Too many people have asked, so I have decided to share the story of how I secured my US Green Card in under 50 days, for myself and my family.

Are you a top-notch professional, with an extraordinary level of ability in your chosen field? Are you a prominent professor, researcher, scientist, artist, business person or athlete? Are you interested in coming to / staying in the United States to further work in your field of expertise?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to the questions above, you may qualify for US Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR — a.k.a. Green Card) too, based on your Extraordinary Ability.

Watch my Green Card Story on Video!

green card

It worked for me, as a seasoned interpreter. My self-petition, filed and shipped on May 7th, 2009, was approved immediately upon landing on the reviewer’s desk just three days later! I had to wait another month and a half for the actual cards to come in the mail. All things considered, the whole process took precisely 49 days from filing the petition to holding the cards in my hands.

I know it sounds too good to be true, but mine is not the only case. In fact, a couple of colleagues succeeded soon after me, using my very petition as a template. So, it is perfectly doable.

Before I proceed with further details of my case, here are a few important disclaimers:

With that out of the way, let us proceed.

I applied for what is known as an Employment-based (EB-1) Extraordinary Ability (EA) visa.

According to information on the USCIS website, “the EB-1 extraordinary ability classification is for people who are recognized as being at the very top of their field and who are interested in coming to [or staying in] the United States to continue work in that field. To establish eligibility, you must demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and that your achievements have been recognized in your field of expertise.”

Now, at first glance, the above sounded rather overwhelming, but I didn’t let that language intimidate me. While the whole process would be greatly streamlined if I were a Nobel Prize laureate, I figured there would still be ways for the unwashed like me to ascertain my merits as a candidate if I approached the application from the right angle. Here’s how I did it.

Upon careful inspection, what the USCIS instructions pertaining to the EB-1 EA category ask of applicants is that they meet at least three of following 10 requirements:

  1. Have you received any lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor?
  2. Are you a member of associations that require outstanding achievements of their members as judged by recognized national or international experts?
  3. Is there published material in professional or major trade publications or major media about you which relates to your work in the field?
  4. Have you participated on a panel or individually as a judge of the work of others in the same or in an allied field of specialization?
  5. Have you made original scientific, scholarly or business contributions that are of major significance?
  6. Have you authored scholarly articles in professional journals or other major media?
  7. Has your work been displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases?
  8. Have you played a leading or critical role for an organization with a distinguished reputation?
  9. Have you or will you command a high salary or other remuneration for your services in comparison to others in your field?
  10. Have you enjoyed commercial successes in the performing arts?

So, I set out to review my experience and credentials against that backdrop. Eventually, I figured I could meet as many as six of those requirements at the time  (bold highlights).

The next step was to gather supporting evidence of such achievements by way of strong letters of reference from credible sources that knew me firsthand. And then, of course, draft the petition.

That’s where it gets tricky, and I did put in a lot of time and effort into it. I knew that strong letters of reference (a total of 10, in my case) were the key ingredient in the recipe. The testimonials had to show that I was indeed among a handful of individuals who could do whatever I did at an outstanding level. To increase my chances of success, I asked my endorsers whether they could frame my credentials around some of the pressing issues being discussed in the U.S. at the time (i.e. national security, anti-terrorism, economic recovery, etc.).

The letters had to be exceedingly praising, but not overblown. They had to be objective as well as subtle. I wanted to come across as competent and extraordinary, but tooting my horn too loud risked alienating the reviewers. The letters had to depict me as self-assured, not boastful.

I was blessed to have received generous letters of reference from the most renowned organizations for which I had worked as a freelance interpreter. I also threw in letters from academic advisers and celebrities I had accompanied, press reviews of my book, excerpts of interviews and a detailed demonstration of past and potential earnings. Every document not originally produced in English had to be translated and attached to a note attesting the translator’s competence (I could not translate my own stuff, of course).

Using the successful application of a friend as a template, I worked on the file day and night for two weeks. At the end of those 15 days, the piece had grown to about 200 pages of solid endorsements and hard evidence of my achievements in the field of translation and interpretation.

Many other formalities had to be tended to along the way (e.g. appointments for biometrics), and an additional petition, in my case, for adjustment of status (since I was already in the U.S., on a temporary work permit (OPT). I will not go into these, as the circumstances of every case may vary widely from mine.

At the end of the day, I was able to demonstrate abilities thought to be out of the ordinary. With the right letters of reference, a good template from which to start and a systematic and careful approach to drafting, it can be done. I am living proof.

As the year winds up, I thought this information might help you put your best foot forward if securing US Legal Permanent Resident status is among your goals for 2016.

I wish you the best of luck in becoming an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability.”

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