PILLAR · GREEN CARD
Green Card
EB-1, EB-2 (incl. NIW), EB-3, EB-5 — backed by USCIS I-140/I-485 statistics and travel.state.gov priority date tables. EB-2 NIW is our anchor page.
The five employment-based green-card categories
The U.S. employment-based green card system is divided into five preference categories under INA §203(b):
- EB-1 — extraordinary ability (EB-1A), outstanding researchers (EB-1B), multinational managers/executives (EB-1C). Premium processing available.
- EB-2 — advanced-degree professionals or exceptional ability. Includes the National Interest Waiver (NIW) sub-category that skips PERM and job-offer requirements.
- EB-3 — skilled workers, professionals (BA + 2 yrs experience), and other workers. Requires PERM.
- EB-4 — special immigrants (religious workers, certain juveniles, employees of international organizations).
- EB-5 — investor visa requiring $800K (TEA) or $1.05M investment plus 10 U.S. jobs created.
Each category has its own evidence standards, priority-date queue, and processing time. Total wait stacks two clocks: visa-bulletin priority dates from the State Department's monthly bulletin, plus USCIS adjudication time on I-140 / I-485, posted at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times.
Green card sub-pages
- EB-2 NIW · ⭐ flagship page — priority date, eligibility, processing
- National Interest Waiver concept · Dhanasar three-prong test, evidence categories
- EB-1 · extraordinary ability, outstanding researcher, multinational manager
- EB-2 · advanced degree / exceptional ability (non-NIW)
- EB-3 · skilled worker / professional / other worker
- EB-5 · investor visa, $800K/$1.05M, RIA reform
- Form I-140 · immigrant petition for alien worker
- Form I-485 · adjustment of status
- Adjustment of status overview · AOS vs consular processing