Green card

Green card

Multinational Executives and Managers

Advanced Degree or Exceptional Ability

Corporate executives, High-level managers, Business owners

Physicians, Engineers, Business analysts, IT professionals, Scientists, Professors and teachers, Physical therapists, Lawyers, Pharmacists

• The U.S. job must be in an executive or managerial capacity.

• You must have been employed by a foreign branch, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the U.S. sponsor.

• You must have worked for the foreign company for at least one year within the three years preceding the visa application.

• The sponsoring company must have been operating in the U.S. for at least one year.

• You must hold an advanced degree (master's or higher), possess a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive work experience, or demonstrate exceptional ability in your field by showing at least 3 of 6 requirements, such as maintaining membership in professional associations and earning recognition for your contributions to your industry from peers or professional organizations.

• A job offer and labor certification (PERM) are required, proving that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the position.

• Provides complete flexibility to work, live, and study in the U.S.

• No labor certification is required, simplifying the application process.

• Offers the fastest pathway to a green card among EB categories.

• The application process closely mirrors the L-1A visa process and uses similar documentation.

• Direct path to citizenship after 5 years.

• Provides complete flexibility to work, live, and study in the U.S.

• Straightforward process with clear requirements.

• Highly flexible, applicable to almost any job that requires an advanced degree or aligns with the exceptional ability criteria.

• Requires sponsorship and a specific job offer from a U.S. company with a qualifying relationship to the foreign company.

• Limited to multinational executives and managers, significantly restricting eligibility.

• The labor certification process (PERM) is lengthy and time-consuming.

• Applicants are tied to the employer sponsoring the petition for most of the application process.

• Slower processing times compared to other categories, particularly for applicants from certain countries.

Required

Required

Permanent residency

Permanent residency

Every 10 years

Every 10 years

10-18 months¹

Three stages, totaling about 36-48 months¹

45 business days²

15 business days²

Yes

Yes

¹Applicants from India, China, or Mexico may experience longer wait times.

²Available only for the first stage of the process, while the second stage typically takes an additional 9-18 months.

¹Applicants from India, China, or Mexico may experience longer wait times.

²Available for only one stage of the process, with minimal impact on the overall processing time.