I hold a management role, but only managed for 9 months. Can my EB-1C be denied?

This is a real concern. The EB-1C is the path for executives and managers of multinational companies, and it requires demonstrating a qualifying period of executive or managerial work outside the United States, within a defined window before the petition. If your time in a management role fell short of that period, it can weaken or disqualify the petition under this category.

The exact length of that qualifying period and the window in which it must have occurred are numerical criteria set by current regulations, so we do not state fixed values here. The safe approach is to check the current requirement directly at the official source (USCIS) and compare it against your actual management history.

Keep in mind that the review does not focus only on duration: the executive or managerial nature of your duties, the relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. entity, and the consistency of your documentation all carry weight. A somewhat shorter period can be a serious obstacle, but each case is assessed individually.

• Verify the updated qualifying period directly with USCIS.
• Confirm that your duties are genuinely managerial, not just a title on paper.
• Consult a specialist to determine whether another category may be a better fit for your profile.

Before filing, have a professional evaluate your case, because submitting a petition that does not meet the required period tends to result in a denial.

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.