What STEM Professionals Should Know About EB1A Self-Petition in 2026

What STEM Professionals Should Know About EB1A Self-Petition in 2026 I've been on an H1B for years. If you're reading this, chances are you have too — or you're at least familiar with the anxiety of employer-dependent immigration status. Layoffs, RFEs, visa lottery stress. It's a lot. A few months ago, I started seriously looking into the EB1A green card category. Not because I thought I was some kind of genius, but because a colleague who had fewer publications than me got approved. That made me realize: most of us in tech drastically underestimate our own qualifications. Here's what I've learned. EB1A Isn't Just for Nobel Laureates This is the biggest misconception. The EB1A category is officially called "Extraordinary Ability," which sounds like you need a Fields Medal or a Nature cover story. You don't. USCIS requires you to meet 3 out of 10 specific criteria. That's it. You don't need to be the top person in your field — you need to demonstrate that you're among those who have ris