Catalog

Green Card paths

A summary of the main routes · reference 15/Oct/2026. Not sure which is yours? The screening helps.

EB1A EB-1A Extraordinary Ability

Extraordinary ability. Self-petition, no PERM.

I-140, I-485 ou DS-260no employer
EB2_NIW EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver)

Advanced degree / exceptional ability + Matter of Dhanasar (3 prongs).

I-140, I-485 ou DS-260no employer
EB2_PERM EB-2 with PERM

Job offer plus labor certification.

ETA-9089, I-140, I-485
EB3 EB-3 Skilled / Professional

Employer plus PERM; the queue is usually longer.

ETA-9089, I-140, I-485
EB5 EB-5 Investor

Investment in a TEA or set-aside (rural, high unemployment, infrastructure).

I-526E, I-485, I-829no employer
IR1 IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse of a citizen

Spouse of a U.S. citizen (consular). CR if the marriage is under 2 years.

I-130, I-130A, DS-260, I-864
I485_CASAMENTO AOS through marriage (I-485) in the U.S.

Adjustment of status for the spouse of a citizen already in the U.S.

I-130, I-485, I-765, I-131, I-864
F2A F2A Spouse/children of an LPR

Family preference; F2A Current in the Oct/2026 Bulletin.

I-130, I-485 ou DS-260

Find my path

Lifestyle

Whatever the path, this is the everyday life.

The photos rearrange on their own. Tap one to see it large.

Road tripRoute 66 and the open road ahead.
The mallThe Mall of America and a whole day out.
SupermarketFull shelves and the price on the tag.
HalloweenPumpkins on the porch and candy at the door.
A winter coffeeSnow outside and a hot cup in Brooklyn.

Cases that worked out

Each path can lead to a different place.

How each path works in practice: what was done and what made the petition succeed.

Destination Florida Orlando

01EB-1AEB-1

EB-1A, a company founder with coverage and impact

An entrepreneur with meaningful funding rounds, independent press, a role judging awards in the sector, and an original contribution adopted by others. EB-1A self-petition.

Why it worked

It worked because the proof came from third parties: the press, users, awards, not only the company's own pitch. A CEO title without outside recognition does not close an EB-1A.

Destination California San Diego

02EB-1AEB-1

EB-1A, an athlete

An athlete with international titles, a national-team role, and contracts in a recognized league. Criteria of awards, membership that requires distinction, and high pay relative to the field.

Why it worked

It worked because of objective sports documentation. An isolated local ranking was not enough at the standard of this kind of case. What carried weight was competition at a level the regulation treats as extraordinary.

Destination Massachusetts Groton

03EB-1AEB-1

EB-1A, an artist

A musician with awards, a leading role in a production with a reputation, critical coverage, and commercial success of the work.

Why it worked

It worked with a portfolio and independent criticism. An arts EB-1A fails when the proof is only self-assessment and social media.

Destination Texas Hill Country

04EB-1BEB-1

EB-1B, a professor with a permanent offer

A U.S. university offered a tenure-track position. Three years of research experience, international recognition, and a petition by the employer. EB-1B is not a self-petition.

Why it worked

It worked because the institution petitioned and letters from independent researchers showed impact, beyond the publications.

Destination Maryland Annapolis

05EB-1BEB-1

EB-1B from a strong postdoc

A postdoctoral researcher with high citations and judging of other people's work. The department made a permanent researcher offer and filed EB-1B.

Why it worked

It worked because of the permanent offer plus the recognition. Years in a lab with no offer and no outside evidence stay in another kind of visa, not in EB-1B.

Destination New York New York

06EB-1CEB-1

EB-1C, an executive of a subsidiary

Chief financial officer of the U.S. subsidiary, previously an executive of the parent for more than one year in the three prior years. An organization chart, payroll, and a job description showed decision-making authority.

Why it worked

It worked because of proof of real authority. A "manager" title on a team of one person, doing the technical work, is the point that most often leads to denial in EB-1C.

Destination Vermont Stowe

07EB-1CEB-1

EB-1C from a mid-size company, with real staff

An owner of an operation with professional subordinates in both countries. The U.S. company was already operating for real: payroll, a contract, an office.

Why it worked

It worked because the business in the U.S. existed. EB-1C does not reward a plan to open a company. It rewards a transfer to an organization that functions.

Destination Florida West Palm Beach

08NIWEB-2

NIW, a doctorate applied to health

A public-health researcher with publications, funding, and implementation of a method in a real service. NIW self-petition. A country with a current queue. I-485 next.

Why it worked

It worked because of impact beyond the thesis. A doctorate alone places the person in the advanced-degree EB-2. The waiver is another layer, and it asks for national interest.

Destination North Carolina Blue Ridge

09EB-2

EB-2 by advanced degree, bachelor's plus five years

An analyst with a bachelor's degree and more than five years of progressive experience. The job and the PERM asked for that master's equivalent, with the experience proved in letters from former employers.

Why it worked

It worked because the experience was documented job by job. Time worked without a specific letter does not count.

Destination California Napa Valley

10EB-2

EB-2, exceptional ability without a doctorate

A professional with recognition above the ordinary in the field, the regulatory criteria for exceptional ability, and a job offer, or an NIW if the case also passed national interest.

Why it worked

It worked because of the set of evidence of exceptional ability. "I am good at what I do" is not the standard. The standard is the set the regulation lists.

Destination Maine Bethel

11EB-3

EB-3, Schedule A nurse

A nurse with a license and the Schedule A path, which waives traditional PERM recruitment for the listed occupation. A hospital employer petitioned. Immigrant visa or adjustment depending on where the person was.

Why it worked

It worked because the occupation was on the Schedule A list and the license fit. It is one of the few employment paths in which the labor market was already pre-certified by the Department of Labor.

Destination Florida Sarasota

12EB-3

EB-3 skilled worker, no diploma, with experience

A technician with more than two years of specific experience. The job required that experience. Skilled-worker PERM. EB-3 I-140.

Why it worked

It worked because the experience was proved and the job was not designed in an artificial way. EB-3 skilled does not require a bachelor's degree. It requires the qualification the PERM stated.

Destination Massachusetts Boston

13EB-3

EB-3 consular, employee still in the country of origin

The person never had an H-1B. The U.S. employer did PERM and the I-140. The case went on at the consulate, with the DS-260 and an interview.

Why it worked

It worked because a permanent offer does not require the worker to already be in the U.S. It requires the offer to be real at the time of the visa and of entry to work.

Destination California Yosemite

14EB-5EB-4 and EB-5

EB-5, a reduced amount in a rural or high-unemployment area

An investor entered at the lower minimum, allowed for a project in a rural area, high unemployment, or infrastructure, under the 2022 reform. The rest of the logic was the same: lawful money, jobs, petition, condition, removal of conditions.

Why it worked

It worked because the project fit the area the law treats as incentivized. Using the lower amount outside that area breaks the case.

Destination Michigan Charlevoix

15EB-5EB-4 and EB-5

EB-5 through a regional center

The capital went to a project sponsored by a regional center. Jobs could be counted more broadly than in a direct investment, within the program's rule. The source of the money was the point examined most closely.

Why it worked

It worked with a documented fund: sale of property, tax, bank history, a traceable gift. A regional center does not waive proof that the money is clean.

Typical situations for each path, with no one identified. Every case is unique and the decision is always the U.S. government's.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the paths

Requirements, queues, and who can petition for whom — in plain language.

Didn't find your question? Ask on WhatsApp.

What are the EB-2 NIW requirements?

A master's degree (or a bachelor's with 5 years of progressive experience) or exceptional ability, and a showing that your work has substantial merit and national importance, that you are well positioned to advance it, and that waiving the job offer is beneficial.

What is the difference between EB-1A and EB-2 NIW?

EB-1A is for someone with extraordinary ability and sustained recognition in the field (awards, media, leadership). The queue is usually shorter, but the bar is higher. The NIW is more accessible for qualified professionals with a relevant project.

How many criteria do I need to meet for EB-1A?

At least 3 of the 10 criteria listed in the regulations (or one major award, such as a Nobel). Meeting the criteria is the first step — the officer still evaluates the record as a whole.

What is EB-3?

It is the employment path for skilled professionals, degree holders, or workers without a degree, with a permanent job offer from a U.S. company and labor certification (PERM).

What is PERM?

It is the Department of Labor certification showing that the company did not find a qualified U.S. worker for the job. It is required for EB-2 and EB-3 with a job offer.

What is the minimum EB-5 investment?

Today, US$800,000 in projects in a targeted employment area (TEA) or infrastructure, or US$1.05 million in other cases. The investment must create at least 10 jobs and have a documented lawful source.

Can a U.S. citizen petition for a Green Card for their parents?

Yes, if the citizen is 21 or older. Parents of a citizen are immediate relatives: they do not face a Visa Bulletin queue, only processing time.

Can I petition for a Green Card for my siblings?

Only if you are a U.S. citizen. Category F4 exists, but the queue usually exceeds 15 years. It is often worth looking for another path for the sibling at the same time.

What is the K-1 fiancé visa?

It lets the fiancé or fiancée of a citizen enter the U.S. to marry within 90 days and then apply for a Green Card there. The alternative is to marry first and proceed through CR-1 or IR-1, which already arrives with a Green Card.

Can a permanent resident petition for a Green Card for a spouse?

Yes, through category F2A, which includes a spouse and unmarried children under 21. Unlike a citizen, there is a Visa Bulletin queue, usually of a few years.

Can a transferred executive go through EB-1C?

Yes. Managers and executives who worked at least 1 year for a company related to the U.S. company (parent, branch, or affiliate) can petition for EB-1C, without PERM. Many arrive first on an L-1A visa.

Can I try more than one path at the same time?

Yes, and sometimes it is strategic — for example, NIW and EB-1A, or a family petition alongside an employment path. We weigh cost and benefit first.

Can my children over 21 come with me?

As derivatives, no. But the CSPA can "freeze" age in some cases by subtracting the time the petition was pending. It is worth checking carefully before concluding that a child aged out.

What if I am already in the U.S. on another visa?

Depending on the path and how you entered, it may be possible to adjust status (I-485) without leaving the country. Immigration history, unlawful presence, and intent at entry matter — that analysis is done with an attorney when needed.

Do you handle asylum or deportation cases?

No. Asylum, deportation defense, and criminal cases require an immigration attorney. If your case is one of those, we recommend that you look for that professional.