EB-1 Visa Attorney in Los Angeles
Immigration-Focused Representation for EB-1 Professionals Since 2015
The EB-1 is the first-preference employment-based immigrant visa category, offering a direct path to a green card for individuals who have reached the top of their field. Unlike EB-2 and EB-3, EB-1 petitions don’t require a permanent labor certification from the Department of Labor, which removes one of the most time-consuming steps in the process and can keep priority dates moving faster. Filed on Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, with USCIS, an approved EB-1 petition sets the foundation for adjustment of status or consular processing.
Los Angeles draws entertainers, researchers, technologists, academics, and multinational executives from across the world, and many of them qualify for EB-1 consideration without realizing it. At Arnaout Immigration Law Firm, we’ve focused on immigration law since 2015 and handle EB-1 petitions for employment-based professionals throughout the Los Angeles area. Clients work directly with a devoted attorney from the first consultation through resolution of their case. Our services are available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Arabic, and we offer flat-rate and flexible payment options to work with your budget.
Contact Arnaout Immigration Law Firm online or call (818) 276-9900 for an evaluation today. Services are available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Arabic.
The Three EB-1 Subcategories
The EB-1 category is divided into three subcategories, each with its own eligibility criteria and petition requirements. We work with clients across all three, assessing which subcategory fits their professional background and building the evidence package needed to meet that standard.
EB-1A: Extraordinary Ability
The EB-1A subcategory covers individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, demonstrated through sustained national or international acclaim. No job offer or employer sponsorship is required; applicants may self-petition by filing Form I-140 directly with USCIS. To qualify, USCIS evaluates applications against ten regulatory criteria and requires evidence meeting at least three, covering things like major awards, published scholarly or critical work, high salary relative to peers, or a leading role in distinguished organizations.
For professionals considering the O-1 nonimmigrant visa as a stepping stone, the EB-1A uses a comparable extraordinary ability standard and can represent the logical next step toward permanent residency.
EB-1B: Outstanding Professors & Researchers
The EB-1B subcategory applies to outstanding professors and researchers with at least three years of teaching or research experience in their academic field. The applicant must be seeking a tenure or tenure-track teaching position, or a comparable research role at a university, institution of higher education, or private employer with a qualifying research department. Unlike EB-1A, this subcategory requires both a qualifying job offer and an employer petition.
EB-1C: Multinational Managers & Executives
The EB-1C subcategory covers multinational managers or executives transferring to a U.S. employer that is the same company, an affiliate, or a subsidiary of the foreign employer where the applicant worked for at least one of the prior three years. Our attorney is licensed to practice in both the U.S. and Canada, which matters for EB-1C clients whose qualifying managerial or executive tenure was held within Canadian-based affiliates or subsidiaries.
Visas across all three EB-1 subcategories are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Historically, EB-1 has carried shorter wait times than EB-2 and EB-3, making early filing meaningful.
Why Los Angeles EB-1 Petitioners Work with Us
EB-1 professionals navigating cross-cultural careers and cross-border work histories need more than general immigration knowledge. They need an EB-1 visa attorney who works their case personally, speaks their language, and understands the documentation demands of an evidentiary-heavy petition category.
- Immigration-focused practice: We handle immigration law and nothing else, meaning every resource goes toward your case.
- Direct attorney access: You work one-on-one with the attorney throughout your EB-1 petition process, not with rotating staff.
- Five-language service: We serve clients in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Arabic, reaching EB-1 professionals from Latin America, the Philippines, the Arab world, and beyond in their primary language.
- U.S. and Canada licensure: Our attorney is licensed in both countries, extending representation to clients with cross-border employment histories relevant to EB-1C and other categories.
- Flat-rate and flexible fees: We offer flat rates and flexible payment options to accommodate clients navigating the cost of immigration proceedings.
- Family center available: Appointments include access to a welcoming space for clients who bring children.
EB-2 Visas: Advanced Degrees & Exceptional Ability
The second preference category (EB-2) is for members of the professions holding advanced degrees or individuals of exceptional ability. It covers two subcategories: workers who hold advanced degrees or their equivalent, and workers with exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business whose work can greatly benefit the national economy, cultural or educational interests, or welfare of the country.
Unlike EB-1, most EB-2 petitions require a permanent labor certification from the Department of Labor unless the applicant qualifies for a National Interest Waiver. EB-2 generally carries higher priority and shorter wait times than EB-3, which is a meaningful distinction for professionals deciding between the two categories. We handle EB-2 petitions for qualifying professionals in Los Angeles.
EB-3 Visas: Skilled Workers, Professionals, & Other Workers
The third preference category (EB-3) covers three subcategories: skilled workers with at least two years of experience, professionals who hold a baccalaureate degree, and other workers with less than two years of experience.
There is a significant backlog in EB-3 processing for nationals of every country, and visa alternatives should be evaluated before committing to EB-3 classification alone. Where eligible, we can assist clients in filing both an EB-1 and an EB-2 petition simultaneously, as regulations don’t limit the number of immigrant petitions filed on an applicant’s behalf at any time.
EB-4 Visas: Special Immigrants Including Religious Workers
The fourth preference category (EB-4) covers a defined set of special immigrant classifications, including religious workers, Panama Canal Treaty employees, Amerasian children, certain employees of U.S. foreign-service posts abroad, certain retired officers or employees of G-4 international organizations or NATO-6, special immigrant juveniles, and others. We provide assistance for clients navigating EB-4 eligibility and documentation requirements.
EB-5 Investor Visas: Investment & Job Creation in the U.S.
The fifth preference category (EB-5) is for employment creation, or investor visas. It provides conditional residency for investors who invest in a new commercial enterprise employing at least 10 full-time U.S. workers. Investment thresholds and targeted employment area definitions are set by federal regulation and were updated by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022; applicants should consult current USCIS guidance for the applicable investment amounts before planning a petition.
Conditional residency is granted for a two-year period. Within the 90-day window before the second anniversary of conditional resident status, the investor must file to request removal of the condition to become a Lawful Permanent Resident. To receive permanent residence, the applicant must have substantially met the capital investment requirement.
A reduced investment threshold may apply when the investment is made in a targeted employment area, defined as a rural area or a location that has experienced unemployment at 150 percent of the national average. The regional center program, substantially amended by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, allows investment through USCIS-approved regional centers with a relaxed job-creation requirement. Under the 2022 Act, annual EB-5 visa set-asides are allocated by investment area: 20 percent for investors in rural areas, 10 percent for investors in high-unemployment areas, and 2 percent for infrastructure projects.
We assist clients evaluating EB-5 investor visa eligibility and the investment process. Our dedicated EB-5 page provides further detail on the program.
To schedule a consultation with a Los Angeles EB-1 visa attorney, contact us at (818) 276-9900 to get started.