What is the United States EB-1A immigration program and how does it work?
The EB-1A program is a type of employment-based immigration, meaning that the person is able to immigrate to the United States of America based on their extraordinary abilities. Qualified applicants are first preference to be chosen for immigration. Moreover, the applicants can file the petitions themselves; they do not need a U.S. sponsor (employer) as applicants under other employment-related programs do. Even if someone qualifies to immigrate through this program, they will still want to seek advice and counsel from an immigration lawyer or immigration attorney.
What qualifies someone to be considered for EB-1A?
Those qualified into this program have demonstrated extraordinary abilities in their chosen field of practice. Whether it is in science, arts, business, education, or athletics, the person applying for EB-1A status must be a leading performer in that field, having achieved recognition nationally or globally for their talents and achievements. Some of these career paths include award-winning researchers, famous athletes or artists, or business executives operating on a national scale.
How do you show proof that you're qualified for EB-1A status?
First, speak with your immigration lawyer who can help navigate you through this process with ease. You have to be able to show evidence that you are well-regarded or awarded in your field. Depending on your individual circumstances and professional field, you have to choose and submit not less than tree items from the following list of suggested evidence:
- Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor
- Membership in associations in the field for which classification is sought which require outstanding achievements, as judged by recognized national or international experts in the field
- Published material in professional or major trade publications, newspapers or other major media about the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s work in the field for which classification is sought
- Original scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field
- Authorship of scholarly articles in professional journals or other major media in the field for which classification is sought
- A high salary or other remuneration for services as evidenced by contracts or other reliable evidence
- Participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or in a field of specialization allied to that field for which classification is sought
- Employment in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation
If the above standards do not readily apply to the beneficiary’s occupation, the petitioner may submit comparable evidence in order to establish eligibility.
Remember, the clue to the successful approval of the petition is not only the presence of the required evidence, but proper presentation as well. Immigration officers are not experts in every professional field. For example, they do not have to be quantum physics scientists to review the immigration petition of the physicist. Every piece of submitted material must be properly described and its significance explained. The assistance of an excellent immigration attorney will provide you a smoother immigration process.
