Do EB-1A and EB-1B share a combined quota?

EB-1 visas, highly sought after by professionals with advanced qualifications and achievements, are divided into subcategories that cater to distinct profiles. Among them, EB-1A, designated for individuals with extraordinary abilities, and EB-1B, aimed at outstanding professors and researchers, fall within the same employment-based preference category, with similar rules on number availability.

In practice, this means that EB-1A and EB-1B visas do not have separate quotas but share a combined quota. The entire EB-1 category has an annual limit (for all subcategories combined), and the numbers allocated to each subcategory come from this same total. Thus, EB-1A and EB-1B applications compete within the limit set for the whole EB-1 category.

This characteristic makes it essential to monitor official publications, such as the Visa Bulletin, which indicate the availability of numbers and potential priority date retrogressions, and also to consider that policies may change over time.

Additionally, it is important to emphasize that strict compliance with United States immigration laws and guidelines is essential for a safe and effective process. Consulting official government sources and seeking assistance from reliable experts in the field – without expecting guarantees of specific outcomes – can help avoid inconsistencies, scams, or misleading information spread through marketing campaigns.

Whenever considering initiating an immigration process, remember to analyze your case calmly, check the latest updates to the rules, and work with professionals or official guidance to ensure your safety and compliance with current legislation.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.