The Portugal golden visa program has yet another attractive benefit. From now on golden visa investors who receive Portuguese citizenship after five years, can now apply for E-1 and E-2 visas to enter United States. The E-visas facilitates faster and easier business pathway to become a permanent resident of United States (Green card).
The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon has announced that Portuguese nationals can apply for E-1 and E-2 visas under the fully implemented AMIGOS Act. Starting April 23, eligible Portuguese citizens will be able to get online and apply for these visas, under the full implementation of the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing our Success (AMIGOS) Act , signed by President Joseph Biden in December 2022.
The AMIGOS ACT (H.R 2571) is designed to facilitate business and commerce, through a non-immigrant category new for Portuguese nationals, the E1/E2 trade and investment visas.
E-1/E-2 Visas
E-1 and E-2 Visas allow individuals to enter the United States to conduct “substantial trade” or invest a “substantial amount of capital” respectively.
- E-1 Trader visa – The E1 visa allows nationals of a treaty country to be admitted to the United States solely to engage in international trade, principally between the United States and the treaty country.
- E-2 investor – The E2 visa allows a national of a treaty country to be admitted to the United States when investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business.
E-Visa Company Tiers
◦ Tier 1: Company has more than 250 employees OR annual finance statement > $50M
◦ Tier 2: All others (NOTE:most applicants will fall into this category)
◦ Tier 3: All others Company has less than 10 employees OR annual finance statement < $10ME-Visa Categories
| E1 or E2 + | Explanation |
| N | My company is a tier 3 OR has NOT had an E-visa approved at U.S. Embassy Lisbon over the past 5 years (tier 1) or 3 years (tier 2) |
| ROI | I’m the owner or investor of a company in the United States and I am renewing my E-visa issued at U.S. Embassy Lisbon |
| R | I’m a principal applicant and I’m renewing my E-visa issued at U.S. Embassy Lisbon (except renewals for direct owners/investors – use category ROI) |
| A | I’m an additional employee of a company who already had an E-visa approved at U.S. Embassy Lisbon and I’m applying for my first E-visa |
| D | I’m the spouse or unmarried child under the age of 21 of a principal applicant who had his/her E-visa already approved (first time or renewal) |
How to Apply
- Complete and submit a DS-160 (Online Visa Application) – do NOT forget to upload a photo ;
- For N, ROI, R and A categories, complete a DS-156E (Treaty Trader/Investor Application) online – handwritten forms NOT accepted;
- Apply for your E-Visa here: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-pt/niv ;
- Pay the MRV application fee;
- Upon implementation of the E-Visa program in Portugal, and for a limited number of weeks, you’ll be shown the appointment calendar directly after successful payment.
- NOTE: if applying simultaneously, your derivative family members (spouse and/or unmarried child under the age of 21) do NOT need a separate appointment.
