EB-4 Immigrant Visa (Special Immigrants)

The EB-4 Visa is a U.S. employment-based immigrant visa category reserved for special immigrants who have made unique contributions or provided essential services under specific circumstances. It offers a pathway to lawful permanent residency (Green Card) for qualifying individuals such as religious workers, employees of U.S. government agencies abroad, and other designated special categories.

Key Features of the EB-4 Visa:

• Eligibility: The EB-4 visa covers a diverse range of special immigrant categories defined by U.S. immigration law, including:
  • Religious Workers (ministers, priests, imams, monks, or religious instructors) who have been members of a recognized nonprofit religious organization in the U.S. for at least two years.
  • Employees of U.S. Foreign Service Posts who have provided faithful service to the U.S. government abroad.
  • Employees of the Panama Canal Zone and certain retired employees of international organizations or NATO.
  • Afghan and Iraqi Nationals who worked with or on behalf of the U.S. government as interpreters, translators, or employees.
  • Armed Forces Members and other qualifying special immigrants as designated by U.S. law.
• Religious Worker Program: This subcategory allows ministers and religious workers to live and work permanently in the U.S. for a nonprofit religious organization. Applicants must demonstrate two years of continuous membership and employment in their religious denomination prior to filing.
• Form I-360 Petition: The sponsoring organization or eligible individual must file Form I-360 (Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to initiate the EB-4 process.
• Priority Dates and Visa Quotas: The EB-4 category is subject to annual numerical limits. Applicants must monitor their priority date in the U.S. Visa Bulletin to determine visa availability and next steps in the green card process.
• Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing: Once the EB-4 petition is approved, eligible applicants may:
  • Apply for Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) if already in the U.S., or
  • Proceed with Consular Processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate if residing abroad.
• Conditional Residency: In certain cases, EB-4 visa holders may initially receive conditional permanent residency, which requires meeting specific requirements before obtaining full permanent status.
• Dependents: Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old may accompany the EB-4 principal applicant to the United States and apply for derivative green cards.
• Pathway to Citizenship: After obtaining permanent residency, EB-4 visa holders may become eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after fulfilling the required period of residence.

The EB-4 Immigrant Visa recognizes individuals who have provided essential services to the United States or made valuable humanitarian, diplomatic, or religious contributions. At Visa2Migrate, we help applicants understand category-specific requirements and streamline the process toward achieving lawful permanent residency.