Which three criteria are beyond argument?
List the criteria you plan to claim and, for each, the single exhibit that proves it. If any criterion depends on an interpretation—"this internal award is nationally recognized", "this role was critical"—it is a borderline criterion, not a solid one. Aim for three you would not have to defend, and add the borderline ones as support.
Who cited your work, and what did they do with it?
Open the papers that cite you most. Were the authors independent of you and your co-authors? Did they use your method, your dataset, your result—or mention you in a review paragraph? Officers now read for reliance. A case built on fifty independent citations that each used the work is stronger than one built on three hundred passing mentions.
Is your field defined the same way everywhere?
If the petition says "software engineering" and the percentile statistics come from a "computer science" category, the officer will notice. Define the field once and make every comparison—citation thresholds, h-index percentiles, salary data—match it, or explain why a broader category was used.
Does the whole record say "top of the field"?
After the criteria, the officer steps back and asks whether the evidence as a whole shows sustained national or international acclaim. Write that part as a story: the strongest fact under each criterion, then everything that does not fit a criterion but points the same way—editorial boards, invited talks, the standing of your institution. USCIS updated its EB-1A guidance in August 2025, keeping this two-step framework while directing officers to apply the criteria more objectively and to consider comparable evidence in the final-merits review; the record still has to carry both steps.
How will you keep working in the United States?
EB-1A requires evidence that you will continue in your field. A job application is weak; an offer, a contract, an active grant or a detailed statement of plans is what the regulation contemplates. Never describe an application as an offer.
References
How Lumen Law & Co. can help
EB-1A preparation requires both a careful criteria analysis and a convincing presentation of the record as a whole.
- Assess evidence of awards, judging, original contributions, critical roles, and scholarly work.
- Examine citations, adoption, and recognition without overstating what a metric proves.
- Define the field, review appropriate comparisons, and plan the final-merits narrative.
- Identify evidence gaps and timing considerations, including the option of a standalone review.