For EB-1C, I worked 1 year as a manager abroad, but that company was sold. Does the U.S. subsidiary still qualify?

The answer depends on how the sale affected the corporate structure. The EB-1C relies on a clear relationship between the company abroad and the subsidiary, affiliate, or branch in the United States, along with proof that you held a managerial or executive role within that group.

Your time as a manager abroad counts as part of the qualifying experience, but the sale of the company raises an additional question: did the corporate link connecting the foreign operation to the U.S. entity survive the transaction? What matters is not only whether the subsidiary remains open, but whether the relationship of control or ownership between the parties was preserved.

If the change of ownership substantially altered that relationship, it may affect how the petition is framed. Because every sale transaction is structured differently, the authorities evaluate these arrangements on a case-by-case basis, looking at the actual corporate reality rather than just the names of the entities.

For this reason, it is important to document all changes to the structure (contracts, organizational charts, ownership changes) and assess with a specialist — and check updated requirements on the USCIS website — whether the remaining corporate link supports your EB-1C.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.