O-1A Beneficiaries in Sciences, Education, Business, or Athletics
1. Establishing Eligibility
In support of an O-1A Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129), the petitioner must establish that the applicant:
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Has extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics that has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim;
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Has achievements that have been recognized in the field through extensive documentation;
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Is coming to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability (but not necessarily that the particular duties to be performed require someone of such extraordinary ability).[19]
2. Supporting Documentation
The supporting documentation for an O-1A petition must include evidence that the applicant has received a major internationally recognized award (such as the Nobel Prize) or at least three of the following forms of evidence:
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Documentation of the applicant's receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor;
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Documentation of the applicant's membership in associations in the field for which classification is sought, which require outstanding achievements of their members, as judged by recognized national or international experts in their disciplines or fields;
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Published material in professional or major trade publications or major media about the applicant, relating to the applicant's work in the field for which classification is sought, which must include the title, date, and author of such published material, and any necessary translation;
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Evidence of the applicant's participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or in an allied field of specialization for which classification is sought;
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Evidence of the applicant's original scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field;
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Evidence of the applicant's authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional journals, or other major media;
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Evidence that the applicant has been employed in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation;
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Evidence that the applicant has either commanded a high salary or will command a high salary or other remuneration for services, as evidenced by contracts or other reliable evidence.[20]
Appendix: Satisfying the O-1A Evidentiary Requirements [2 USCIS-PM M.4, Appendices Tab] describes examples of evidence that may, in some circumstances, satisfy the O-1A evidentiary requirements, as well as considerations that are relevant to evaluating such evidence. While many of the listed examples and considerations are especially relevant to applicants in fields related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM),[21] the guidance in the appendix may be relevant to any O-1A petition, as the evidentiary requirements are the same for all persons in the sciences, education, business, and athletics.
For more details, please visit:
USCIS.gov