My ‘Head of Research’ position lasted 14 months abroad. EB-1C?

It can work, but the outcome depends less on the number of months and more on the nature of the role. The EB-1C is the pathway for executives and managers of multinational companies transferring to a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate in the United States, and it requires a qualifying period of work in an executive or managerial capacity abroad, within a recent window before the petition.

In your case, having served as “Head of Research” for 14 months outside the U.S. is a starting point. The analysis will examine whether that role was, in fact, executive or managerial, looking for signals such as:

• real responsibility for strategic decisions;
• direction of a department or supervision of teams;
• autonomy and a hierarchical level consistent with leadership.

It is also necessary to establish the corporate relationship between the company abroad and the sponsoring entity in the United States, showing that the overseas experience connects to a leadership function here.

Since timelines and criteria have details that vary case by case, it is worth reviewing the current requirements with USCIS and going over your specific situation with a qualified specialist.

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.