A bill to include Czechia in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E-1 nonimmigrants if United States nationals are treated similarly by the Government of Czechia.
This bill would add Czechia to the set of countries whose nationals can qualify for the E-1 nonimmigrant visa (the “treaty trader” visa) if the Government of Czechia provides US nationals with similar nonimmigrant treatment. In effect, the bill adopts a reciprocity standard: Czechia’s eligibility for E-1 status depends on whether the Czech government treats US nationals similarly. If Czechia offers comparable nonimmigrant opportunities to US citizens, Czechia would be treated as a country eligible for E-1 entry for its traders who conduct substantial trade with the United States. The E-1 visa is reserved for nationals of treaty countries who engage in substantial trade principally between the United States and their home country. By tying Czechia’s eligibility to reciprocal treatment, the bill ensures that any expansion of E-1 access for Czech nationals would only occur if the United States reciprocates with similar treatment for Czech nationals.
Key Points
- 1The bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act’s E-1 eligibility to include Czechia, but only if the Czech government provides similar nonimmigrant status to U.S. nationals.
- 2The decision hinges on reciprocity: Czechia must treat U.S. nationals with nonimmigrant rights comparable to how it treats Czech nationals.
- 3The bill clarifies that Czechia would be considered a foreign state described in INA section 101(a)(15)(E)(i) for E-1 purposes if the reciprocity condition is met.
- 4E-1 status requires substantial trade between the United States and the foreign country; the bill does not create new requirements beyond the reciprocity trigger.
- 5The bill was introduced in the Senate (S. 482) on February 6, 2025, sponsored by Senators Welch, Ricketts, Blumenthal, Coons, Cornyn, and Cruz, and referred to the Judiciary Committee.