I worked 2 years as a manager abroad, but 4 years ago; I have been in the US for 3 years now. Does that qualify for EB-1C?

For the EB-1C, it is not enough to have held an executive or managerial role abroad at some point: that experience must be recent relative to your transfer to the United States. This recency requirement is precisely what tends to be the deciding factor in situations like the one you describe.

When the managerial role occurred several years ago and you have since spent a period living and working in the US, that experience may fall outside the qualifying window recognized by the rule. A defined reference period governs this requirement, but the exact value is set by official regulation and may change, so the safest approach is to confirm it at the source.

This does not automatically mean there is no path forward. A detailed review of your background may reveal:

• Whether any part of your experience still fits within the qualifying window.
• Whether another visa category may be a better fit for your current situation.
• What additional elements could strengthen a potential petition.

Because every case is unique, it is worth verifying the current time requirement on the USCIS website and reviewing your situation with a specialist before ruling out or moving forward with EB-1C.

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.