The Road Less Traveled: Unlocking the American Dream via the Extraordinary Ability Green Card (Part 1)
“I was told that it could take decades to receive the Green card through the regular EB-2/3 route. With an EB-1, it took only a few months. ”
This article is the first in a two-part series about the extraordinary ability Green Card (EB-1). This installment provides an overview of the process and sheds light on broader issues related to obtaining a U.S. Green Card. In Part 2, I’ll delve into my personal journey, offering an insider’s view of the EB-1 process.
Media about authors journey: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/why-einstein-visa-applicants-are-now-facing-a-10-year-backlog-for-green-cards/articleshow/103092788.cms?from=mdr
Note: I’m not a legal professional; the details shared in this article stem from personal experience. It’s crucial to consult an immigration attorney about your specific situation. The information contained herein doesn’t constitute legal advice.
Each year, the United States welcomes nearly a hundred thousand foreign professionals across a wide range of fields, including engineering, law, medicine, finance, and design. These talented individuals invigorate the U.S. economy and add a rich tapestry of skills to the workforce.
In theory, securing a work visa should be the first, straightforward step toward making the United States a permanent home. However, the reality is more complex. A per-country quota system for green cards has resulted in a substantial backlog for many applicants. This predicament is particularly prevalent among individuals from countries with high levels of immigration to the U.S, leading to wait times that can span decades.
As a consequence, many immigrants find themselves in stressful circumstances. They are often unable to change jobs freely due to the complexities of visa transfers, face challenges with international travel due to inconsistent visa appointment availability, and must constantly grapple with uncertainty about their future in the U.S. A lot of bills have been proposed over the last few years, but none of them have been successfuly passed.
This sense of powerlessness and frustration stems from the fact that the situation is largely outside of their control, hinging on the country of their birth. While there are faster options for professionals like the EB-5 based investment visa, these typically require hefty investments or meet specific conditions, rendering them inaccessible for many.
Nevertheless, there is a lesser-known but promising pathway to the Green Card — the EB-1A/B Extraordinary Ability Green Card. The EB-1C category also exists, but it’s tied to specific conditions related to international work experience.
One of the significant benefits of the EB-1 route is that it can expedite your journey to permanent residency, circumventing the prolonged waiting period that other employment-based immigration routes entail. The current wait time for EB-1 applicants is substantially shorter — approximately a year, depending on the specific situation.
Figure:Data sourced from the USCIS Visa Bulletin for June 2023 underscores the severe backlog faced by applicants, particularly in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories for countries like India and China. In contrast, the EB-1 category sees a much shorter backlog.
In pursuing an EB-1 Green Card, you could potentially add a substantial layer of depth to your professional portfolio. At its core, the EB-1 category is tailor-made for “aliens of extraordinary ability” — a group that includes exceptional researchers, professors, or multinational executives. In the process of crafting a compelling EB-1 application, you naturally expand your skill set, fortify your professional network, make substantial contributions to your field, and elevate your professional standing. Notably, these strides in personal and professional growth occur parallel to the Green Card process, enriching your career trajectory. In essence, while the journey to securing an EB-1 is labor-intensive, it concurrently acts as a catalyst for your career development.
The term — “Extraordinary Ability Green Card” — may sound intimidating. Indeed, that’s how I felt initially, as did many of my colleagues. The demands of the process — the stringent requirements, time commitment, and associated costs — can seem daunting. However, as I’ll elaborate in Part-2, with the right planning and effort, this goal is entirely achievable.
Edit: I’ll be sharing Part-2 soon after the holiday break. I’m also happy to answer questions with my experience, feel free to reach out here.
