How many countries does my company need to span for the EB-1C?

For the EB-1C, the concern about “how many countries” is usually a misconception. This visa does not require the company to be present in multiple countries. What it requires is a qualified corporate relationship between the entity where you served as an executive or manager abroad and an entity in the United States.

In practice, what defines the required multinational structure is the link between two poles: the company abroad, where you held the leadership role, and the U.S. operation (parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate) that will receive the transfer. Both must be genuinely operating and connected by a corporate relationship that meets the applicable rules.

The key issue is not the number of countries, but the existence of that qualified connection. If the foreign entity is no longer operating, or if there is no clear corporate tie between it and the U.S. company, that is where the requirement may be at risk.

• It is not about covering many countries.
• You need one entity abroad and one in the U.S., linked by a qualified relationship.
• Both must be active and the link well documented.

Since the corporate structure is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, it is worth verifying the current requirements and mapping your company structure with a specialist before filing.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

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.