The EB-1A visa allows you to obtain a US green card directly from abroad if you have a strong career and are ready to prove to USCIS that you are an expert in your industry. You won’t need an employer, sponsorship, or millions of dollars to start a business in America — it’s enough to confirm at least three criteria from ten established by law.

Who EB-1A is Right For: Professions and Requirements

EB-1A is a visa category for extraordinary individuals, but it doesn’t require you to be a genius on the level of Einstein or Elon Musk. This visa is suitable for IT specialists, cybersecurity experts, engineers, doctors, architects, designers, marketers, managers, financial professionals, auditors, athletes, artists, dancers, teachers, and professors. The list of professions is far more extensive — what matters most is not the specialty itself, but your accomplishments and recognition in your field.

The minimum experience at which you should consider applying is 5 to 7 years. The ideal scenario is 10 or more years, though exceptions are possible in either direction. Immigration attorneys have obtained EB-1A visas for applicants with less than five years of experience, but there are also people with a decade of experience who only qualify for the weaker O-1 category.

The Ten EB-1A Criteria: You Only Need to Prove Three

USCIS evaluates applicants against ten criteria, but to get approval, you only need to prove at least three of them. However, it’s recommended to demonstrate as many as possible — preferably six or more.

The main criteria include:

Working for companies with high reputation. You held leadership positions in large or well-known organizations, or worked for companies that collaborated with other authoritative firms and helped them achieve goals, often related to financial growth.

Evaluation of other specialists’ work. Your expertise was sought to assess the work of colleagues both inside and outside your organization.

Market-level or above-market salary. You earned a salary consistent with your field’s standards and properly paid taxes.

Contribution to the industry. You worked on projects that are used in your profession. This may include helping companies grow, modernizing organizational processes, or contributing to your own business.

Membership in professional associations. You are a member of organizations for specialists in your field.

Examples of Criteria for Different Professions

For doctors: experience working in clinics and hospitals (which inherently have high reputation), providing second opinions on diagnoses, speaking at conferences, publishing scientific articles, and reviewing the work of other medical professionals.

For IT specialists: writing code or conducting architectural reviews both within and outside your company, working for multiple organizations with high reputation, participating in strategy development, signing contracts with contractors, earning a salary consistent with your specialist level, and membership in a professional association.

For entrepreneurs: participating in the growth of your own companies or helping other firms develop, modernizing organizational processes, membership in business associations.

Objective and Subjective Criteria: The Court’s Role

Applicant evaluation occurs in two stages. The first is objective: USCIS checks whether the candidate meets at least three of the ten criteria. The second is subjective: the immigration court analyzes all accomplishments and decides whether a high level of expertise has truly been achieved.

However, subjective analysis has come under criticism. In February 2026, a precedent-setting decision in Nebraska found the subjective analysis to be unlawful. This decision has already been used multiple times to gain approval for applicants, including cases that went through Federal court. Based on it, lawsuits are being filed on behalf of applicants who were denied the talent visa on subjective grounds. Thus, three criteria may be sufficient, but it’s advisable to gather more evidence.

Why You Should Apply Now

There is a phenomenon that can be called immigration inflation: over time, without filing your case, your accomplishments lose prestige and effectiveness for two reasons. First, they begin to be perceived as outdated. Second, USCIS applies an increasingly strict approach to evaluating these achievements.

The second reason for urgency is the recent lifting of the ban on consular interviews for 75 countries. Now candidates receive interviews at embassies, including repeat interviews for those who had their first interview before the Public Charge rule was introduced in September 2026.

The third and one of the most important reasons is the upcoming reform of the talent visa program. The exact timeline for reform is unknown, but it will likely not happen before 2027. This means you should start your case now: full preparation will take about 12 months and provide approximately 90% probability of approval (compared to about 35% on average across the industry).

How to Assess Your Chances for EB-1A

You should consider applying for EB-1A if you have at least three to four criteria at the start, which you can later develop into six or more. The main question to ask yourself is: how many years of experience do you have?

Experience is not one of the official talent evaluation criteria, but it’s important for understanding whether you have accumulated enough accomplishments for EB-1A. With less than five years of experience, there’s a significant risk that your case will be weak. With less than three years of experience, getting approval will be difficult.

Evaluation is individual in nature: it’s not a black-and-white system. The decision to apply requires analysis of your specific portfolio of achievements, recognition in your industry, and strength of evidence.