5) Green Card Pathways (Permanent Residency)
Pursue EB-2 path (advanced degree or national interest)
EB-2 requires either a Master's degree OR a Bachelor's plus 5 years of progressive experience. The traditional EB-2 PERM route requires your employer to sponsor you through a labor certification process—proving no qualified American workers are available. This takes 2+ years. But EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) lets you self-petition without an employer. You must prove your work benefits the U.S. nationally and that it would be impractical to require a job offer. Entrepreneurs, researchers, and people working on important problems (healthcare, clean energy, AI safety) often qualify. NIW is increasingly popular because you control your own case.
Maintaining your F-1 status is the foundation of your life in the U.S. While the rules are strict, they are also very predictable. If you treat your immigration status like a high-priority project, you'll be able to focus on what really matters: your education and your future.
Think of me as your navigator. Here is your friendly, step-by-step guide to making the smartest strategic decisions on an F-1 visa.
Record your progress
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