Our Services
EB-1 Green Card Coaching
Our EB-1 green card coaching focuses on the EB-1A extraordinary-ability route — the one you can petition for yourself, with no employer, no sponsor, and no labor certification. We help you find out whether you qualify, choose your strongest criteria, and build the profile that gets approved.
Which EB-1 green card is this?
The EB-1 category has three branches. Only one lets you file for yourself — and that’s the one we coach.
You file it yourself
EB-1A
Individuals of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
Employer files it
EB-1B
Outstanding professors and researchers with a permanent job offer.
Employer files it
EB-1C
Multinational managers and executives transferring to a U.S. entity.
If you have an employer ready to sponsor you, EB-1B or EB-1C may fit and you won’t need us. Our EB-1 green card coaching is built entirely around the EB-1A route — for people who have no sponsor, or who want a green card that isn’t tied to a job they could lose.
With EB-1A you file Form I-140 yourself — no employer, no PERM labor certification. The trade-off is a higher bar: you must show sustained national or international acclaim and that you’re among the small percentage at the very top of your field.
The myth worth killing
This is only for Nobel laureates, Oscar or Olympic winners. In practice, people qualify on citations, real-world adoption of their work, judging roles, press, and leadership — and many of them are engineers, founders, designers, and artists just like you.
Do you qualify? The ten criteria — translated
You qualify through one major internationally recognized award, or by meeting at least three of the ten criteria below. Here’s what each actually looks like outside academia — scan for the three or four that already sound like you.
1. Awards & prizes
Industry or design awards, hackathon wins, “30 under 30,” accelerator selection, athletic titles, research honors.
2. Selective memberships
Fellowships and societies that require outstanding achievement to join — not open, pay-to-join groups.
3. Published material about you
Press features, trade-publication profiles, podcast interviews — coverage about you, not a passing mention.
4. Judging others' work
Peer review, competition juries, grant panels, accelerator judging, portfolio review boards.
5. Original contributions
A method, product, or body of work others adopted — citations, open-source use, a shipped feature at scale.
6. Authorship
Journal papers or bylined articles in respected trade publications and industry outlets.
7. Exhibitions & showcases
Juried exhibitions, festival selections, curated showcases (artists and designers).
8. Leading or critical role
Founder, tech lead, creative director, or head coach at an organization with a distinguished reputation.
9. High salary
Compensation high relative to others in your field, evidenced against wage data.
10. Commercial success
Box office, sales, streams, or ticketed audiences (performing arts).
Meeting three is the threshold — not the finish line. We usually aim to document a fourth as insurance.
Not qualified yet? Most of this can be built
Most people who come to us for EB-1 green card coaching aren’t qualified yet — and that’s completely normal. The biggest misconception about the EB-1 green card is that you either have it or you don’t. In reality, most criteria can be deliberately earned in 12–24 months, and that’s the work we do together.
Awards
Every field has them. Most people never look — and many accept self-nomination.
Judging roles
Journals, competitions, and accelerators constantly need reviewers. Don’t wait to be invited; offer.
Press
Journalists need stories. Trade and niche coverage counts, and it’s very winnable.
Authorship
You don’t need academic journals — bylined trade articles count as published material.
Why strong profiles still get denied: the two-step test
This is the part most people never learn until they get a denial. USCIS decides EB-1A cases in two steps:
Step 1 — The Thresholds
Did you provide qualifying evidence for at least three of the ten criteria? This part is largely mechanical — a counting exercise.
Step 2 — Final merits
Stepping back, does the evidence as a whole show sustained acclaim and top-of-field standing? This is where thin petitions die.
You can technically satisfy three criteria and still be denied at step two. That’s why simply collecting evidence isn’t a strategy — the evidence has to be chosen, framed, and quantified to answer the question an officer is actually asking.
That framing is what coaching is for.
How EB-1 green card coaching works
Most people who contact us aren’t at the filing stage — they’re close, but missing a criterion or unsure how to prove one. That gap is fixable with strategic coaching.
EB-1 Green Card Strategy Coaching
$100 per hour
One-on-one, pre-filing strategy with someone who has been through the EB-1A personally.
Includes:
- A clear yes / not-yet answer on your eligibility
- Your strongest three or four criteria identified
- A specific gap list — what's missing and how to get it
- Final-merits framing — how to prove top-of-field standing
- A realistic timeline to filing
No packages, no retainers. Book a single hour and get a straight answer.
Prefer to read first?
No Oscar Required: Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the EB-1 Green Card — our full written guide to qualifying, acquiring achievements, and preparing your self-petition.
A good starting point if you’d rather work through it yourself before booking time with us.
Who EB-1 green card coaching is for
Engineers & technologists
Open-source adoption, systems running at scale, patents, technical leadership.
Founders & executives
Funding raised, traction, notable customers, leading roles at recognized companies.
Researchers & scientists
Citations, peer review, and real-world deployment of your work.
Designers & artists
Exhibitions, design awards, press, and adoption of your work by others.
Athletes & coaches
Rankings, records, championships, and athletes you’ve developed.
Actors & Musicians
Actors and musicians who have achieved significant prominence in their fields.
Coached by someone who has actually done it
Top Immigrants was founded by an EB-1A green card holder who also went through the O-1 visa — as a creative professional, not a research scientist. That matters, because most EB-1 guidance online is written by and for academics.
We’ve since written two full guides on the O-1 and EB-1, and we coach applicants across engineering, business, design, the arts, and sport. We know what “extraordinary” looks like when it doesn’t come with a citation count.
We’re not a law firm, and we don’t pretend to be. We do the strategy and profile-building work that happens before a petition, then refer you to trusted immigration attorneys — or support you if you self-petition.
Prefer to do it yourself?
Plenty of people self-petition successfully without a lawyer. If that’s your plan, our step-by-step guide and the EB-1A Green Card Self-Petition Kit walk you through the petition letter, reference letters, exhibit index, and forms — the same structure we coach.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-1C?
EB-1A is for individuals of extraordinary ability and is self-petitioned. EB-1B (outstanding professors and researchers) and EB-1C (multinational managers) both require an employer to file for you. Our coaching covers the EB-1A route.
Can I really get an EB-1 green card without an employer?
Yes — through EB-1A. You file Form I-140 for yourself, with no employer, sponsor, or labor certification.
Do I have to be an Oscar or Nobel Prize winner?
No. Engineers, founders, designers, artists, and athletes qualify regularly. What matters is documented impact and recognition in your field.
How many criteria do I need?
At least three of ten — but three thin criteria won’t survive the final-merits review. We usually target four, documented deeply.
What does EB-1 green card coaching cost?
Can you guarantee approval?
No — and be cautious of anyone who does. USCIS decides. What we can do is make your case as strong and well-framed as the evidence allows.
Do you file the petition for me?
No. We’re not a law firm. We do the strategy and profile-building, then refer you to trusted immigration attorneys — or support your self-petition with our guides and kits.
How long does the EB-1A take?
Should I do EB-1A or EB-2 NIW?
EB-1A has a higher bar but faster processing and usually no backlog — often the better choice for applicants from India and China. We’ll help you weigh it.
I have an O-1 — does that mean I qualify?
Not automatically. The criteria overlap, but the EB-1A sets a higher bar. If you meet the O-1 standard you’re often approaching EB-1A, and coaching helps close the gap.
Find out where you actually stand
Most people who ask “am I extraordinary enough?” have never had anyone assess their record against the actual criteria. One conversation usually answers it — and if you’re not there yet, you’ll leave knowing exactly what to build.
Top Immigrants is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We provide EB-1 green card coaching, O-1 visa agent sponsorship, and referrals to independent immigration attorneys. This page is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation. Government fees, forms, and processing times change — verify current details at uscis.gov.
