Secure Your EB-1C Green Card: Fast-Track with L-1A

Move Managers to the U.S. with Ease

Welcome to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram! We’re excited to guide managers and executives to U.S. residency via the L-1A visa and EB-1C Green Card.

L-1A Visa: Quick Entry

The L-1A intra-company transferee visa moves senior staff to a U.S. branch in months, with no quotas or medicals. It’s ideal for opening or joining established operations.

L-1A vs. EB-1C Qualifications

Both require:

• 1+ year in a managerial/executive role abroad in the last 3 years.

• Oversight of graduate-level staff or junior managers.

L-1A is faster (months), while EB-1C takes years but offers permanent residency.

EB-1C Process

1. Stage 1: Petition Filing
   File a documented EB-1C petition, updating L-1A evidence or proving an established U.S. branch (1+ year).

2. Stage 2: Green Card Application
   Limited by a 140,000 annual visa quota. Wait times vary by country (e.g., Australia: ~8 months; India: ~21 months). Check monthly Visa Bulletin charts for updates.

Visa Bulletin Chart June 2019

The ‘All Chargeability, etc.” column is for everyone else. So, if you’re from Australia then this is your lane.

Priority Dates

So, when we filed your original EB-1C petition, when it was received you would have been given a date of receipt, otherwise known as a Priority Date (PD). Your PD is very important as this date determines your place in the queue.

So, let’s say your PD is May 1st, 2019 and you’re from Australia, then this chart is saying that USCIS is currently looking at green card applications that were filed September 1st, 2018, thus it could be roughly eight months before USCIS actually gets to review your EB1C stage 2 green card application.

If you are from India, as you can see USCIS is looking at cases that were filed October 1st, 2017, so in this case, your wait is roughly 21 months or so. So, you can see why going for the L-1A initially makes sense.

Final Action Date Chart

When your green card case has been processed, USCIS has recently created a second chart that reflects the cases that they are now ready to issue green cards on.

Visa Bulletin Chart June 2019

As you can see from the chart, if you are Australian and have a PD of May 1st, 2018, they are currently an almost one year wait to have your green card actually issued, but if you’re from India the wait is currently more like four and half years wait.

Why Start with L-1A?

L-1A’s speed (up to 7 years) allows settling in before pursuing EB-1C. File before children turn 21 to secure family Green Cards.

Act Now

Ready to relocate? Contact us via our inquiry form for expert guidance on your L-1A or EB-1C journey. Start today!

Chris M. Ingram, a U.S. Immigration Attorney, is originally from Northampton, England. He earned his BA (Hons) in Law from De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, in 1994. In 1996, he completed his Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (PGDLP) at De Montfort School of Law, followed by a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Huddersfield University, UK, in 1998. After relocating to the United States, Chris was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2003 and has been a proud member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 2004.

Having experienced the U.S. immigration process firsthand with his wife and three children, Chris M. Ingram founded his law firm with a mission to ensure that every client receives the best possible immigration experience. He recognized the need for accessible and comprehensive immigration education, leading him to develop one of the most informative online platforms available today.

The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram website now features:

1. Over 1,000 pages of immigration resources
2. Hundreds of educational videos on visa and green card options
3. Client success stories and testimonials to inspire new applicants

We continually update and expand our content to keep visitors informed about the latest immigration policies, visa options, and legal strategies.