Glossary

Updated: September 9, 2026Author: Alina Kanametova

Plain definitions of key US talent-visa terms (O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW). Criteria and process terms link to detailed breakdowns. Every definition is directly linkable.

Criteria

The ten evidentiary criteria for EB-1A / O-1. You must satisfy at least three for approval. Each links to a detailed breakdown.

Awards: National or international prizes for excellence
Memberships: Membership requiring outstanding achievement
Media about you: Published material about you in major media
Judging: Judging the work of others in your field
Original contribution: Original contributions of major significance
Authorship: Scholarly articles in professional journals or media
Leading role: Leading or critical role for distinguished organizations
High remuneration: High salary or remuneration relative to the field
Commercial success: Commercial success in the performing arts
Exhibitions: Display of your work at artistic exhibitions or showcases

Visa types

The main talent visas and their subcategories.

O-1: A nonimmigrant work visa for people with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. Granted for work with a specific employer or agent.
EB-1A: A green card for individuals of extraordinary ability. Self-petitioning is possible - no employer or sponsor required.
EB-1B: A green card for outstanding professors and researchers. Requires an employer-sponsor and a permanent position.
EB-1C: A green card for executives and managers of multinational companies.
EB-2 NIW: An EB-2 green card with a National Interest Waiver. Self-petitioning is possible; evaluated under the Matter of Dhanasar test.

Preparation stages

The path from the first self-assessment to getting the visa, step by step.

Assess: Choosing a visa and an honest readiness self-assessment against the criteria - whether to file now.
Gather evidence: Preparing evidence (exhibits) for each criterion: letters, publications, awards, numbers.
Petition: The Exhibit Index: cover letter, table of contents and all the evidence.
File: Filing the petition with USCIS - forms, fees, signatures, the filing address.
After filing: Waiting for a decision and, if needed, responding to a Request for Evidence (RFE).
Consular / NVC: Getting the visa at a consulate or adjusting status inside the US (via the NVC).

Process and USCIS acronyms

Forms, precedents and abbreviations you meet at every step.

USCIS: US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receives and adjudicates petitions for visas and green cards. This independent project is not affiliated with USCIS.
NIW (National Interest Waiver): A national-interest waiver in the EB-2 category. Lets you skip the employer and labor certification if your work matters to the US. Evaluated under the Matter of Dhanasar test.
RFE (Request for Evidence): A request for additional evidence from USCIS. Not a denial: the officer needed more material and gives a deadline (usually up to ~87 days) to supply it. Answer fully and on time.
NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny): A notice of intent to deny. More serious than an RFE: the officer is leaning toward denial and gives a last chance to rebut their reasoning.
AAO (Administrative Appeals Office): USCIS's Administrative Appeals Office. Reviews appeals of denials. Its decisions are published and serve as examples of what persuades officers and what does not.
Priority date: The date USCIS received your petition. It sets your place in the green-card queue. When your priority date becomes current in the visa bulletin, you can finish the process.
Visa Bulletin: A monthly US State Department bulletin. Shows which priority dates, by country and category, have reached green-card issuance.
Premium Processing: A paid USCIS service (Form I-907): a guaranteed first-response window - usually 15 business days. Available for O-1 and EB-1A. The response can be an approval, an RFE or a denial.
Form I-140: The immigrant petition for a worker. Filed for EB-1A and EB-2 NIW - it begins the talent-category green-card path.
Form I-129: The petition for a nonimmigrant worker. Used for the O-1 visa.
Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status): The application to adjust status inside the US - getting a green card without leaving, if you are already in the US in lawful status.
EB-1: The first employment-based immigration category (priority workers). Includes EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-1C.
Final merits determination: The second stage of EB-1A review. First they check whether at least 3 criteria are met, then they holistically decide whether the evidence, taken together, shows extraordinary ability.
Matter of Dhanasar: A 2016 precedent that set the three-part test for EB-2 NIW: the work has substantial merit and broad benefit; you are well positioned to advance it; and it benefits the US to waive the requirements for you.
Kazarian: A precedent that established the two-step EB-1A review: first counting the criteria, then the final merits determination.
Exhibit: A single numbered piece of evidence in the petition package (Exhibit 1, 2, ...): a letter, article, diploma, screenshot. The cover letter references the exhibits.
Cover letter: The petition's main document. It explains your story to the officer, ties the criteria to the exhibits and walks them through the evidence.
Recommendation letter: An expert letter attesting to your achievements. They split into independent ones (from people outside your circle) and ones from direct colleagues.
Beneficiary: The person the petition is filed for - you. For O-1, an employer or agent files the petition, but you remain the beneficiary.
Petitioner: The party who files the petition. For EB-1A and EB-2 NIW you can be the petitioner yourself; for O-1 it is the employer or agent.
RFE response: The package you send back in response to an RFE: new exhibits and explanations that resolve the officer's doubts. Filed as one set before the deadline.
Consular processing: Getting the visa through a US embassy or consulate abroad - the alternative to adjusting status inside the country (I-485).
NVC (National Visa Center): The National Visa Center. The intermediate step between I-140 approval and the consular interview: it collects documents and fees before forwarding the case to the consulate.
Receipt notice (Form I-797): A USCIS notice confirming receipt of your petition, with a case (receipt) number. You use it to track the processing status.

Per-term breakdowns

Each of these terms has its own page: a plain-language definition, what to do, tools and deeper reads.