My overseas company was sold, but I still manage the operation as a subcontractor. EB-1C?

The EB-1C rests on two pillars: you must have held a genuine managerial or executive role, and there must be a qualifying corporate relationship (parent, branch, or subsidiary) between the foreign company and the U.S. entity. The sale of your overseas company directly affects that second pillar.

When a company is sold, the ownership structure may change, and it becomes necessary to verify whether the qualifying link between both ends still exists. Continuing to lead the operation as a subcontractor does not resolve this on its own: in many contexts, that arrangement does not reflect the autonomy and decision-making authority the category expects of an executive or manager.

• Document what the corporate relationship looked like before the sale and how it changed afterward.
• Demonstrate that your role retains real decision-making authority over the operation.
• Verify whether the new arrangement still qualifies as a parent, branch, or subsidiary.

Each case is reviewed in detail, examining the continuity of the corporate link, the level of authority, and the control structure. Because these points are sensitive, it is worth documenting the structure thoroughly and confirming your eligibility with the official source (USCIS) or 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.