[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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