A “green card,” issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), confirms lawful permanent resident status, allowing individuals to reside and work anywhere in the United States. While most green cards require renewal every 10 years, those based on marriage or investment must be replaced after the initial 2 years.
With an EB-1 visa, securing a green card is possible without a job offer from a U.S. company. Additionally, the EB1 visa qualifies for premium processing, ensuring that your application can be reviewed in just 15 days.
What is EB-1 Visa?
The EB1 visa, also referred to as the “Employment-Based First Preference” or “Extraordinary Ability Visa”, gives foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in the arts, sciences, business, education, or athletics the unique opportunity to become lawful citizens of the United States. It serves as a guiding light, providing priority workers with a quick path to obtaining permanent residency in the United States. It’s also considered one of the most advantageous employment-based immigrant visas because it offers a faster application process and doesn’t require labor certification.
A Labor Certification is a document showing that the US employer made attempts and was unable to get a qualified US worker to fill the position they are hiring you for.
There are two categories of EB-1 Visas:
- EB-1A: For people with extraordinary ability. Individuals with globally recognized awards such as an Olympic Medal, an Oscar, a Pulitzer, a Nobel Peace Prize, an Academy Award, or a Grammy, etc.
- EB-1B: For outstanding researchers or professors in different fields.
BENEFITS OF EB-1 VISA
The EB-1 visa comes with many benefits:
- Self-Petition: With an EB1 visa, you can self-petition and get your green card without a job offer from a US company. You can submit your petition to USCIS without an employer sponsor.
- Premium Processing: With an EB-1 visa, there’s no need for a labor certification. The EB1A visa is eligible for premium processing, allowing your application to be reviewed in just 15 days. The process is faster, and there is typically no waiting time for visa availability. Premium processing, also referred to as priority processing, is a service offered by USCIS for certain visa categories.
- Eligibility For Citizenship: Because the EB-1 visa is an immigrant visa, if you are successful in your EB1A visa application, you qualify for a US green card and can eventually become a US citizen if you meet the residency requirements.
- Derivative Beneficiaries: Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age can also obtain their green cards through your EB-1 visa approval, and they may also be able to get work authorization.
EB1 Visa Requirements include:
- An extraordinary ability in either the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
- Your sincere interest to stay in the United States to continue working in your field of extraordinary ability.
In Conclusion:
The EB-1 visa is great for people who have achieved a certain level of recognition in their field and want to continue working in the USA in their area of extraordinary ability, which will also substantially benefit the United States.
On average, an EB-1 visa takes eight months to process, with the government typically taking six months to issue permanent residency after the petition is approved. Having the USA green card can be an easy ride if the due process is followed with the accurate criteria.