US approves business visa for Portuguese citizens
The “AMIGOS Act” allows Portuguese citizens access to E-1 and E-2 visas, reserved for people who wish to enter the United States to trade or do significant investments.
The legislation known as “AMIGOS Act”, which opens two categories of business visas to Portuguese in the US, was passed Tuesday night (this morning in Lisbon) with bipartisan support in the House of Representatives of Congress.
Portuguese-descendant Congressman Jim Costa, who co-sponsored the legislation introduced by Democrat David Cicilline at the beginning of the legislative session in January, called on US Senate members to follow the House of Representatives example.
“I now ask the Senate to join the House and adopt this commonsense legislation that will bring shared prosperity to our two great countries,” Jim Costa said in a statement.
HR 565, “Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing Our Success” (AMIGOS) Act, provides Portuguese access to E-1 and E-2 visas, reserved for people who wish to enter the United States to trade or to do significant investments.
“This bipartisan proposal will not only help create more US jobs and increase investment in the country but will further strengthen ties between the United States and Portugal – one of our oldest allies,” said the Congressman.
The proposal now reaches the Senate at the hands of Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat elected by Rhode Island, and Pat Toomey, Republican elected by Pennsylvania. If approved again, it will be sent to President Donald Trump for promulgation.
“This legislation will break the barriers that currently limit Portuguese investments in US business and projects,” said the Congressman, underlining “the strong relationship” between the two countries.
