Treaty Investors & Traders Center

On May 3, 2021, Acting Associate Director of Service Center Operations (SCOPS) for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Connie Nolan signed a Declaration announcing the biometrics requirement will be suspended for H-4, L-2 and certain E Applications.  USCIS has the authority to require and collect biometrics, which include fingerprints, photographs, and digital […]

On April 26, 2021, the Governments of Mexico and the U.S. announced a change in the visa reciprocity standards for certain work visas for Mexican citizens and work permits for U.S. citizens. The principle of reciprocity is grounded in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and requires the Department of State (DOS) to set country-specific […]

The U.S. Consulate in Toronto recently held a Zoom video conference to address recent changes and updates to the processing of E visas. The E visa category includes treaty traders and investors who come to the U.S. under a treaty of commerce and navigation between the U.S. and the country of which they are a […]

As the E-2 Treaty Investor visa becomes an increasingly popular category for foreign business expansion efforts into the U.S., it should be remembered that the “spirit” of the E-2 is to create jobs for U.S. workers and to stimulate the U.S. economy with commercial interaction with the treaty country.   The E-2 visa allows a foreign […]

Canadian citizens can often gain entry to the US with greater ease than others; this preferential treatment for our friends across the border is linked to treaty provisions within the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). One of the first visa categories considered when analyzing U.S. employment authorization options for Canadian nationals is the TN […]

United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) processing times for Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications continue to increase. EADs are relied upon by many categories of foreign nationals in order to lawfully work in the United States. The processing times vary by USCIS Service Center, in addition to the category in which the applicant is […]

The US Department of State has dramatically increased visa issuance fees for Australian nationals in certain visa categories as of December 23, 2019. The US government charges visa issuance fees for nonimmigrant visas that are approved. The fee increases are intended to reciprocate the fees the Australian government charges US citizens who are issued visas.  […]

USCIS has recently published a final regulation changing the EB-5 Program that awards permanent resident status to certain investors who create at least ten new jobs for U.S. workers. This new EB-5 rule will be effective for I-526 filings arriving at USCIS on or after November 21, 2019. The new EB-5 investments must be at least $900,000…

The E-2 treaty investor visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows investors from treaty countries to work in the U.S. through their investment in a U.S. enterprise. To qualify for an E-2 visa, the enterprise must be bona fide and the investment must be a significant percentage of the value of the enterprise…

Those looking to invest in the U.S. or those who work for a business that is at lease 50% owned by citizens of the same treaty company may be eligible for an E Visa. Our office regularly helps owners and employees navigate their E visa options and have collected these important facts…