We often get inquiries from people who have won major internationally recognized award green card and wonder whether or not it qualifies as EB1 green card evidence of extraordinary ability. The fact is, for EB1 purposes it is really a moot point. USCIS has made it very clear that the requirement that a foreign person has received a major internationally recognized award is just a first step in the process of proving that the alien has met at least three out of ten listed types of evidence of exceptional ability. The determining factor in what constitutes a major award under these circumstances is not the actual prize itself (although that’s important) but the fact that the award is a household name even among academicians in the country of origin or other countries within the field.
Prestige and Green Cards: The Significance of Internationally Recognized Major Awards
Awards are very common in the fields of medicine, media, and marketing, but can also be found in almost any profession. It is amazing how many consultations we have had where the alien was surprised to learn that a significant award they won in the past qualifies as substantial evidence for an EB1 green card.
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