EB-4 Green Card

The EB-4 visa is an employment-based, fourth preference green card category for certain special immigrants. Unlike other employment-based categories, EB-4 covers a wide range of humanitarian, religious, and specialized groups, providing a direct pathway to U.S. permanent residence.

Who is the Visa for?

  • Religious workers (ministers and certain other religious vocations)

  • Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ) (minors who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected)

  • Certain U.S. government employees abroad (including interpreters and Afghan/Iraqi nationals assisting U.S. missions)

  • Broadcasters employed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (or grantees)

  • International organization employees or NATO employees and their families

  • Other designated special immigrant categories as defined by USCIS

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must fall into one of the recognized “special immigrant” categories under U.S. immigration law.

  • Each subcategory has its own specific criteria and documentation (e.g., continuous religious work for at least 2 years for religious workers; juvenile court order for SIJ cases).

  • Must demonstrate that the applicant qualifies under the statutory definition of a special immigrant.

Visa Duration:

  • Grants permanent residence (green card) once approved.

  • Green card status is valid for 10 years and renewable indefinitely.

Processing Time:

  • Varies depending on the subcategory and petition type (Form I-360 is most commonly used for EB-4).

  • Visa bulletin wait times may apply, as EB-4 is subject to annual limits and per-country caps.

  • Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) or Consular Processing timelines depend on priority date availability.

OpenSphere Services:

  • Category assessment & eligibility strategy

  • Petition drafting (Form I-360 & supporting evidence)

  • RFE/NOID response support

  • End-to-end legal guidance through Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing