There are many ways to secure a green card, but some paths are faster than others. In most cases, the quickest way to obtain a green card is to be drawn in the annual green card lottery. Unfortunately, your chances of winning are relatively low, at around 4%.
If you have a family member who is a U.S. citizen or you have already been offered a job in the United States, your chances of obtaining a green card are quick or higher. At the same time, there are quotas for employment-based and family-based immigration. One of the fastest ways to get a green card is through an EB-1C visa.
How Do I Qualify for an EB-1C Green Card?
EB-1C visas offer a promising opportunity for executives and managers to transition from foreign companies to related U.S.-based companies. This visa not only secures green cards for foreign workers, their spouses, and their unmarried children under 21 years old but also eliminates the need for the US company to obtain and approve labor certification. This means you can be hired more quickly through a job offer.
However, there are specific criteria that the U.S. company offering you a job must meet. For instance, the company should have been operating in the U.S. for at least a year at the time of the Visa application. They also need to demonstrate their ability to pay your salary, which could be done through financial statements or tax returns. The EB-1C visa is similar to the L-1A visa because both types of visas require that a foreign worker become employed in the U.S. as a manager or executive. The definitions for executive and manager are mainly the same.
However, the requirements for EB-1C visas are more strictly evaluated in terms of requiring a managerial position. Employers are required to file the EB-1C visa petition on behalf of the worker they’re hiring. Self-petition is not an option for this visa category. The employer who will be hiring you is considered the petitioner, and the foreign worker is regarded as the beneficiary.
How Fast Can I Get an EB-1C Green Card?
The amount of time it will take you to obtain an EB-1C green card from start to finish depends on your country of origin, the number of applicants, and other factors. The processing time in 2024 ranges from eight months to 37 months. The initial step in the process is filing the Form I140, which is a petition for an immigrant worker. This form is used to demonstrate that the U.S. company has a need for your skills and that you meet the qualifications for the job. The processing time for the Form I-140 can take between eight and 16 months, depending on the USCIS center you are using. Applicants can pay a fee for premium processing to expedite this stage to 15 days. After the I-140 visa has been approved, it will usually take approximately six months to issue permanent residency.
Contact a Skilled Immigration Attorney
If you are pursuing a green card and would like to obtain it as quickly as possible, working with an experienced immigration attorney can significantly expedite the process—contact Ray Law International to schedule an initial case evaluation.