Extraordinary Ability Visa Business • Science • Education • Athletics

What Qualifies:

• Industry awards (Innovator of the Year, Best Product/Service)
• Academic honors and fellowships
• Business recognition (Forbes 30 Under 40, Inc. 5000)
• Patent awards and innovation prizes
• Government innovation awards
• Competition wins with national/international scope

Real Examples:

• Tech founder received "AI Innovation Award" from major industry conference
• Scientist won research grant from National Science Foundation
• Entrepreneur named to Forbes 30 Under 30

What Qualifies:

• Professional societies with selective admission (IEEE Fellow, ACM Distinguished Member)
• Invitation-only industry organizations
• Honorary fraternities and societies
• Exclusive business networks (YPO, EO at higher tiers)
• Associations requiring peer review for admission

Real Examples:

• Researcher became IEEE Senior Member (requires 10+ years experience + peer review)
• Executive joined Young Presidents' Organization (requires CEO title + revenue thresholds)

What Qualifies:

• News articles featuring you and your work
• Profile pieces in industry publications
• Podcast interviews about your expertise
• Magazine or newspaper coverage
• Online media features (TechCrunch, Forbes, Bloomberg)

Note:

Material must be ABOUT you (not just quoting you). Publication must have significant circulation/viewership.

What Qualifies:

• Peer review for academic/professional journals
• Grant proposal reviewer (NSF, NIH, etc.)
• Startup pitch competition judge
• Industry award panels and selection committees
• Conference paper reviewer
• Advisory board member evaluating others' work

What Qualifies:

• Patents and inventions with adoption
• Novel business methodologies adopted by others
• Groundbreaking research with citations
• Innovative products with market success
• Industry-changing strategies or frameworks
• Open-source projects with significant adoption

Real Examples:

• Developed algorithm now used by major companies
• Published research cited 500+ times
• Built product used by millions

What Qualifies:

• Peer-reviewed journal publications
• Conference papers and proceedings
• Technical articles in professional publications
• Industry thought leadership pieces
• Book chapters or technical books

What Qualifies:

• Leadership role at distinguished organization
• Critical or essential capacity
• Organization has distinguished reputation
• Your role is central to organization's success

Real Examples:

• CTO at venture-backed startup ($20M raised)
• Lead researcher at major university
• Principal investigator on $5M research grant

What Qualifies:

• Salary in top percentile for your field
• High consulting fees
• Executive compensation packages
• Equity compensation at successful companies

Real Examples:

• Software engineer earning $400K+ (top 5% for role)
• Consultant charging $500/hour rates
• Executive with $2M+ total compensation