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Timeline for EB-1A

To applicants who were not born in India or China, most of them:

• Preparation and submission of I-140 depend on the number of months before they are submitted.
• The I-140 can be processed more quickly under premium processing.
• Then, you will pass through either Adjustment of Status or consular processing.

The process may take up to 18 months at each stage, provided there are visa numbers available.

If you were born in India or China:

Backlogs can significantly lengthen the process.

• For India, it often takes 4 years or more due to priority date delays.
• In China, the wait is usually 2.5 to 3 years, depending on changes to the visa bulletin.

However, it takes your I-140 a few minutes to be processed successfully. You will still need to wait until your priority date has passed before you can apply for the next step toward a green card.

Another option: EB-1C

Some entrepreneurs and multinational executives look into the EB-1C (Multinational Manager or Executive) option.

• Approval rates are often good if the company’s structure meets the requirements.
• However, for applicants not from India or China, the wait can be as long as 5 years due to visa limits.

EB-1 categories usually have the shortest wait times for employment-based green cards. Still, your country of birth and changes in the visa bulletin will decide how long it takes to move from O-1 to permanent residence.