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Successful EB1A case study for a public relations (PR) professional

Public relations interview

The EB1A green card is a pathway available for individuals of extraordinary ability who can show they are among the small percentage who has risen to the very top of their field of endeavor.

Being the first-preference category, EB1A beneficiaries enjoy the advantage of the possibility of ultra-fast processing (receiving a response within 15 calendar days with premium processing) and the priority dates being current for most countries.

An AAO appeals case study approving the EB1A for a public relations (PR) professional is a great reminder that the visa is available to all kinds of fields in the arts, education, business, or athletics, and provides a glimpse into the types of evidence USCIS is looking for in an EB1A petition.

To determine if an applicant merits a green card under the EB1A category, the government will use the Kazarian analysis. In the first step of the analysis, the government will look to see if the applicant has either received a major, internationally recognized award (e.g., the Academy Award), or provide evidence meeting at least three among the ten types of evidentiary criteria. If yes, the government will move onto the second stage, the final merits determination. In this stage, the government will look to the totality of the evidence and evaluate whether the whole record establishes, by a preponderance of evidence, that:

  • The applicant has sustained national or international acclaim;
  • The applicant’s achievements have been recognized in the field through extensive documentation; and
  • The applicant is among the small percentage who have risen to the very top of the field of endeavor.

The applicant in this case had first earned international recognition in the industry for initiating the idea and concept, and managing all aspects of, a notorious PR and social media campaign on behalf of a major airline, involving a contest that received significant participation from the public and “garnered media attention worldwide.” The campaign itself earned many awards, including the “Innovator Award” in 2010; the Petitioner (along the employer) was also nominated for the “PR of the Year Award” the following year.

After this groundbreaking campaign, Petitioner was invited to events to personally give a presentation of their successful PR strategy, and experts confirmed this achievement “paved the way for other brands” to market themselves with a similar approach. The experts confirmed Petitioner received significant media coverage as the spokesperson for the campaign, being featured on TV, radio, and print, including the BBC World News, and was featured as a subject of interviews in numerous trade publications and magazines in the years following this campaign. After relocating to the United States in 2015, Petitioner submitted letters proving that they had continued to spearhead the launch of leading brands, some of which campaigns generated 2.7 billion media impressions within two weeks of launch.

In support of Petitioner’s status as a leader in this field, Petitioner submitted evidence of having served as a judge of the work of others, having served in a critical role in distinguished organizations, and receipt of a high salary relative to others in their field, in his executive role as Director of Communications (USA) for a major global brand. Strengthening this record, Petitioner submitted evidence being invited to serve on panels at prestigious events, and being frequently invited to speak on podcasts, industry panels, and other platforms on subjects related to marketing and communication, further confirming Petitioner’s status as a recognized expert in the industry. Experts confirmed Petitioner’s status as “one of the most prominent spokespeople in the United States” in their niche.

Given the volume of evidence supporting the extensive publicity and renown surrounding Petitioner and their work, the AAO found that Petitioner’s achievements truly reflected a “career or acclaimed work in the field” and approved the EB1A classification as someone who has achieved the required sustained national and international acclaim and was among the small percentage at the top of their field of endeavor.

To learn more, see our related posts below. You can also schedule a consultation at a date and time most convenient for you.

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This website and blog constitutes attorney advertising. Do not consider anything in this website or blog legal advice and nothing in this website constitutes an attorney-client relationship being formed. Set up a one-hour consultation with us before acting on anything you read here. Past results are no guarantee of future results and prior results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

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