Document Checklist For Immigration Visas

O-1A & EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Checklist

To qualify, you typically need to meet at least 3 of the criteria below.

1. Awards & Recognition

• Venture capital funding (can be treated as industry recognition)
• Hackathon or competition wins
• Grants or fellowships in STEM or business
• Recognition like Forbes 30 Under 30

2. Membership in Prestigious Organizations

• Acceptance into top accelerators (Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global)
• Memberships requiring peer-reviewed selection
• Organization bylaws showing selective admission criteria

3. Media Coverage

• Articles in major publications (TechCrunch, Wired, WSJ, etc.)
• Coverage specifically about you or your work
• Publication reach metrics (traffic, circulation)

4. Judging or Reviewing Work

• Judging hackathons or competitions
• Peer review for journals or conferences
• Roles on investment or accelerator selection committees

5. Original Contributions of Major Significance

• Patents with industry use or citations
• Measurable business impact (revenue, growth, adoption)
• Open-source contributions with strong usage (GitHub stars, forks)

6. Authorship & Thought Leadership

• Articles in professional or trade publications
• Conference presentations or white papers
• Industry speaking engagements

7. Critical Role in Distinguished Organizations

• Roles such as Founder, CTO, or VP Engineering
• Proof the company is well-known (unicorn, public company, industry leader)

8. High Salary or Compensation

• Tax documents or pay records
• Equity or stock with valuation context
• Compensation compared to industry benchmarks

EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) Checklist

The EB-2 NIW allows you to apply without a job offer if your work benefits the United States.

1. Advanced Degree or Exceptional Ability

• Master’s degree or higher (STEM or business)
• Bachelor’s + 5 years progressive experience
• Or 10+ years experience, licenses, or professional memberships

2. Your Proposed Endeavor

• Founders: Pitch deck or business plan
• Professionals: Career plan or personal statement

3. National Importance

• Work in critical fields (AI, biotech, clean energy, etc.)
• Job creation in the US
• Contributions to national security, healthcare, or economy

4. Ability to Execute

• Strong resume or CV
• Funding (VC, grants, term sheets)
• Market validation (LOIs, contracts, partnerships)
• Intellectual property (patents, proprietary tech)

Recommendation Letters (All Visa Categories)

Strong cases require 4 to 6 expert recommendation letters.

Ideal recommenders:

• C-level executives
• Startup founders
• Venture capitalists or investors
• Professors or industry experts

These letters must clearly explain with verifiable evidence:

• Your work in technical detail
• Your impact on the field
• Why your work matters