AMIGOS ACT

The United States House of Representatives passed the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing Our Success Act, also known as the AMIGOS (“FRIENDS”) act. If enacted, Portuguese Nationals will be allowed to apply for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant Visas.

The official title of the bill is to include Portugal in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if United States nationals are treated similarly by the Government of Portugal.

An E-1 visa applies to individuals entering the United States to engage in international trade, while an E-2 visa applies to individuals investing a substantial amount of capital in the United States. Both are limited to nationals from countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States. 

The E-1 visa (Treaty Trader visa) applies to individuals entering the United States to engage in international trade. The Trading Firm must belong to the same Treaty Country, international trade must be considered substantial, and more than 50% of the trade must occur between the Treaty Country and the United States. The individual must be highly specialized, an executive or otherwise considered to be an essential employee.

The E-2 visa (Treaty Investor Visa) is designed for investor individuals or companies. Applicants are eligible through substantial and irrevocable investment, which are capable of generating income in a broader sense than to provide for a single-family unit, where the funds are at risk in a commercial sense. When applying through a company, the individual must also be highly specialized, with executive or supervisory duties or otherwise considered as an essential employee.

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