✅ EB-1A: approval
A success story from a chat colleague who received EB-1A visa approval in the field of design without an RFE, despite difficulties with the consulate.
Case details
Filing: March 7, 2025
Decision: March 28, 2025
Service center: Texas (premium)
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✓Competitions
Participation and wins in international design competitions
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✓Membership
Membership in professional associations
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✓Media
Publications in specialized outlets following competitions
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✓Jury service
Jury service in international competitions
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✓Key role
Letter from the client company’s marketing director
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✓High income
Individual entrepreneur (ИП) in Russia
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✓Exhibitions
Participation in exhibitions from competitions and online
How it all happened
Friends, I’m sharing a colleague’s EB-1 success story and key dates from the chat. He asked me to post his story, which I’m happy to do. Field: DESIGN — EB-1A. March 7, 2025 — package sent. March 12, 2025 — package delivered (+5). March 14, 2025 — USCIS assigned a number (Texas, premium) (+2). March 28, 2025 — received an email “The Texas Service Center has approved” (+14). April 4, 2025 — received the Approval Notice from USCIS (+7). April 10, 2025 — received an email from NVC (+7). Initially the case was in Warsaw, although I immediately attached a Georgian residence permit — it was moved to Tbilisi, but something went wrong there because at the consulate interview the consul couldn’t find my case either in printed or electronic form — AP and a request to send the printed case in a week. The case is 1,238 pages + 39 pages cover letter. 1. Competitions: The Vega Digital Awards, London Design Awards, The MUSE Creative Awards, Indigo Design Award, A’ Design Awards, Communicator Awards, Summit Creative Award, Orpetron, CSSDA. 2. Memberships: The Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), International Association of Designers (IAD), Eurasian Art Union. 3. Media about me (all after competitions): Design Interviews, Designradiant, Indigoaward, Muse World. MEDIA DATES: May 1, 2024; June 22, 2024; September 27, 2024; October 23, 2024. 4. Judging: Communicator Awards, Davey Awards, w3 Awards, Orpetron. 5. Key role (client company, letter from the marketing director). 6. High income (individual entrepreneur in Russia). 7. Exhibitions (from competitions + online). + 3 letters + LOI. INTERVIEW. October 22, 2025 — Interview took place; AP was initiated because they didn’t have the case and the consul couldn’t verify my statements. October 30, 2025 — consulate requested the case again. November 3, 2025 — printed the case again and submitted it to the VFS Global Office. November 7, 2025 — request for passports received. November 10, 2025 — delivered passports to VFS. November 17, 2025 — received a letter that the passports are ready.
Main insight
“It’s important to prepare the case thoroughly and be ready for unexpected situations, such as issues with the consulate. Colleagues’ support and correct documentation can play a key role.”
Egor Akimov (@e_akimov)
March 7, 2025
Package sent
March 12, 2025
Package delivered
March 14, 2025
USCIS assigned a number
March 28, 2025
Approval from the Texas Service Center
April 4, 2025
Received Approval Notice from USCIS
April 10, 2025
Received an email from NVC
October 22, 2025
Interview, AP
October 30, 2025
Consulate requested the case again
November 3, 2025
Submitted the case to the VFS Global Office
November 7, 2025
Request for passports
November 10, 2025
Delivered passports to VFS
November 17, 2025
Received a letter that the passports are ready
Author of the story
Egor Akimov (@e_akimov), from the chat @talentvisahelp. Original message in the chat.
Useful resources
All information about O-1 / EB-1A / EB-2 NIW
More success and rejection stories: channel @o1eb1