TRW & Co’s UK branch is based at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QH, England.

Overview

The EB‑1C immigrant category provides a pathway to U.S. permanent residence for executives and managers who have been employed abroad by a qualifying multinational organisation and who will continue to work in a managerial or executive capacity for a related U.S. employer. It is employer‑sponsored and designed for intra‑company transfers to a permanent role rather than temporary entry.

Eligibility and employer requirements

Key eligibility elements are:

• The beneficiary must have been employed outside the United States in a managerial or executive capacity for at least one year during the three years immediately preceding the filing (or prior to entry as a nonimmigrant if already in the U.S.).
• The U.S. petitioner and the foreign employer must share a qualifying relationship (parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch) that demonstrates common ownership and control.
• The U.S. entity must intend to employ the beneficiary in a managerial or executive capacity and generally must be an operating enterprise capable of supporting the role.

Documentary proof focuses on corporate relationships and the nature of the role: organisational charts, articles of incorporation, ownership records, employment contracts, payroll and tax records, and contemporaneous job descriptions that show managerial/executive duties.

Advantages and limitations

Advantages of EB‑1C include the absence of a PERM labour certification and, for many nationalities, stronger priority‑date movement compared with EB‑2/EB‑3. In many cases beneficiaries may be able to pursue concurrent adjustment of status when physically present and eligible in the United States.

Limitations include a requirement for qualifying prior foreign employment and a practical expectation that the U.S. business be of sufficient scale or permanence to support a managerial/executive role. Startups and very flat organisations can face evidentiary challenges. Numerical limits and visa‑bulletin movement mean timing may vary by country of chargeability.

Process and practical timing

Typical steps are:

1. U.S. employer files Form I‑140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) under the EB‑1C classification, submitting corporate and personnel evidence to demonstrate eligibility.
2. If the beneficiary is in the United States in an eligible status and visa numbers are current, they may file Form I‑485 (adjustment of status) concurrently or afterwards; otherwise the beneficiary completes consular processing abroad when a visa number becomes available.
3. USCIS may issue Requests for Evidence (RFEs) focused on managerial duties, organisational hierarchy and qualifying relationship; anticipate and prepare detailed documentary proof.

Timescales depend on USCIS processing, any RFEs, and visa‑bulletin movement. Planning transfers, documentary assembly and corporate validations well before filing reduces risk of delay.

Practical checklist

• Confirm one year of qualifying foreign employment within the three‑year lookback.
• Assemble corporate ownership and control documents for all relevant entities.
• Prepare clear organisational charts showing reporting lines and managerial levels.
• Gather employment records, pay slips, tax filings and contracts demonstrating prior role.
• Draft a contemporaneous job description for the U.S. role emphasising executive/managerial duties.
• Consider timing relative to visa bulletin movement and whether adjustment of status or consular processing will be required.

Jurisdiction and sources

Primary official sources and regulatory materials:

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — Form I‑140 and EB‑1 visa guidance.
• U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin — priority dates and visa‑number availability.
• Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and 8 C.F.R. — statutory and regulatory framework.
• U.S. embassy and consulate websites for consular processing practices in the applicant’s country of residence.

General information only; not legal advice and not a substitute for advice on a particular matter.