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Employment Immigration

EB-1 Visa Lawyer: Extraordinary Ability and Multinational Managers

By Growth FLPC

Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer, Farmer Law PC, Austin, TX.

General information, not legal advice. Law and USCIS pages checked October 29, 2026.

Short answer: EB-1 is the first-preference employment-based green card. It has three parts: EB-1A for people with extraordinary ability, EB-1C for multinational managers and executives, and EB-1B for outstanding professors and researchers. None of them needs a PERM labor certification. Only EB-1A lets you file for yourself; EB-1B and EB-1C need a U.S. employer.

Farmer Law PC is an immigration law firm based in Austin, Texas. Our attorneys work with professionals, founders and companies across the United States. Immigration law is federal, so where you live doesn’t limit who can represent you.

Want to talk it through? Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call. The intro call is a short introduction, not legal advice.

Who is EB-1 for?

EB-1A: extraordinary ability. EB-1A is generally for people at the very top of their field in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, whose work has earned sustained national or international acclaim. You can file for yourself: EB-1A doesn’t need a job offer or labor certification. See our EB-1A extraordinary ability page.

EB-1C: multinational managers and executives. EB-1C is generally for managers and executives who have worked for a multinational company abroad and will keep working for it as a manager or executive in the United States. The U.S. employer files for you. See our EB-1C green card page.

EB-1B: outstanding professors and researchers. EB-1B is for professors and researchers recognized internationally in an academic field. A U.S. university or research employer files for them. We list EB-1B so you can see the whole category. Our practice focuses on EB-1A and EB-1C.

EB-1 categories at a glance

Category EB-1A EB-1C EB-1B
Generally for People at the very top of their field Multinational managers and executives Internationally recognized professors and researchers
Who files You U.S. employer U.S. university or research employer
PERM labor certification No No No

How the EB-1 process works

  1. Gather the evidence. You and your lawyer collect the records that show you fit the category.
  2. Form I-140. You (EB-1A) or your employer files the green card petition with USCIS.
  3. Wait if there’s a line. Only a set number of green cards are issued each year, so some people wait before the last step.
  4. Green card. You apply for the green card itself.

Government filing fees change often. The current amounts are on the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055).

Not sure whether EB-1A or EB-1C fits? Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call or call (512) 588-5909. The intro call is a short introduction, not legal advice.

EB-1A vs. EB-2 NIW

Many people who look at EB-1A also look at the EB-2 National Interest Waiver. Both let you file for yourself, and neither needs PERM.

  • EB-1A is for people at the very top of their field.
  • The NIW is for advanced degree professionals and people with exceptional ability whose work is in the national interest of the United States.

Our EB-1A vs. EB-2 NIW comparison puts the two side by side, and our EB-2 visa page covers the NIW and the other EB-2 routes.

FAQ

Does EB-1 require PERM labor certification?
No. EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-1C all skip PERM. The case starts with Form I-140 at USCIS.

Can I file an EB-1 petition for myself?
Only in EB-1A. EB-1B and EB-1C need a U.S. employer to file for you.

What is EB-1A?
EB-1A is a green card for people with extraordinary ability, meaning people at the very top of their field in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics.

What is EB-1C?
EB-1C is a green card for managers and executives who have worked for a multinational company abroad and will keep working for it as a manager or executive in the United States. The U.S. employer files.

What’s the difference between EB-1A and the EB-2 NIW?
Both let you file for yourself with no PERM. EB-1A is for people at the very top of their field. The NIW is for advanced degree professionals and people with exceptional ability whose work is in the national interest of the United States.

Is there a wait for EB-1?
Sometimes. Only a set number of EB-1 green cards are issued each year, so some people wait before they can apply for the green card.

Talk with us about EB-1

Start with a free 15-minute intro call with Farmer Law PC. Our attorneys can help you see whether EB-1A, EB-1C, the NIW or another path fits. The intro call is a short introduction, not legal advice.

Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call or call (512) 588-5909.

Form notice: Submitting this form doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Next step: a free 15-minute intro call. Responsible attorney: Kyle Farmer, Farmer Law PC, Austin, TX.

Sources (checked 2026-10-29)

  • INA 203(b)(1) and 203(b)(2)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1153 (Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1153
  • 8 CFR 204.5(h), (i), (j) and (k) (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/section-204.5
  • USCIS, Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1 (last reviewed 01/24/2025): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-first-preference-eb-1
  • USCIS, Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2 (last reviewed 01/15/2025): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-second-preference-eb-2
  • USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 6, Part F, Ch. 2, Extraordinary Ability (current as of October 27, 2026): https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-f-chapter-2
  • USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 6, Part F, Ch. 3, Outstanding Professor or Researcher (current as of October 27, 2026): https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-f-chapter-3
  • USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 6, Part F, Ch. 4, Multinational Executive or Manager (current as of October 27, 2026): https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-f-chapter-4
  • USCIS, Visa Availability and Priority Dates (last reviewed 01/24/2025): https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates
  • USCIS, Form I-140: https://www.uscis.gov/i-140
  • USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055

Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer is the attorney responsible for this website. Farmer Law PC’s principal office is in Austin, Texas. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Using this site or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please don’t send confidential information until we confirm we can represent you. This article is general information, not legal advice.