✅ Green Card: approval
The author and his family received green cards after a successful AOS in the EB-1 category, initially while on an O-1 visa. The I-140 petition was approved without an RFE, followed by approval of the I-485.
Case details
Filed: February 28, I-140 EB-1 with premium processing
Decision: March 14, approval without RFE
Service center: USCIS
Criteria claimed: 7
Timeline: 5 months from filing the I-140 to receiving green cards
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✓Critical role
Work in organizations with an outstanding reputation
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✓Serving as a judge
Participation on panels or individually
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✓High salary
Significantly higher compared to others in the field
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✓Published material about the beneficiary
In professional or major trade publications
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✓Authorship of articles
In professional journals or other major media
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✓Original contributions
Scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance
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✓Prizes and awards
Nationally or internationally recognized
How it all went
Good evening everyone! Today my wife, daughter and I received our green cards! I was on an O-1 and did AOS.
Chronology:
- February 28: we filed the I-140 EB-1 with premium processing
- March 14: approval without RFE
- May 13: filed I-485 + I-765
- June 17: wife’s EAD (I-765) approved
- June 28: she received it
- July 19: green cards approval received (Adjustment of Status I-485)
- However, the status was dated July 18 — the same day when many people’s statuses in USCIS “jumped”, including ours, but without any actual changes. Possibly there was some batch processing that day or it was just a coincidence
- July 28: we received them
Case:
- Science
- Flutter Software Development (8 y.o.e)
Covered:
• Evidence that the beneficiary has been employed in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation.
• Evidence of the beneficiary’s participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or in an allied field of specialization for which classification is sought.
• Evidence that you command a high salary or other significantly high remuneration in relation to others in the field.
• Published material in professional or major trade publications or major media about the beneficiary, relating to the beneficiary’s work in the field for which classification is sought.
• Evidence of the beneficiary’s authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional journals, or other major media.
• Evidence of the beneficiary’s original scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field.
• Evidence of receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence.
If interested — I can write in more detail tomorrow, starting from O1 and what happened next (but it will be a very long story)
Main insight
“The AOS process can be quick and successful when there is a strong case and the paperwork is filed correctly.”
Mike Alfa (@alphamikle)
2025-02-28
Filing of I-140 EB-1 with premium processing
2025-03-14
I-140 approval without RFE
2025-05-13
Filing of I-485 + I-765
2025-06-17
EAD approval for wife
2025-06-28
Wife received EAD
2025-07-19
Green cards approval (I-485)
2025-07-28
Receiving green cards
Author of the story
Mike Alfa (@alphamikle), from the chat @talentvisahelp. Original message in the chat.
Helpful resources
All information about O-1 / EB-1A / EB-2 NIW
More success and denial stories: channel @o1eb1