Taking The First Few Steps Towards Your EB1A

Einstein visa is the fastest route for Indian engineers to get an American card. But it is not the easiest route. It takes a lot of hard work, patience, and dedication to give wings to your EB-1A green card dreams. And many times, you might get confused about the right strategies to tips to boost your EB-1A success rate. So, if you are at that crossroads of your life right now, here’s something for you.

Here we discuss 5 fail-proof steps you can take to boost your chances of an EB-1A green card. All these tips are tried and tested, so feel free to use them without a second thought.

1. Build Your Profile

Perhaps, the most basic of all steps. But if you skip this one, your EB-1A dream will crumble down without a doubt. Here’s why:

Unlike other visa categories like EB-2 or EB-3, the EB-1A visa isn’t tied to an employer. There isn’t an intermediary(your employer) to sponsor you and guarantee your worth. It is self-petitioned, and hence you are responsible for proving your extraordinary ability. Your profile should speak for itself and claim that you are one of the few people who have risen to the top of your field. And the only way to convey this to the adjudicators is to build your profile.

But profile building is not something you can do in a day or two. You need to plan at least a year in advance before you file your EB-1A self-petition. Finalize those three Einstein visa criteria you wish to qualify, devise a strategy and set a realistic timeline to build your profile. For example, if you plan to contribute significantly to your industry by publishing research work, you might need at least a year to achieve this. This is because you need to consider the time required for research, preparing the draft, reviewing, and publishing.

2. Finalize Your Acclaim

You might be a jack of all trades, but if you fail to be a master of none, you can’t win an Einstein visa. Niching down to that one area of specialization is the key.

The general thumb rule is the more specific and narrow your specialization is, the better. In fact, your acclaim should be “never heard of” by your adjudicator and still make sense to your industry and case.

But how can you find your niche to finalize your acclaim as an Indian software professional?

As a STEM professional, your avenues to specialize are limitless. You might have experience working under different roles like analyst or developer using technologies like Blockchain or IoT, platforms like AWS or Azure, and practices like Finops. The secret is finding one area where you can justify your extraordinary ability. For example, the area of “cloud architecture” is not specialized enough, but if you position yourself as a cloud architect for AWS, you can cut through the clutter. Similarly, “machine learning engineer” isn’t an acclaim, but “machine learning engineer in Azure” is one.

3. Understanding The Criteria For EB1A

Einstein visa requirements are clearly stated on the USCIS website. But if you misunderstand these criteria, you are setting yourself up for failure. The way you understand each of the EB-1A criteria has a direct impact on your confidence. It can either trick you into thinking you are qualified enough or underqualified.

Let’s look at two scenarios to know how:

Scenario 1: You plan to show proof that you are the CEO of your recent startup to meet the criteria for having had a leading role in a distinguished organization.

In this case, you mistakenly believe that you meet this criterion. But in reality, you do not because the requirement is that you should lead a critical role in a distinguished organization. Any recent startup takes at least 2 or 3 years to rise to the level of a distinguished organization.

Scenario 2: Suppose you make a revolutionary contribution to your industry that creates a buzz. Several publications write about it, but none talk about your contribution.

It is natural to think that you can’t use this evidence as proof for published material about you. But the truth is, you can. But you need to supplement it with a letter from concerned authorities (C-level executives of your organization) about your role in making this possible.

Here are 3 tips to save yourself from the pitfalls of misunderstanding EB-1A criteria:

• Do your own research

• Clarify your queries with EB-1A holders, but don’t blindly follow their strategy.

• Invest in an EB-1A coaching program

4. Finding The Relevance Of Each Criterion To Your Profile

To win an Einstein visa, you should either:

• Have won international acclaim

• Or should qualify at least 3 out of the 10 eligibility criteria given by USCIS

As a software professional, you can rule out specific Einstein visa criteria even before you begin. For instance, “commercial success in performing arts” and “work displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases” are not related to the field of science.

Once you weed out irrelevant criteria, zero in on the right ones. Find ways to present those criteria in a way to convince the adjudicators quickly. For example, if you plan to give publications under your name as evidence, supplement it with information to prove the significance of the publication. If you are publishing under IEEE, provide details about the readership, region of circulation, etc.

5. Invest In An EB-1A Green Card Coach

The road to EB-1A is not an easy one. Things can get hard, confusing, and complicated owing to the subjective nature of this visa. And sometimes, things can go wrong even before you start, especially when you fail to understand the basics of EB-1A, like finalizing your acclaim, etc.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula to claim your EB-1A visa, seeking help from an EB-1A green card coach can help you wade through the troubled waters of the Einstein visa. An EB-1A green card coach can help you save your effort, time, and money by helping you:

1. Devise a successful EB-1A strategy as a software professional

2. Come up with an acclaim that pertains to your strength/skills

3. Find various avenues that exist to contribute to the industry and get recognized

4. Understand the 10 Einstein visa criteria, ways to achieve and include them in your acclaim

5. Build your profile right from the beginning of your career to boost your EB-1A success rates

Can’t wait to give wings to your EB-1A dreams? Join our course today!