To help attract the best and the brightest in every field to this country, US immigration law offers two pathways for foreign nationals with extraordinary ability to live and work here: the O-1 nonimmigrant visa and the EB-1 immigrant visa. The individual must have extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business or athletics, or who has demonstrated extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. To qualify, you must be the “cream of the crop” in your field, someone who has earned sustained national or international acclaim for your work.
You are required to submit evidence of your recognition for your achievements. A single, major national or international award such as an Oscar, Emmy, Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize or Olympic medal, may be enough. In most cases, however, applicants will need to provide extensive documentation for at least three of the other types of evidence, such as:
- Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in your field
- Membership in an organization that requires outstanding achievement for admission
- Published material in major media or trade journals that about you and your work
- Participation as the judge of the work of others in your field
- Significant original contributions to science, academia, the arts, sports or business
- Authorship of scholarly articles in professional journals, major trade publications or other major media
- Exhibition or display of your work
- Your leading or critical role in a distinguished organization- High salary or other remuneration for your work in the field
- Commercial successes in the performing arts
If you plan on immigrating to the US permanently, you can transition to an EB-1A visa. Unlike other immigrant visa categories, you do not need a sponsoring employer or Labor Certification from the U.S. Department of Labor to qualify for this “first preference” category. If you do not meet the high standards for both the O-1 and EB-1, you may be eligible for the EB-2 National Interest Waiver program based on your exceptional abilities.
We will work to develop a deep understanding of your accomplishments and contributions to help present your case in an extraordinary way. We will have in-depth discussions and assist in the gathering of evidence and preparation of detailed reference letters to make sure we can effectively translate your achievements into a persuasive application.