The EB-1 visa is a highly prestigious work visa option. Covering a wide range of potential applicants, it is divided into the following subcategories:

• EB-1A: For those with extraordinary ability in business, athletics, science, education, and the arts;
• EB-1B: for distinguished researchers and professors;
• EB-1C: For managers and executives of multinational companies.

Immigrants applying for an EB-1 visa must meet some of the following requirements:

• Demonstrate sustainable national or international recognition;
• Achievements in this area must be supported by extensive documentation;
• No sponsorship from an American employer is required;
• Demonstrate international recognition for academic achievement;
• Should stand out in the academic community through distinction and international recognition;
• The applicant must have at least three years of experience as a researcher or teacher;
• It is necessary to provide objective evidence of your achievements;
• It is necessary to show that the applicant worked outside the United States for a full year in the last three years as an executive director or manager;
• The applicant must come to work in the United States as an executive or manager.

The EB-1 visa application process

The EB-1 visa application process is divided into three main phases:

1. Filing an I-140 petition takes six months, but EB-1A and EB-1B petitions are expedited through a premium process, allowing applicants who pay an additional fee and file Form I-907 to reduce the I-140 processing time from six months to just 15 days.
2. The priority date is set when USCIS receives your employment-based visa petition. The Department of State issues monthly visa bulletins with final validity dates for each visa type, depending on the country. A visa becomes available when the final validity date for your category matches your priority date.
3. Adjust your status or obtain a visa – This step depends on whether you are currently outside the United States or in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa. If you already have a visa, you can adjust your status by simply filing an I-485 and waiting six months for the process to complete. If you don’t have a visa, you can obtain one through the consular process.