Difference between the E2 Investor Visa and the E1 Trader Visa

Strategic considerations regarding the choice between the E2 visa and the E1 visa to work the U.S.

In a sense, the E1 International Trade visa stands as an alternative to the investor visa, although it normally requires more time to create the necessary conditions to be able to submit the visa application. In this section of the site we examine the E1 visa for the United States by contrasting it with the E2 investor visa, because in actuality many of our clients could apply for either visa without distinction. One of the main reasons given for why it is better to apply for an E1 Trader visa as opposed to the E2 is related to the fact that with the E1 there is no obligation to invest, but only to carry out several import/export transactions of non-trivial value.

However, things are different in reality. The rules for applying for an E1 visa stipulate that an application can only be made if one can prove to have conducted numerous business transactions with Italy, and this takes time. In the time required to accumulate enough business transactions to apply for the E1 visa, the costs of rent and management, for example, accumulate. If we add the fact that setting up operations, rentals, office equipment and rent are, in fact, investments, it is easy to see that investment is in fact required even with the E1 visa.

Exactly the same as with the E2 visa. And, again basing our considerations on the experience of these years in which we have applied for hundreds of visas to the United States, we can say that the time required to make the investment necessary to apply for the E2 visa is almost always less than the time required to accumulate a sufficient number of international trade transactions to apply for the E1 visa to the United States