Eligibility to Get a Green Card Through Extraordinary Ability

Eligibility to Get a Green Card Through Extraordinary Ability

To obtain a green card based on extraordinary ability (EB-1A Green Card), you must show that you have received a major, internationally recognized award such as a Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Oscar, or Olympic Medal), which is a feat very few accomplish. An alternative to proving extraordinary ability based on these high criteria is showing that you have other abilities that come close. At Vestal Immigration Law, we help clients successfully seek and obtain green cards based on extraordinary ability.

Eligibility through Extraordinary Ability

If you’ve not received a Nobel Prize, an Oscar, an Olympic Medal, or similar awards of high accomplishment, you may still get a green card based on extraordinary ability if you have compelling documentation and evidence to meet at least 3 of the following ten criteria:

• Awards: Being a recipient of lesser but nationally or internationally recognized awards or prizes for excellence in your field. 
• Memberships: Membership in groups or associations in your field of expertise that requires outstanding or exceptional achievements of their members. 
• Mentions: Your work is being cited or mentioned in published articles written by others attesting to your outstanding ability. The work must be published in professional, major trade publications or other major media.
• Original Work: Evidence of your original scholarly, scientific, artistic, athletic, or business-related participation or contributions of major significance in the field. 
• Published Scholarly Articles: Evidence of your original authorship of scholarly articles in your field published in professional, major trade publications, or other major media locally or internationally. 
• Peer Review: Verifiable documentation showing your participation, either as an individual or part of a panel judging the work of others in your field. 
• Artistic Exhibitions or Showcases: Evidence of your artistic work being displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases. 
• Commercial Success: Evidence of commercial success showcasing your high talents in the performing arts, as demonstrated by box office receipts or demonstrable success in video, compact disk, record, or streaming sales.
• Critical Role: Evidence to show you have performed in a critical or leading role for enterprises or organizations that have a distinguished reputation. 
• Comparatively High Salary: Evidence you have commanded a high salary or other significantly high compensation for services compared to others in your field. 

If none of the above criteria applies to your field of occupation, then you can present comparable evidence to establish your eligibility for a green card as someone with outstanding ability. Our highly skilled 

EB-1A Green Card Application Process

To obtain an EB-1A Green Card, you would need to file and receive approval for an I-140 Immigrant Petition and an I-485 Adjustment of Status Application. These can be filed either concurrently or separately.

• Concurrent Filing: If you have documentation to make a strong EB-1A case, then you should file your I-140 Immigrant Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application (green card application) at the same time. 
• Filing Separately: If you are unsure as to how strong your EB-1A case is, then you should file your I-140 Immigrant Petition first and then file your green card application after the petition is approved.