EB-4 Special Immigrant

The EB-4 category has approximately 10,000 visa numbers per year. The non-minister religious worker subcategory has an additional annual sublimit of approximately 5,000. Ministers are not subject to this sublimit but are counted under the overall EB-4 cap. Currently, EB-4 priority dates are Current for most countries, though China- and India-born applicants may experience brief backlogs.

No. The EB-4 religious worker category does not require PERM labor certification, which is a significant advantage over EB-2/EB-3. The employer files Form I-360 directly without needing to prove to the Department of Labor that no qualified U.S. workers are available. However, USCIS scrutinizes religious worker petitions very closely, particularly regarding the authenticity of the religious organization and the continuity of the applicant's religious work.

Beyond religious workers, EB-4 categories include: (1) Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) — minors determined by a U.S. court to have been abused, neglected, or abandoned; (2) certain long-term employees of U.S. diplomatic missions abroad; (3) retired employees (and family members) of international organizations (e.g., United Nations, World Bank); (4) noncitizens serving in the U.S. Armed Forces; (5) former Panama Canal Zone employees; (6) Iraqi/Afghan translators (SIV program). Each subcategory has distinct eligibility criteria and procedures.

Premium Processing is not available for the EB-4 I-360 petition. Applicants must wait through regular processing times. However, after I-360 approval, if filing I-485 adjustment of status, it may be possible in certain circumstances to request expedited processing from USCIS (e.g., for urgent travel needs), though this is discretionary.