The Department of State has announced that the US Embassy in Lisbon is now processing E-1/E-2 visa applications for Portuguese citizens only.
Portugal was designated a treaty country by the passage of the AMIGOS Act in December 2022, making Portuguese citizens eligible for E-1/E-2 visas.
Generally, E-1/E-2 visas are for traders and investors who are nationals of a treaty country. An investment must be made into a US company, and that company must meet certain other requirements. E visas can be an attractive visa option as there is no cap to how many times the visas can be renewed, and the E-visa company can sponsor certain other nationals of the E-visa treaty country as employees.
The application requirements vary based on the nature of the application – the Lisbon embassy has a more streamlined process for renewal applications and applications for employees from previously vetted companies. Applicants must schedule an interview appointment at the embassy and submit an application prepared according to the embassy’s requirements in advance.
For further information, please contact:
Theda Fisher, Partner, Withersworldwide
theda.fisher@withersworldwide.com
