EB-1C Multinational Manager & Executive Green Card (2026)

The EB-1C multinational manager/executive green card is designed for people transferring from a foreign office of a company to its U.S. parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch. It is an employer-sponsored green card, but it has no labor certification (PERM) requirement, which makes it significantly faster than EB-2 NIW or EB-3.

If you came to the U.S. on an L-1A intracompany transferee visa, EB-1C is almost always the right green card path.

Who qualifies

Four requirements must all be met:

1. Prior employment abroad: You must have worked for the foreign employer for at least 1 full year within the 3 years immediately preceding the petition filing (or your initial U.S. admission)
2. Managerial or executive capacity abroad: That year of work abroad must have been in a managerial or executive role, not a specialist or technical role
3. Qualifying relationship: The U.S. employer and the foreign employer must have a qualifying relationship — parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch
4. Managerial or executive capacity in the U.S.: The U.S. position must also be managerial or executive

What counts as “managerial capacity”

USCIS defines a manager as someone who:

• Manages the organization, a department, subdivision, function, or component
• Supervises and controls the work of other supervisory, professional, or managerial employees, OR manages an essential function
• Has authority to hire, fire, or recommend personnel actions (if supervising employees)
• Exercises discretion over day-to-day operations of the function

The function manager category is important — you do not need to supervise people if you manage an essential function of the business (like running the entire U.S. product operation as the sole person responsible).

What counts as “executive capacity”

An executive:

• Directs the management of the organization or a major component or function
• Establishes goals and policies
• Exercises wide latitude in discretionary decision-making
• Receives only general supervision from higher-level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders

CEO, COO, president, and general manager of a large division all typically qualify.

Qualifying organizational relationships

The U.S. and foreign employer must be:

• Parent and subsidiary: One owns 50%+ of the other
• Affiliates: Two companies owned 50%+ by the same parent or same individual/group
• Branch: An operating division or office of the same corporate entity

USCIS requires documentary evidence of the relationship: corporate ownership records, stock certificates, board resolutions, or articles of incorporation.

Evidence that wins EB-1C cases

• Detailed job description for both the foreign and U.S. roles, showing managerial or executive duties and percentage of time spent on each
• Organizational charts for both the foreign and U.S. companies, showing where you sit and who reports to you
• Corporate relationship documents — stock records, parent-subsidiary ownership chains, audited financials
• Business operations evidence — revenue, employee count, customer base, commercial activity
• Prior L-1A approvals if the person transferred on an L-1A visa
• Letters from the foreign employer describing the role, duration, and duties

The small company problem

The hardest EB-1C cases are for newly-established U.S. subsidiaries. USCIS often denies cases where:

• The U.S. company has only a handful of employees
• The beneficiary appears to be doing day-to-day operational work (first-line management) rather than second-line management or executive work
• The U.S. business is in startup mode without a clear executive structure

If your U.S. operation is still small, a detailed organizational chart showing reporting lines and a job description heavy on strategy and oversight (not hands-on execution) is essential.

Costs in 2026

• Form I-140: $715 (employer pays)
• Premium processing (optional): $2,965 for 45 business day adjudication (as of March 1, 2026)
• Form I-485 (adjustment of status): $1,440
• Attorney fees (typical): $8,000–$18,000

Realistic timelines

• I-140 with premium: 15 business days
• I-140 without premium: 8–14 months
• I-485 (worldwide): 8–14 months after I-140 approval
• India-born EB-1: 2+ year wait
• China-born EB-1: 3+ year wait

Check the EB-1 Visa Bulletin before planning.

L-1A to EB-1C conversion

The L-1A nonimmigrant visa and EB-1C green card have essentially the same requirements. If you entered the U.S. on an L-1A and have been working in the same qualifying managerial or executive role, converting to EB-1C is the natural next step. You can begin the I-140 process at any point during your L-1A stay — there is no minimum time in L-1A status required.

L-1A is capped at 7 years, so many L-1A holders start their EB-1C process in year 2 or 3 to leave plenty of runway.

Once your I-140 is approved and your I-485 has been pending for 180+ days, AC21 portability lets you change employers or move to a new qualifying managerial or executive role without losing your priority date.

Common mistakes

• Weak foreign experience documentation. If the year abroad happened 5 years ago and you cannot prove continuity of qualifying work, the case collapses.
• First-line management framing. Managing a small team of non-professionals doing routine work does not meet the EB-1C standard.
• Corporate relationship gaps. Changes in ownership between filing and approval can break the qualifying relationship.
• U.S. position not yet established. Filing I-140 before the U.S. operation actually exists usually fails.

After receiving your EB-1C green card, you become eligible for U.S. citizenship through naturalization after 5 years as a lawful permanent resident. For a full view of wait times across all employment-based categories, see How Long Does a Green Card Take?

Not legal advice. EB-1C cases are heavily fact-specific and vulnerable to requests for evidence when the organizational structure is unclear. Consult an immigration attorney experienced in intracompany transfers before filing.