The EB-4 visa category allows for green cards and permanent residence in the United States for several types of “special immigrants” including, but not limited to: religious workers, Special Immigrant Juveniles, Panama Canal zone employees, international organization employees, Iraqi and Afghan translators and other workers who have assisted the United States government. The EB-4 visa holder’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 may also receive derivative visas that lead to permanent residence.
Moro Legal, LLC, advises and assists individuals and organizations through the EB-4 visa process for U.S. permanent residence and green cards. Schedule an attorney consultation online today to begin your journey, or contact our office for more information.
Religious Workers
- For religious workers seeking an EB-4 permanent visa, the U.S. employer (a bona fide nonprofit religious organization) may file a petition for the religious worker to come to the U.S. to work full-time as a minister of that religious denomination, in a religious vocation either professionally or in a non-professional capacity, or in a religious occupation either in a professional or non-professional capacity.
- Religious workers may also file their own petition, not through an employer, if they have been a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the United States, and if they have been working continuously for at least two years (after turning 14 years old), either in the United States or abroad, immediately before filing a petition in one of the three listed employment categories.
- Religious workers filing under this category who are not ministers will need to confirm that USCIS has continued authorization for their visa issuance. USCIS provides updates on the status for non-minister religious workers on their website.
Special Immigrant Juveniles
- The “special immigrant juvenile” category applies to unmarried individuals under the age of 21, in the United States, and for whom a juvenile court has ruled that reunification with parents would not be viable because of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or similar reasons, and that returning to the juvenile’s home country would not be in the child’s best interest.
- Any petition must be filed with a copy of the juvenile’s birth certificate and court documents proving the juvenile’s eligibility for this visa category.
- If the juvenile receives lawful permanent resident status through this category, the juvenile’s natural or adoptive parents may not receive any immigration benefits based on their relation to the child.
Other categories of EB-4 visas include:
- G-4 International Organization or NATO-6 Employees and Their Family Members
- International Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad
- Armed Forces Members who enlisted outside the United States
- Panama Canal Zone Employees
- Afghan and Iraqi Nationals Who Have Provided Faith Service in Support of U.S. Operations
- Certain Physicians who were licensed in a U.S. state and have been practicing medicine in a U.S. state since January 9, 1978, who entered the U.S. as an H-1B or J-1 before that date, and who have been continuously present in the U.S. since that date
- Certain Broadcasters to work for the International Broadcasting Bureau of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) or a grantee of the BBG (including United States Agency for Global Media, Radio Free Asia, Inc., or Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.)
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Moro Legal, LLC, assists individuals and organizations through the EB-4 visa and green card process. Contact us today to get started.
Note
The content of this website is for general informational purposes only and is not a replacement for legal advice. Immigration law is a complex area of law that is constantly changing and this website cannot cover every facet of the law. Every case is different, and all individuals and businesses should consult with an immigration lawyer prior to filing any petition or application.