6 months from now, will you still be "researching"?
Let me ask you something uncomfortable. Six months from now, where will you be in this visa journey?
More issues
The 3 outcomes you actually want from your visa process
When people talk about EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, or O-1, they usually talk about "the process": forms, criteria, evidence, timelines. But when you're the one doing it, you don't want a process.
You can't edit a blank page
The biggest thing holding most EB-1A candidates back isn't a lack of qualifications. It's the absence of a draft.
There's research. There's notes. There are bookmarked success stories and saved Reddit threads and half-finished Notion pages. But there's no draft.
The 3 types of EB-1A candidates I keep meeting
Since sharing my full EB-1A petition and getting hundreds of messages, clear patterns started to emerge.
Most serious EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and O-1 candidates fall into one of three archetypes. This post is to help you figure out which one sounds most like you, and what that means for your
Why I chose 5 criteria (and why you should choose 3)
The legal requirement for EB-1A is 3 out of 10 criteria. That's it.
Most people think more criteria = stronger case. It doesn't. More criteria often means a diluted case. You spread your evidence thin. Your narrative wanders. The USCIS officer has to follow five different threads
I didn't think I was 'extraordinary' enough for EB-1A
When I first looked at EB-1A, I genuinely thought it wasn't for me.
"This is for Nobel Prize winners and unicorn founders."
"My profile is too weird: community, events, programs, some media... where does that even fit?"
"I don't have a
The moment I stopped researching and started writing
For months, I told myself I was "preparing" my EB-1A petition.
I had 20+ browser tabs open. I could quote criteria from memory. I'd read every success story on Reddit. I had a Notion page called "EB-1A Notes" with 47 bullet points and zero
I published my full EB-1A petition. Here's what 50,000 people taught me.
A few months ago, I did something most immigration lawyers would call insane.
I published my entire EB-1A I-140 petition online. The full cover letter, all 40 exhibits, my reference letters, the supporting evidence. Everything exactly as USCIS received it, minus personal details and passport numbers.
Then I posted it
My EB‑1A “Extraordinary Ability” Green Card Journey and My Full I‑140 Petition (Fully Published)
Hi, I’m Pierre. I was born in France, spent most of my adult life in the United Kingdom, and earlier this year I fulfilled a lifelong dream: I moved to New York City as a U.S. permanent resident after receiving my EB‑1A “Extraordinary Ability” green card.
I’