United States.

Trade is defined as the existing international exchange of items of trade between the US and treaty country. Items traded may include actual goods as well as services, international banking, insurance monies, transportation, communications, data processing, accounting, design and engineering, management consulting, tourism, technology and its transfer, and some news-gathering activities.

For the company’s international trade to be principally between the United States and the treaty country, it should be at least more than 50 per cent of the total volume of international trade between the US and the treaty country. Domestic trade within the treaty country is not counted in calculating whether the amount of trade is principally between the US and treaty country.

The trade will be substantial if it is sufficient to insure a continuous flow of international trade between the US and the treaty country. It cannot be based on a single transaction, regardless of how protracted or monetarily valuable the trade.

E-1 Treaty Trader Employees

A great benefit of a company being approved for E-1 Treaty Trader status is that it may sponsor employees with the same nationality as the company to be transferred to the US as an E-1 Treaty Trader Employee. The employees must be going to the US to work in a managerial or executive capacity or have skills essential for the success of the business. The employees must show evidence of their duties while in the US and their previous experience in their field. Unlike the L-1 Intra-Company Transferee visa, E-1 Employees are not required to have a petition approved in the United States before applying for an E-1 visa at a US Embassy or Consulate, and they do not have to have been employed with the foreign company for at least one year. This could result in significant time and money savings for the E-1 Treaty Trader company.

Validity Period

Maximum visa validity is based on the applicant’s nationality. For example, Irish citizens may have the E-1 Treaty Trader visa issued for up to five years at a time. Typically the Consular Officer will issue the visa for the maximum period possible, however, it is in the Officer’s discretion to issue the visa for a shorter time period.

The above information is intended as a general overview and is not intended as legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Ireland an E-1 Treaty Trader country?

Yes. Ireland qualifies for the E-1 Treaty Trader classification under its treaty relationship with the United States.

Irish treaty eligibility has been in force since 1950.

The company and applicant must still meet the other E-1 requirements.

2. Does an Irish company need to sell physical products to qualify?

No.

E-1 trade can include qualifying services and technology as well as physical goods.

Irish businesses providing professional, technology, financial, engineering or other cross-border services may therefore have trade that can be considered for E-1 purposes.

3. How much of the company's trade must be with the US?

More than 50% of the enterprise’s international trade must be between the United States and Ireland.

Domestic Irish business is not included in that international-trade calculation.

4. Is there a minimum number of transactions required?

There is no single transaction count that determines eligibility.

The trade must be substantial and show a continuing flow between the United States and Ireland. One isolated transaction will generally not establish substantial trade, even when it is financially significant.

5. Can a new Irish company qualify for an E-1 visa?

A newly established business may face difficulty if it has not yet developed the existing, substantial and continuing trade required for E-1 eligibility.

The E-1 is based on trade already taking place rather than a plan to trade in the future.

A company entering the US market for the first time may need to consider whether another visa route fits its circumstances.

6. Can an Irish company send several employees using E-1 visas?

Potentially.

Once the treaty enterprise qualifies, more than one employee may be eligible where each employee independently satisfies the requirements for an executive, supervisory or essential role and has the required treaty nationality.

Each applicant’s role and qualifications must be considered separately.

7. Does an E-1 employee have to be Irish?

An employee applying under an Irish E-1 treaty enterprise generally needs to have the same treaty nationality as the enterprise.

Different rules apply to dependent spouses and children, who do not have to share the principal applicant’s nationality.

8. Can an Irish citizen get an E-1 visa without owning the company?

Yes, potentially.

An applicant does not have to be the principal owner where they are applying as a qualifying employee of the treaty enterprise.

The employee must meet the nationality requirement and work in an executive, supervisory or essential capacity.

9. Can an E-1 spouse work in the United States?

Certain spouses in valid E dependent status are authorised to work in the United States based on that status.

The immigration documents should be checked to confirm how the spouse has been admitted and whether the appropriate work-authorised notation is present.

10. Is an E-1 better than an L-1 visa?

There is no universal answer.

For a company with substantial Ireland-US trade and qualifying treaty ownership, E-1 may offer advantages. A company with a qualifying multinational corporate structure may also have an L-1 route.

The employee’s work history, company ownership, trading activity, US structure and long-term plans should be compared before selecting a category.

Do you need the help of a US immigration lawyer?

Please schedule a call to initially discuss your situation with one of our lawyers

and possibly book a consultation with a US visa and nationality lawyer.