- A Sept. 19, 2026 list says citizens of 55 countries may apply for E-category visas, including E-1.
- E-1 eligibility still depends on treaty-country status and substantial trade between the United States and that country.
- Admission for treaty traders starts at not more than 2 years, with extensions available in two-year increments.
A public list circulating Sept. 19, 2026, said citizens of 55 countries can apply for E-category visas, including the E-1 Treaty Trader Visa. The framework behind that claim is longstanding. It still turns on treaty-country status and substantial trade. The list has 55 entries.
The Department of State keeps the treaty-country framework for E-1 eligibility. A national has to come from a treaty country and carry on substantial trade principally between the United States and that country. The rule does not turn on investment capital. Trade, not investment, does the work.
The clock is short. The regulation at 8 CFR 214.2 says a treaty trader can be admitted “for an initial period of not more than 2 years.” Requests for extension can be granted in increments of up to two years. Qualified E-1 employees are covered too.
Free toolCSPA Age-Out Calculator OnlineThe separate E-2 category covers treaty investors. E-1 is the trade track. Both sit inside the broader E-category visas umbrella. Different purposes, different proof.
The current roster includes 55 countries. It is the governing list. The countries span several regions. The roster below shows them.
The eligible countries are listed below.
The treaty-country roster still controls eligibility
| Group | Countries |
|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Chile |
| 2 | China (Taiwan), Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France |
| 3 | Germany, Greece, Honduras, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea |
| 4 | Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand |
| 5 | Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore |
| 6 | Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia |
The admission clock still runs in two-year blocks
The same framework covers qualified E-1 traders and employees. Extensions can be granted in increments of up to two years. The stay remains limited.
Current 2026 materials place the E-category nonimmigrant visa fee at $315. That charge sits apart from the eligibility test.
