OVERVIEW
A permanent path for transferred leaders —
without PERM.
The EB-1C does not require a PERM labor certification, unlike the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. That removes a slow, costly step from the process. The U.S. company, not the individual, is the petitioner.
The Grady Firm, based in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, represents multinational companies and their executives nationwide in EB-1C green card petitions.
THE BASIC TEST
The candidate must have been employed outside the U.S. for at least one year within the three years preceding the petition — or the most recent lawful nonimmigrant admission, if already working for the U.S. petitioner.
The U.S. petitioner must have been doing business for at least one year, have a qualifying relationship to the foreign entity, and intend to employ the candidate in a managerial or executive capacity.
WHO IT'S IDEALLY SUITED FOR
Who qualifies.
Multinational managers or executives who have been employed outside the U.S. for at least one continuous year within the past three years by a qualifying foreign company and are being transferred to a U.S. parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch in a true managerial or executive role. It works especially well for founders, C-suite leaders, senior managers, and executives overseeing people, functions, budgets, and strategic decision-making rather than performing day-to-day operational tasks.
7/10
DIFFICULTY RATING
Why it's difficult to win without counsel.
It's difficult to obtain an EB-1C on your own because USCIS applies intense scrutiny to whether the role is truly managerial or executive and whether the multinational relationship is legitimate and ongoing.
The EB-1C does not ask you to show personal acclaim, as the EB-1A does. The scrutiny falls on the role and the corporate relationship.
THE COMMON PATH
From L-1A to EB-1C.
A graduation path.
Most EB-1C petitioners are current or former L-1A holders. You build the U.S. office on L-1A status, establish a real operating history, then petition for the green card using that track record as evidence.
An executive who has run the U.S. office can point to what was actually done rather than what was projected.
01
FAMILY ELIGIBILITY
02
WHEN TO APPLY
03
WHO PAYS THE FILING FEES
Spouse and children.
Any time of the year.
Petitioner/Employer.
If your I-140 petition is approved, your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible to apply for admission to the United States in E-14 or E-15 immigrant status, respectively.
No cap, no lottery, no filing season.
The EB-1C is employer-driven. The U.S. entity files the petition and pays the fees.
F A Q
Before you file.
01
Does my U.S. entity need to be established for a certain amount of time?
Yes. The U.S. petitioner must have been doing business for at least one year at the time of filing. A company that is only being opened does not yet meet this requirement, which is why many executives first transfer on L-1A status.
02
What counts as a “qualifying relationship” between companies?
The U.S. company must be a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of the foreign company, and both must be doing business. The relationship rests on ownership and control, and USCIS expects documents that show it is real and continuing.
03
How is EB-1C different from L-1A?
The L-1A is a temporary nonimmigrant visa. The EB-1C is a permanent green card. Both rely on a managerial or executive role and a qualifying corporate relationship, but the EB-1C also requires the U.S. company to have been doing business for a year.
04
Can I apply for EB-1C while still on L-1A status?
Yes, if the requirements are met. Your U.S. employer files the I-140 petition while you remain in L-1A status, and your time running the U.S. office becomes part of the evidence.
05
Do I need a job offer from the U.S. company?
Yes. The U.S. company is the petitioner and must intend to employ you in a managerial or executive capacity. You cannot self-petition as you can under the EB-1A.
WHY WORK WITH THE GRADY FIRM
Not just paperwork.
Strategy.
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Managerial and executive duties documented so they read as oversight, not operations
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The corporate relationship proven with ownership and control evidence
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L-1A track record converted into permanent-residence evidence
Ready to plan the move from L-1A to a green card?
Start with a confidential consultation.
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