You May Qualify for More Than One Path. Let's Find Out.

A researcher who assumes they need an employer to sponsor their green card may actually qualify to file on their own. An executive being transferred from a foreign office may have a faster path to permanent residence than they realize. We see this regularly.

These four categories are the ones we focus on: EB-1 (Employment-Based First Preference green card), EB-2 NIW (Employment-Based Second Preference National Interest Waiver), O-1A (extraordinary ability work visa), and L-1A (intracompany executive and manager transfer visa). They tend to move faster than other options. Some of them remove the employer from the equation entirely.

We go through your actual background and tell you which of these apply and which do not. If none of them fit, we tell you that too and explain why. We are not going to take your case if we do not think we can do something with it.

Our office is in Fort Worth. We work with clients across DFW and the country.

The Four Categories We Focus On

EB-1 — Employment-Based First Preference Green Card

The EB-1 covers three groups. EB-1A is for people with extraordinary ability in their field — scientists, researchers, athletes, executives, artists who are at the top of what they do. EB-1B is for outstanding professors and researchers. EB-1C is for multinational managers and executives being transferred to a U.S. location.

The reason people pursue EB-1 over other green card categories comes down to timing. EB-1 is currently available for most countries with no backlog. For someone born in India who is sitting in an EB-2 or EB-3 (Employment-Based Second or Third Preference) line that is decades long, EB-1A eligibility changes everything. EB-1A and EB-1B also skip PERM (Program Electronic Review Management — the Department of Labor's labor market test), which cuts 8 to 12 months out of the process. EB-1A lets you file on your own without an employer.

• EB-1A: Self-petition, no PERM, extraordinary ability standard
• EB-1B: Employer required, no PERM, outstanding researcher standard
• EB-1C: Employer required, no PERM, multinational manager or executive
• Currently no backlog for most countries

EB-2 NIW — National Interest Waiver

The EB-2 NIW (Employment-Based Second Preference National Interest Waiver) lets you petition for a green card without an employer sponsor and without going through PERM. To qualify, you need to show that your work is in the national interest of the United States and that you are well-positioned to advance it.

Researchers, physicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, and scientists use this category. You do not need a job offer. You do need a strong case — your background, what your work accomplishes, and why it matters beyond your own career.

One thing worth knowing: for people born in India, the EB-2 backlog is severe. We always look at EB-1A eligibility at the same time, because if the evidence can support both, EB-1A may get you there significantly faster.

• Self-petition, no employer required
• No PERM
• No job offer required
• India-born applicants should review EB-1A at the same time

O-1A — Extraordinary Ability Work Visa

The O-1A is a nonimmigrant work visa — it is not a green card, but it lets you work legally in the United States while a longer-term process moves forward. It is for people who have reached the top of their field in science, education, business, or athletics.

You do not have to be famous. You do have to be able to document it. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) looks at things like nationally recognized awards, published work, peer review participation, a salary that stands out compared to others in your field, or a record of playing a critical role at well-known organizations. You need to meet at least three of USCIS's criteria. The petition lives or dies on how the evidence is selected and presented.

A lot of people pursue O-1A first as a bridge while their EB-1A or EB-2 NIW petition is being built. The evidentiary standards are similar enough that a strong O-1A approval is a good signal for what comes next.

• No annual cap
• Employer or agent files on your behalf
• Duration: up to 3 years, renewable
• Commonly used alongside EB-1A or EB-2 NIW

L-1A — Intracompany Manager or Executive Transfer Visa

The L-1A is for managers and executives being transferred from a foreign office to a U.S. location within the same company. It bypasses the H-1B (Temporary Specialty Worker) lottery entirely, and it has a direct path to an EB-1C green card for people who qualify.

To be eligible, you need to have worked as a manager or executive at the qualifying foreign company for at least one year within the last three years. The U.S. and foreign companies need to have a qualifying relationship — parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch.

• No annual cap, no lottery
• Duration: up to 7 years total
• Direct path to EB-1C green card
• Requires 1 year at the foreign entity within the last 3 years

How We Work Through Your Options

When you come in, we look at your actual background. Your work history, your credentials, your publications, the roles you have held. We tell you which categories you can make a strong case for and which you cannot. We do the analysis upfront so you are not paying for a strategy that was never going to work.

If you qualify for more than one category, we explain the tradeoffs — the cost difference, the timeline difference, what each one requires from you. Sometimes the faster path is not the obvious one.

We are a small firm by design. Every person in our office has personally gone through the immigration process. We know what it costs, how long it takes, and what is at stake if something goes wrong. This work is personal to us. Bring your resume and your questions, we will tell you where you stand.

Questions We Hear About These Categories