EB-1: Extraordinary Ability, Researchers & Multinational Executives

Key benefits

• EB-1A can be self-petitioned — no labor certification or employer sponsor required.
• Often the fastest employment-based green card route for those who qualify, with typically shorter visa-bulletin wait times than EB-2 or EB-3 for most countries of birth.
• EB-1C builds naturally on an existing L-1A, since the underlying facts often overlap. However, no requirement to have been on an L1A first.

Common challenges

• EB-1A: meeting at least 3 of 10 regulatory criteria and final merits determination on sustained acclaim.
• EB-1B: documenting sustained international recognition specifically within academia or research.
• EB-1C: showing the U.S. entity's operations support a genuinely managerial or executive role, not just a title.

Process and timeline

We assess which EB-1 subcategory fits, build the supporting record, and file the I-140 petition (with premium processing available). Visa-bulletin wait times vary by country of birth and can add significant time even after an approved petition.