EB-1A Extraordinary Ability

EB-1A — Self-Petition, No Employer or PERM Required

For applicants in science, education, business, arts, or athletics with sustained national or international acclaim. No employer sponsorship or PERM is required; the case centers on personal achievements and professional impact.

Learn Eligibility & Strategy

Overview

EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) falls under Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1). Applicants must show sustained national or international acclaim with widely recognized achievements. Unlike other employment-based categories, EB-1A allows self-petition and does not require a job offer.

Successful cases typically present a structured evidence narrative of professional impact: high-level awards and nominations, citations and dissemination of core works, mainstream media coverage, judging/peer review, senior memberships, key roles at reputable institutions/platforms, and quantifiable metrics.

Advantages: No Employer, No PERM, Broad Fields

EB-1A is flexible and efficient. It does not require an employer’s job offer or the PERM process, allowing applicants to control the timeline.

The category is not limited by a fixed list of fields. If you can build a clear logic around sustained acclaim and impact, you may qualify across science, education, business, arts, and athletics. Concurrent I-485 filing may be available when visa numbers are current.

Eligibility: Two Pathways

(1) Major One-Time Achievement: e.g., Pulitzer, Oscar, Nobel Prize—the core is overwhelming authoritative recognition; explain the award’s stature, review mechanism, and competitiveness.

(2) Satisfy at least three of the Ten Criteria: meet at least three USCIS regulatory criteria to show sustained acclaim. Typical dimensions: awards/honors, media coverage, judging, publications/authorship, critical roles, citations/impact metrics, etc.

In both pathways, emphasize evidence quality, objectivity, and verifiability, and build a coherent argument demonstrating sustained impact.

Evidence & Strategy: Building an Impact Loop

We categorize evidence into Core Achievements, Third-Party Recognition, Sustained Output, and Objective Data.

Map evidence to USCIS criteria and explain why each piece demonstrates extraordinary ability. Strengthen against common RFEs through verifiability, authoritative sources, complete timelines, and causal logic.

Process & Timeline

1) Assessment and planning; 2) Evidence compilation and drafting; 3) File I-140 (premium available); 4) Concurrent or subsequent status options (I-485 when current or consular processing); 5) Post-filing: interview prep, RFE/NOID response, status/travel documents.

FAQ

Can I apply without a ‘top-tier’ award?

Yes. Many successful cases qualify by meeting multiple regulatory criteria, supported by strong third-party evidence proving sustained acclaim and impact.

Do I need international top media coverage?

Not necessarily. Focus on the outlet’s authority and reach, and ensure coverage is about the applicant’s achievements. Provide circulation/audience metrics where possible.

How do I quantify ‘impact’ in business?

Use revenue/GMV, active users, conversion, market share, major partnerships, etc., with audit/reconciliation/third-party or regulatory evidence.

This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice; case strategies depend on facts and the latest USCIS policies.

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