EB-1A Evidence Checklist

Collect awards that show field-level excellence rather than routine internal recognition. Team awards can still help if your contribution is documented clearly.

USCIS looks for memberships that require selective achievement-based admission judged by recognized experts. Current guidance also allows relevant past memberships.

Gather third-party articles about you and your work. Current USCIS guidance no longer requires these articles to separately prove the value of your work beyond the regulatory text.

Document review or judging roles that show the field trusted your expertise, whether individually or on a panel.

This is often a central EB-1A criterion. USCIS usually expects objective proof that your work mattered beyond one employer or one team.

Collect published scholarly writing in the field, including journal articles, conference papers, or other recognized scholarly publications.

Document both halves of the criterion: the organization or sub-unit must be distinguished, and your role must have been leading or critical in a concrete way.

Frame compensation against appropriate peer benchmarks in the same geography, sector, and role type, including meaningful non-salary pay where applicable.

This criterion is generally limited to artistic exhibitions or showcases. For non-artistic occupations, USCIS expects properly supported comparable evidence instead of stretching this category.

Use this only if your field is within the performing arts and you can show market-facing commercial performance.