What is EB1A (Extraordinary Ability)?
The EB1A (Employment-Based First Preference, Category A) is a green card category for individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. EB1A is the fastest employment-based green card path and doesn't require a job offer or labor certification.
Key Advantages:
No job offer required
No labor certification needed
Fastest processing (First Preference category)
Self-petition (you can file for yourself)
The Complete EB1A Process: 12 Phases
Phase 0: Self-Learning EB1A Tutorial - 1 hour
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Complete this BEFORE starting your petition!
Why this matters:
Understand what "extraordinary ability" means
Learn the 10 regulatory criteria
See what qualifies as strong evidence
Avoid common mistakes that lead to denials
Determine if EB1A or EB2-NIW is better for your profile
What to learn: Visit the comprehensive tutorial collection at: https://help.quickfiling.us/en/collections/8845689-eb1a
Key topics to review:
EB1A Basics
What is Extraordinary Ability?
Do I qualify for EB1A?
EB1A vs. EB2-NIW vs. EB1B
The 10 Regulatory Criteria (Critical!) You must meet at least 3 of these 10:
Receipt of nationally/internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence
Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Published material about you in professional/major media
Judging the work of others in your field
Original contributions of major significance
Authorship of scholarly articles
Display of work at artistic exhibitions
Leading/critical role in distinguished organizations
High salary or remuneration
Commercial success in performing arts
Two-Step Analysis
Step 1: Meet at least 3 of 10 criteria
Step 2: Demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and that you're among the small percentage at the top of your field
Evidence Requirements
What constitutes strong vs. weak evidence
Quality over quantity
How to demonstrate "extraordinary ability"
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Claiming criteria without strong evidence
Weak recommendation letters
Not demonstrating sustained acclaim
Missing documentation of achievements
Your action:
Spend 1 hour reading the tutorials
Identify which 3+ criteria you meet
Assess whether you have extraordinary ability evidence
Come back when ready to say "I understand EB1A requirements and want to start"
Pro tip: EB1A has a higher bar than NIW. If you're not sure you qualify, the tutorial will help you decide whether to pursue EB1A or NIW instead.
Phase 1: Getting Started (INIT) - 1 minute
What you need: Your CV/Resume ready
What happens:
System welcomes you and provides clear overview of the full EB1A workflow
For each state, you'll see what's required from you and what will be produced
Choose how to start:
"Start fresh" - Begin by uploading your CV
"I have documents ready" - Upload multiple files or a zip folder at once
"Continue previous session" - Resume from saved state
Your action: Upload your CV (PDF format preferred)
Phase 2: CV Analysis - 1 minute
What happens:
System analyzes your CV to understand your background
Creates a personalized checklist based on YOUR specific achievements
Maps your achievements to the 10 regulatory criteria
Shows you exactly which documents you likely have
What you'll see:
Your education, publications, awards, and work experience summarized
Which of the 10 criteria you likely meet
A customized list of evidence categories relevant to you
Suggestions for documents you should gather
Your action: Review the checklist and decide whether to upload documents one-by-one or in batches
Phase 3: Evidence Collection - 1-3 hours (spread over days)
What you need to prepare: Supporting documents in 14 categories
Core Categories (Most Important):
Personal Information ✅
CV/Resume
Passport
Diplomas/Degrees
I-94 (if in U.S.)
Educational equivalency evaluation (if degree is from outside U.S.)
Publications & Citations 📚
Published papers
Patents
Google Scholar profile (can provide URL) - We have a Citation Highlight tool to simplify this whole process!
Citation metrics/reports
h-index, i10-index documentation
Awards & Honors 🏆 (CRITICAL for Criterion 1)
Award certificates
Recognition letters
Competition results
Fellowship letters
Document showing the award is nationally/internationally recognized
Funding & Grants 💰
Grant award notices
PI (Principal Investigator) letters
Research funding documentation
Evidence of competitive selection
Media Coverage 📰 (CRITICAL for Criterion 3)
Press mentions in major media
News articles (can provide URLs)
Interviews in professional publications
Featured articles about your work
Additional Strong Categories:
Judging/Reviewing 👨⚖️ (CRITICAL for Criterion 4)
Peer review invitations
Conference reviewer certificates
Journal editorial board letters
Grant review panel participation
Memberships & Certifications 📜 (CRITICAL for Criterion 2)
Professional association memberships that require outstanding achievements
Membership criteria documentation
Selection letters
Fellowship memberships
Presentations & Talks 🎤
Invited talk invitations
Conference presentation evidence
Keynote speaker invitations
Seminar announcements
Adoptions & Implementations 🚀 (Evidence for Criterion 5)
Technology transfer agreements
Commercial use evidence
Industry adoption letters
Impact documentation
High Salary 💵 (CRITICAL for Criterion 9)
W-2s showing high remuneration compared to field
Pay stubs
Salary verification letters
Comparative salary data for your field
Employment & Critical Roles 💼 (CRITICAL for Criterion 8)
Employment verification letters highlighting critical role
Leadership position documentation
Evidence of organization's distinguished reputation
Descriptions of your critical contributions
Scholarly Articles 📄 (CRITICAL for Criterion 6)
Published scholarly articles
Evidence of article impact/citations
Journal reputation documentation
Other Supporting Materials 📎
Any additional relevant evidence
Reputation and Prestige ⭐
Evidence showcasing standing in field
Affiliations with prestigious institutions
Leadership roles in renowned organizations
How to upload:
One-by-one: System guides you through each category
Batch upload: Upload multiple files at once (even zip files!)
URLs: Paste links to LinkedIn, Google Scholar, news articles - system downloads them automatically
What happens after each upload:
System automatically categorizes your document
Maps evidence to the 10 regulatory criteria
Analyzes prestigious entities (conferences, journals, awards)
May automatically search online for reputation evidence
Shows progress: ✅ (complete), 📁 (in progress), ⏳ (pending)
Pro tip: Focus on quality evidence for at least 3 criteria. Strong evidence in 3 criteria is better than weak evidence in 6 criteria.
Phase 4: Review - 15 minutes
What happens:
System shows summary of all collected evidence
Maps evidence to the 10 regulatory criteria
Shows which criteria you meet and how strongly
Identifies any critical gaps
Validates if you have enough evidence for a strong petition
Your action:
Review the summary and criteria mapping
Add any missing documents for your strongest 3+ criteria
Confirm you're ready to proceed: "Ready to do reputation analysis?"
Phase 5: Reputation Analysis - 10 minutes
What happens:
System searches the internet for evidence about:
Prestige and ranking of conferences you've published in
Impact factors of journals
Reputation and selectivity of awards/honors
Recognition of institutions you're affiliated with
Reputation of associations you're a member of
Your action: Review findings and provide additional context if needed
Phase 6: Summary of Contributions Generation - 5 minutes
What happens:
System generates a comprehensive "Summary of Contributions" document
Also creates an "Index of Exhibits" listing all your evidence
Both saved to your workspace root folder
Important: These documents summarize your achievements in USCIS-appropriate language for EB1A
Your action: Nothing - system handles this automatically
Phase 7: Extraordinary Ability Analysis Development - 5 minutes
What happens:
System analyzes which of the 10 regulatory criteria you meet
Drafts detailed analysis showing how you meet at least 3 criteria
Documents evidence for each criterion
Creates comprehensive extraordinary ability argument
The 10 Criteria:
Receipt of lesser nationally/internationally recognized prizes or awards
Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievement
Published material about you in professional/major media
Judging the work of others in your field
Original contributions of major significance
Authorship of scholarly articles
Display of work at artistic exhibitions
Leading/critical role in distinguished organizations
High salary or remuneration
Commercial success in performing arts
What's generated:
Analysis document showing your strongest 3+ criteria
Evidence mapping for each criterion
Saved to workspace as "Extraordinary Ability Analysis"
Your action: Review and confirm the analysis is accurate
Phase 8: Sustained Acclaim Development - 5 minutes
What happens:
System searches for evidence demonstrating sustained national/international acclaim
Focuses on:
Consistent recognition over time (not just recent)
National or international scope of acclaim
Recognition from peers and experts in the field
Evidence that you're in the small percentage at the top of your field
Drafts sustained acclaim analysis document
Your action: Review findings and provide additional context
Phase 9: Recommendation Letters - 1 hour
What you need: 3-5 recommenders (mix of independent experts and collaborators)
For EACH recommender, you'll provide:
Recommender's CV or homepage URL
System analyzes their background and expertise
Verifies they are qualified experts in your field
Your relationship:
How you know them (PhD advisor, collaborator, employer, independent expert)
If collaborator: describe previous work/projects together
If independent: explain why they're familiar with your work
Key points to highlight:
Scope, innovation, impact of your work
Your extraordinary ability in the field
Your sustained national/international acclaim
Evidence that you're at the top of your field
Specific examples of your major contributions
What happens:
System drafts personalized recommendation letters for each recommender
Emphasizes extraordinary ability and sustained acclaim
Uses appropriate style and tone based on recommender's background
Saves each letter to "Recommendation Letters" folder
Your action: Review and refine each letter before sending to recommenders
Pro tip: Independent recommenders (those you haven't worked with directly) carry more weight. Include at least 2-3 independent experts.
Phase 10: Petition Letter Generation and Refinement - 2 hours
What happens:
System validates your evidence completeness
Generates the main EB1A Petition Letter
Letter argues:
You meet at least 3 of the 10 regulatory criteria
You have sustained national/international acclaim
You are among the small percentage at the top of your field
Letter saved to workspace
Important: This is the core legal document arguing your extraordinary ability case
Your action:
Review the petition letter carefully and thoroughly
Request revisions and refinements as needed
Iterate with the system to perfect the arguments
Ensure all criteria are strongly addressed with evidence
Verify the two-step analysis is compelling
This iterative refinement process typically takes 2 hours to get the letter exactly right
Phase 11: Finalization - 1 hour
This is where everything comes together!
Step 1: Cover Letter Generation
You'll be asked:
Payment method: ACH (G-1650 form) or credit card (G-1450 form)?
Premium processing: Yes (I-907 form) or No?
What's generated:
Professional cover letter listing all petition components
Fees listed separately:
I-140 filing fee: $715
Asylum Program fee: $300
Premium processing (optional): $2,805
Step 2: USCIS Forms Download
System automatically downloads:
Form I-140 (main petition form)
Form G-1450 or G-1650 (payment)
Form G-1145 (e-notification)
Form I-907 (if premium processing)
All saved to "Forms" folder
Your action: Fill out forms using the smart form solution (chat-based form filling)
Step 3: Assemble Ready-to-File PDF
What happens:
System uses
workspace_assembletoolCombines ALL documents into one ready-to-file PDF:
Cover letter
Payment forms
Application forms
Index of Exhibits
EB1A Petition Letter
Extraordinary Ability Analysis
Sustained Acclaim Analysis
All exhibits organized by the 10 criteria
Step 4: Final Checklist
Before mailing to USCIS:
✅ Sign these pages:
I-140
G-1450 or G-1650 (payment form)
✅ Validate:
All form data is correct
All required signatures present
Evidence is organized by the 10 criteria
✅ Print:
Single-sided
Letter size (8.5" x 11")
Color printing preferred
24 lb paper preferred (better contrast for USCIS scanners)
✅ Filing address:
Address depends on your worksite location (see I-140 page 4)
Time Investment Summary
Phase | Time Required | Can Do Later? |
Self-Learning Tutorial | 1 hour | No - Do First! |
Getting Started | 1 min | No |
CV Analysis | 1 min | No |
Evidence Collection | 1-3 hours | Yes - spread over days |
Review | 15 min | No |
Reputation Analysis | 10 min | No |
Summary of Contributions | 5 min | No |
Extraordinary Ability Analysis | 5 min | No |
Sustained Acclaim Analysis | 5 min | No |
Recommendation Letters | 1 hour | Yes - can draft later |
Petition Letter Generation & Refinement | 2 hours | No |
Finalization | 1 hour | No |
Total Active Time: ~6-8 hours (can spread over 1-2 weeks)
Pro Tips for Success
START WITH THE TUTORIAL! - That 1 hour will help you understand if you truly have "extraordinary ability" evidence.
Focus on your strongest 3-4 criteria - Don't spread yourself thin trying to meet all 10. Deep evidence for 3 criteria beats shallow evidence for 6.
Document everything - For awards, get documentation showing they're nationally/internationally recognized. For memberships, get criteria documentation.
Use the Citation Highlight tool - Makes publications and citations evidence collection much faster.
Independent recommenders matter - Get letters from experts who haven't worked with you directly but know your work.
High bar for EB1A - If your evidence is borderline, consider EB2-NIW instead. The tutorial will help you decide.
Quality over quantity - One major internationally recognized award beats ten local awards.
Demonstrate sustained acclaim - Show recognition over multiple years, not just recent achievements.
Premium processing recommended - For $2,805, get a decision in 45 days instead of 6+ months. Worth it for EB1A cases.
What You'll Have at the End
📄 Complete EB1A Petition Package Ready to Mail:
Cover letter
All required USCIS forms (filled and signed)
EB1A Petition Letter (legal argument for extraordinary ability)
Extraordinary Ability Analysis (mapping to 10 criteria)
Sustained Acclaim Analysis
Summary of Contributions
Index of Exhibits (organized by criteria)
All supporting evidence organized
3-5 recommendation letters
Single ready-to-file PDF
Total Cost:
I-140 filing fee: $715
Asylum Program fee: $300
Premium processing (optional): $2,805
Total: $1,015 (or $3,820 with premium)
Quick Commands to Use
"Show my progress"- See collection status"Skip to [category name]"- Jump to specific section"I'm ready for SoC"- Move to generation phase"Batch upload"- Switch to bulk upload mode"Check my [document]"- Verify document contents
Common Questions
Q: Do I really need to do the tutorial first? A: YES! EB1A has a high bar. The tutorial will help you understand if you have "extraordinary ability" evidence or if EB2-NIW is a better fit.
Q: How is EB1A different from EB2-NIW? A: EB1A requires "extraordinary ability" (higher bar) and you must meet 3 of 10 specific criteria. EB2-NIW requires showing your work benefits U.S. national interest (lower bar). EB1A is faster (First Preference) but harder to qualify.
Q: How many of the 10 criteria do I need to meet? A: Minimum 3 criteria, but you need STRONG evidence for each. Weak evidence for 5 criteria is worse than strong evidence for 3.
Q: What if I only meet 2 criteria strongly? A: Consider EB2-NIW instead. The tutorial will help you compare both pathways.
Q: How long does the whole process take? A: 1-2 weeks if you spread it out, or 1-2 intensive days (plus 1 hour for the tutorial). The actual active work time is 6-8 hours!
Q: Can I save and come back later? A: Yes! Your work is automatically saved. Choose "Continue previous session" when you return.
Q: How many recommendation letters do I need? A: Typically 3-5. Mix of independent experts (2-3) and collaborators (1-2) is ideal. Independent experts carry more weight.
Q: What happens after I mail my petition? A: USCIS reviews (6+ months standard, 45 days with premium). You'll receive a receipt notice, then approval (I-797) or request for evidence (RFE).
Q: What's the approval rate for EB1A? A: Varies by field and evidence quality. Strong cases with clear extraordinary ability evidence have high approval rates. Borderline cases often get RFEs or denials.
EB1A vs. EB2-NIW: Quick Comparison
Factor | EB1A | EB2-NIW |
Bar | Very High (Extraordinary) | Moderate (National Interest) |
Criteria | 3 of 10 specific criteria | 3-prong test (more flexible) |
Processing | Faster (First Preference) | Slower (Second Preference) |
Job Offer | Not required | Not required |
Evidence Focus | Personal acclaim & achievements | Work's benefit to U.S. |
Best For | Top of field, major awards, high citations | Strong professionals with impactful work |
Pro tip: If you're unsure, start with the tutorials for both pathways and compare your evidence against each standard.
Your Journey Starts Here
Step 1: Learn (1 hour)
Step 2: Start Your Petition (When Ready)
Come back and say "I'm ready to start my EB1A petition"
This guide covers everything from start to finish. The system will hold your hand through each step, but now you know what to expect! Good luck with your EB1A petition! 🎯