If the foreign company had only 4 employees but I was CEO, does EB-1C apply?

In the EB-1C category, the number of employees at the foreign company is not, in itself, the deciding factor. There is no fixed minimum: a lean company can qualify, as long as you demonstrate that you held a genuine executive role, such as CEO, with real authority and leadership.

This visa is designed for the transfer of executives and managers from a foreign company to a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate in the United States. Therefore, more important than the size of the workforce is showing that a real operation existed, with a structure and processes consistent with a multinational business.

To support the case, it usually helps to gather:

• Organizational charts showing your position of authority and the company’s hierarchy.
• Detailed descriptions of your responsibilities and decision-making power.
• Evidence of the qualifying relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. entity.

Each case is evaluated individually based on this body of evidence. It is worth verifying the current requirements and structuring the documentation with a specialist, without relying on promises of guaranteed approval.

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.