Busting popular myths on the EB1A green card.

The EB1A green card requirements pose a high bar, and certainly commands some meritocracy to achieve.

However, one of the most prevalent reasons why many immigrants do not consider this route is due to the tens of hundreds of myths around the EB1A green card path.

I’m not a lawyer, but I’ve personally endured this journey as an applicant and have found success despite having a very “non traditional” profile for the EB1A.

And I’m going to break some popular myths around the EB1A, so you can take the first step in unblocking your mind and overcoming the “EB1A imposter syndrome”. With some memes.

Oh and if you’d like to begin your EB1A journey, I can help.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials in this article are for general informational purposes only.

Myth 1: You need a master’s degree

A popular myth that many candidates have is that you need a Master’s Degree to pursue the EB1A.

Or on the flip-side, having a Master’s degree makes it easier to get an EB1A.

Both of the above statements are simply myths.

The EB1A green card is about proving your expertise in a domain, and unfortunately simply getting a degree does not make you one.

On the flip-side, if you do not have a master’s degree, you don’t have to be discouraged from applying — unlike the H1-B visa program, there are no additional brownie points (I mean, lottery seats) for having a master’s degree from the EB1A path’s perspective.

Myth 2: You need citations

It’s funny how in most immigrant circles, “EB1A” and “citations” go hand in hand.

Except, when they don’t!

Yes, as a researcher or a scientist, your worthiness in the industry IS going to come from the impact your research had, which quantitatively manifests through citation count.

But, that doesn’t mean citations are the only way to show impact.

I for one, had ZERO papers and ZERO citations in my application.

But I still showed a ton of impact for my work in a non-tech, business-facing role.

Want to know how? Check out my discovery guide here!

Myth 3: You have to make a million dollars

“I make half a million dollars a year in tech. That should automatically qualify me for the EB1A green card, right?”

Maybe. Also maybe not?

Let’s put it this way. If that was true, only millionaires would be recipients of the EB1A green card. And that certainly is NOT the case.

The USCIS does credit individuals who “command a high salary or other significantly high remuneration in relation to others in the field”, but the key distinction here is how you compare to others in your field.

You might also wonder if classifying as wage level IV or higher in your H1-B labor certification is “sufficient”.

I go into a ton of detail on how I proved that my wage (which at the time was definitely less than half a million dollars!) is high in comparison to others in my field in my guide.

Myth 4: You need to be an executive

TL;DR, quality >> quantity.

The EB1A green card awards expertise in a domain — which can come from either many years of diverse work experiences, or from a solid few years of deep expertise developed in one core field.

In my case, I had five years of full-time work experience when I applied for my EB1A. I was not a people manager, nor a C-level executive.

But I had a ton of relevant expertise in a niche field. You can read more about that here.

So I absolutely don’t believe that you need to be an executive or even a people manager to be an expert in a field (and ultimately be EB1A eligible).

Myth 5: You need a ton of press coverage

Another popular myth that gives candidates imposter syndrome around the EB1A is the lack of press coverage (guilty as charged!)

While press coverage on you and your work is helpful and can help objectively validate your merits, it’s absolutely not required.

There are plenty of other categories you can consider applying to for the EB1A.

That said, if you are indeed looking to get some interviews and features under your belt, I have some great resources in my guide to help you with that too!

The EB1A may not be for everyone, but let these myths not stop you from exploring this path! For more resources or to reach out to me, get in touch!