[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2989 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2989
To provide for eligibility for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant visas for
nationals of Iceland.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 28 (legislative day, September 22), 2023
Mr. King (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for eligibility for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant visas for
nationals of Iceland.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Nordic Trader and Investor Parity
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The United States and Iceland have a long and steady
bilateral relationship.
(2) Diplomatic relations between Iceland and the United
States may be traced back to July 7, 1941, on which date
members of the United States Armed Forces arrived in Iceland as
part of--
(A) a bilateral defense agreement; and
(B) Presidential Proclamation 2487, dated May 27,
1941 (relating to an unlimited national emergency in
the United States).
(3) On June 17, 1944, the United States was the first
country to recognize the independent Republic of Iceland.
(4) In 1949, Iceland became a founding member of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(5) On May 5, 1951, the United States and Iceland entered
into the bilateral Defense agreement pursuant to the North
Atlantic Treaty signed at Reykjavik May 5, 1951 (2 UST 1195;
TIAS 2266), which provides for the defense of Iceland.
(6) The United States is the largest trading partner of
Iceland, accounting for approximately 20 percent of Iceland's
total trade in goods and services.
(7) Iceland serves the commercial and trading interests of
the United States economy, and Icelandic companies bring
investments and jobs to the United States.
(8) With \1/3\ of all visitors to Iceland arriving from the
United States, Iceland is a growing tourist destination for the
people of the United States. A visa is not required for United
States citizens seeking to visit Iceland.
(9) Treaty trader visas (commonly referred to as ``E-1
visas'') and treaty investor visas (commonly referred to as
``E-2 visas'')--
(A) were established to facilitate and enhance
economic interactions between the United States and
other countries; and
(B) are temporary nonimmigrant visas that may be
issued to nationals of a country with which the United
States maintains a treaty of friendship, commerce, and
navigation.
(10) An E-1 visa may be issued to an individual seeking to
enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in
substantial trade. An E-2 visa may be issued to an individual
seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of
developing and directing the operations of an enterprise in
which the individual has invested.
(11) Eligibility for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant visas for
citizens and nationals of Iceland is critical to facilitating
Icelandic business and investment in the United States, and
such eligibility will benefit the economies of both the United
States and Iceland.
(12) Nationals of more than 80 countries are eligible for
E-1 or E-2 visas.
(13) Iceland is the only Nordic partner whose nationals are
not eligible for such visas.
(14) Iceland is 1 of only 3 North Atlantic Treaty
Organization member countries whose nationals are not eligible
for such visas.
(15) Iceland is one of very few United States allies whose
nationals do not benefit from treaty trader and investor visas.
Providing eligibility for such visas to nationals of Iceland
would ensure parity between Iceland and other countries with
which the United States maintains treaties of friendship,
commerce, and navigation.
(16) Iceland does not place barriers on United States
investors or traders wishing to enter the Icelandic market.
(17) Adding Iceland to the list of countries whose
nationals are eligible for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant visas
would--
(A) improve the strong relationship between the
United States and Iceland; and
(B) promote and increase investment in the United
States by nationals of Iceland.
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY OF ICELANDIC TRADERS AND INVESTORS FOR E-1 AND E-2
NONIMMIGRANT VISAS.
For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii) of section 101(a)(15)(E) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(E)), Iceland
shall be considered to be a foreign state under such section if the
Government of Iceland provides similar nonimmigrant status to nationals
of the United States.
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