What You Can Do on This Page Que Puede Hacer en Esta Pagina
Evidence Strength Analyzer Analizador de Fuerza de Evidencia ? What This Does Rate the strength of your evidence for each criterion. Strong evidence = higher approval chance. 5+ citations is weak; 100+ is strong for scholarly impact
Score your evidence quality for each EB-1A criterion you're claiming
Puntue la calidad de su evidencia para cada criterio EB-1A
Select a criterion and answer the questions to see your evidence strength score
Seleccione un criterio y responda las preguntas para ver su puntuacion
EB-1A vs EB-2 NIW: Which Path? EB-1A vs EB-2 NIW: Cual Camino? ? Both Are Self-Petition Options EB-1A = extraordinary ability (higher bar, faster). EB-2 NIW = national interest waiver (lower bar, longer wait for India/China).
Answer questions to find out which self-petition route is better for you
Responda preguntas para descubrir cual ruta de auto-peticion es mejor
Answer the questions and click "Compare Pathways" to see your recommendation
Responda las preguntas y haga clic en "Comparar Rutas"
Timeline & Cost Calculator Calculadora de Tiempo y Costo ? Estimate Your Journey Calculate approximate timeline and costs based on your processing choices.
Estimate your EB-1A processing time and total costs
Estime su tiempo de procesamiento EB-1A y costos totales
Select your options and click "Calculate" to see timeline and cost estimates
Seleccione sus opciones y haga clic en "Calcular"
The 10 EB-1A Criteria Los 10 Criterios EB-1A
You must meet at least 3 of these criteria OR provide evidence of a one-time major achievement (Nobel Prize, Olympic medal, etc.). Click any card to see evidence tips. Debe cumplir al menos 3 de estos criterios O proporcionar evidencia de un logro importante unico (Premio Nobel, medalla olimpica, etc.). Haga clic en cualquier tarjeta para ver consejos.
Major Awards or Prizes
Documentation of nationally or internationally recognized awards for excellence in the field
Evidence Tips: Awards
- Best: Nobel, Pulitzer, Oscar, Grammy, Olympic medals, MacArthur Fellowship
- Good: National research awards, major industry awards, prestigious fellowships
- Include: Award criteria, selection process, number of recipients, prestige level
- Avoid: Local awards, participation certificates, student awards
Membership in Associations
Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements for admission, as judged by recognized experts
Evidence Tips: Membership
- Best: National Academy of Sciences, Royal Society, IEEE Fellow
- Good: Selective professional societies with achievement requirements
- Include: Membership criteria, selection process, rejection rates
- Avoid: Pay-to-join associations, general professional memberships
Published Material About You
Published material in professional publications or major media about you and your work
Evidence Tips: Media Coverage
- Best: Feature articles in major publications (NYT, WSJ, Nature, Science)
- Good: Industry publications, respected news outlets, press releases picked up by media
- Include: Circulation data, publication prestige, full articles (not just mentions)
- Avoid: Self-published content, paid advertisements, brief mentions
Judging Work of Others
Participation as a judge of others' work, individually or on a panel
Evidence Tips: Judging
- Best: Journal peer review (Nature, Science, Cell), NIH grant review panels
- Good: Conference paper review, thesis committees, award selection panels
- Include: Invitation letters, number of reviews, journal impact factors
- Avoid: Internal company reviews, informal feedback
Original Contributions
Original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance
Evidence Tips: Original Contributions
- Best: Patents with commercial use, breakthrough research, industry-changing innovations
- Good: Novel methodologies adopted by others, influential algorithms, new techniques
- Include: Expert letters explaining significance, citation analysis, adoption evidence
- Key: Show IMPACT beyond just creation - how has it changed the field?
Authorship of Scholarly Articles
Authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Evidence Tips: Scholarly Articles
- Best: First/corresponding author in high-impact journals (Nature, Science, Cell)
- Good: Peer-reviewed publications, invited review articles, book chapters
- Include: Citation counts, h-index, journal impact factors, Google Scholar profile
- Note: Quality over quantity - 5 highly cited papers > 50 uncited papers
Artistic Exhibitions or Showcases
Display of your work at artistic exhibitions or showcases
Evidence Tips: Exhibitions
- Best: Solo exhibitions at major museums (MoMA, Guggenheim, Tate)
- Good: Group shows at recognized galleries, biennials, art fairs
- Include: Exhibition catalogs, reviews, attendance numbers, institution prestige
- Avoid: Student shows, local community exhibitions, online-only displays
Leading or Critical Role
Performance in a leading or critical role for organizations or establishments with a distinguished reputation
Evidence Tips: Leading Role
- Best: C-suite at Fortune 500, Department Chair at top university, Principal Investigator
- Good: Director/VP at notable companies, lead researcher, founding team member
- Include: Org charts, job descriptions, company rankings, your specific impact
- Key: Show the organization is distinguished AND your role is critical
High Salary or Remuneration
Command of a high salary or other significantly high remuneration relative to others in the field
Evidence Tips: High Salary
- Best: Top 5% in your field nationally (use BLS data to prove)
- Good: Top 10-15% with clear documentation
- Include: Pay stubs, tax returns, BLS/industry salary data for comparison
- Compare: Same occupation, same geographic area, similar experience level
Commercial Success (Performing Arts)
Commercial success in the performing arts shown by box office receipts, record/video sales, or other measures
Evidence Tips: Commercial Success
- Best: Gold/platinum records, top-grossing films, sold-out tours
- Good: Strong streaming numbers, festival bookings, ticket sales data
- Include: Box office data, streaming statistics, sales certifications
- Compare: Show how your success ranks compared to industry averages
Evidence Challenges vs How to Overcome Them Desafios de Evidencia vs Como Superarlos
Common EB-1A rejection reasons and proven strategies to address them. Tap either side to expand details. Razones comunes de rechazo de EB-1A y estrategias probadas para abordarlas.
- Award name not immediately recognizable to officer
- Missing documentation about selection criteria
- No context about how many applicants competed
- Award given by employer or local organization
- Include award criteria and selection process
- Show number of nominees vs winners (selectivity)
- List past winners and their accomplishments
- Get expert letters explaining the award's significance
- Include media coverage of the award ceremony
- Comparing your citations to superstars in the field
- Not accounting for field-specific norms
- Recent publications haven't had time to accumulate citations
- Niche field with smaller citation volumes overall
- Show citations relative to field average (use Scopus/Web of Science data)
- Calculate your h-index vs field median
- Include "who" is citing you (industry leaders, major labs)
- Show download/read counts as alternative metrics
- Expert letters explaining citation patterns in your niche
- Describing WHAT you did but not WHY it matters
- Missing evidence of adoption by others
- Expert letters too generic or template-like
- No comparison to existing solutions/methods
- Document who is using your work (companies, labs, governments)
- Show licensing agreements, royalties, commercial products
- Get letters from INDEPENDENT experts (not collaborators)
- Include specific metrics: cost savings, efficiency gains, lives saved
- Show how your work changed standard practice in the field
- Job title doesn't convey seniority (e.g., "Scientist" vs "Principal Scientist")
- Organization distinguished but your specific impact unclear
- Many people have similar roles in the organization
- Missing evidence of what would happen without you
- Get CEO/VP letters explaining your critical contributions
- Show projects that depended on your expertise
- Document budget/team size you controlled
- Explain why you couldn't be easily replaced
- Show organization's reputation (rankings, revenue, impact)
- Article is about your company/lab, you're just quoted
- You're mentioned in a list with many others
- Article is about the topic, not your specific work
- Self-written or sponsored content
- Highlight articles where YOU are the main subject
- Include interviews, profiles, feature stories about you
- Document publication circulation and prestige
- Show coverage in multiple outlets (not just one)
- Include translated articles from international media
Protect Yourself from EB-1A Fraud
Protejase del Fraude EB-1A
No one can guarantee EB-1A approval. USCIS has full discretion. Run from anyone promising 100% success.
Nadie puede garantizar la aprobacion de EB-1A. USCIS tiene plena discrecion.
Fabricating citations or awards is immigration fraud. It can result in permanent visa bars and criminal charges.
Fabricar citaciones o premios es fraude migratorio. Puede resultar en prohibiciones permanentes.
Beware of "awards" you can purchase. USCIS is aware of these schemes and will deny petitions based on them.
Cuidado con "premios" que puede comprar. USCIS conoce estos esquemas.
Frequently Asked Questions Preguntas Frecuentes
Correct! EB-1A is one of the few green card categories that allows self-petition. You can file Form I-140 on your own behalf without any employer involvement.
You DO need to show you'll continue working in your field of extraordinary ability in the US, but you don't need a specific job offer or employer sponsor.
| Factor | EB-1A | O-1A |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Green Card (permanent) | Work Visa (temporary) |
| Sponsor Needed? | No (self-petition) | Yes (employer/agent) |
| Standard | "Extraordinary ability" - very top | "Extraordinary ability" - similar |
| Duration | Permanent | 3 years, renewable |
| Strategy | Direct to green card | Often stepping stone to EB-1A |
Tip: Some people get O-1A first (faster, lower risk) while preparing EB-1A petition.
I-140 Processing:
- Regular: 8-12 months
- Premium ($2,805): 15 business days
After I-140 Approval:
- EB-1 is usually current for most countries (no backlog)
- I-485: 6-12 months if in US
- Consular Processing: 3-6 months if abroad
Total realistic timeline: 1-2 years from filing to green card
RFEs are common for EB-1A - don't panic. It doesn't mean denial.
Common RFE topics:
- Need more evidence for specific criteria
- Need to prove "sustained national/international acclaim"
- Questions about award prestige or membership selectivity
- Need more context for original contributions
Response strategy:
- Address EVERY point in the RFE specifically
- Add new expert letters addressing USCIS concerns
- Provide additional evidence for weak criteria
- Consider adding a new criterion if possible
Yes! EB-1A filing does not affect your current status.
Key points:
- Filing I-140 alone does not trigger any status issues
- Filing I-485 shows immigrant intent (may affect future nonimmigrant visas)
- H-1B holders: You can file I-485 concurrently (H-1B allows dual intent)
- F-1 students: Be careful - filing I-485 may affect F-1 renewal
Strategy for F-1: File I-140 only until approved, then switch to H-1B or file I-485 after graduation.
This is the overarching standard - meeting 3 criteria is just the first step.
USCIS applies a two-part test:
- Part 1: Do you meet at least 3 of the 10 criteria?
- Part 2: Looking at ALL evidence, are you truly at the very top of your field with sustained acclaim?
"Sustained" means ongoing recognition, not a one-time achievement years ago. "National/international" means recognized beyond your local area or single institution.
This is why quality matters more than quantity. 3 strong criteria > 6 weak ones.
Yes! Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can get green cards as derivative beneficiaries.
Process:
- Include them on I-485 (if filing adjustment of status)
- Or include them on consular processing (DS-260)
- They don't need their own I-140
- Separate filing fees apply for each dependent
Child aging out: Be aware of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) if children are close to 21.