How to Apply for a Tready Trader or Treaty Investor Visa

Both treaty traders and investors (owners) and their employees receive the same kind of visa (E-1 or E-2). However, treaty traders/investors and their employees go through different processes to apply for the visas.

Treaty Traders and Treaty Investors (Owners)

Treaty traders and investors must first register their company with the E-Visa Unit. To do this, they submit by email, supporting documents as described on the following pages and wait until the company has been reviewed by the E-Visa Unit. Once the review is complete, the E-Visa Unit will contact the treaty trader or treaty investor to arrange an interview date.

Employees

Employees of registered companies make their appointments through the U.S. Visa Appointment Service. They do not need to submit any documents in advance. On the day of the interview they are required to present the documents required for employees.

Registering a Company

Registering a company is a three-step process:

Step 1 – Complete the online visa application form DS-160;

Step 2 – Go to the Visa Appointment Service website

Create an account;
Pay the MRV application fee; and
arrange for the delivery of your passport by courier once you have attended the visa interview.

Please ensure that you have answered No to both questions in the “Applicant Responses” section in the online account. The question asks if “The principle applicant is employed by a company that holds a valid registration with the UK E-Visa Unit”. Both the new and renewal registrations should reply No to this question to pay the MRV fee.

If your family requires multiple appointments for both the B-2 visa (tourist/visitor) and the E visa, a Visa Appointment Service account must be created in the name of the E visa applicant. Then you should follow the onscreen ‘Add Applicant’ instructions to add the information for the E visa applicant. Following that, you will be able to ‘Add Applicant’ details for the B visa applicant.

Step 3 – Electronically submit the supporting documents. Instructions concerning this, including the email address to which they should be sent will be provided at the time the applicant registers at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb

Review

Only when steps 1 – 3 have been completed and the application has been received by the E-Visa Unit will the case be accepted for review. The applicant and/or legal representation will be sent an email confirming receipt of the case. At this point, the E-Visa Unit will not accept any unsolicited additional documents.

Cases are reviewed by the E-Visa Unit to ensure that they meet the requirements found in 9 FAM 402.9. Cases are reviewed on a first in, first out policy based on when the case if found to be complete. Additional documents may be requested during the review process. The current review time for each case is 60 working days. Please plan in advance when considering an application for an E visa as it is not possible to expedite the case.

Once the review is complete, the applicant or legal representative will be:

notified that the case has been reviewed;
provided a list of any additional documents required; and
advised of appointment availability.

Applicants must/must attend an interview within three months (90 days) of this initial notification. Cases will not be held longer than 90 days.