EB-1A Approved in 17 Days With No RFE: An Education Researcher’s Extraordinary Ability Case
By Clarvo Legal · May 15, 2026
USCIS approved an EB-1A extraordinary ability petition for an education policy researcher on May 14, 2026, just 17 days after filing, with no Request for Evidence. Three criteria are the minimum; we documented six, tied every claim to an exhibit, and answered the final merits question in the petition itself. Here is how the case was built and why it went through clean on the first submission.
On May 14, 2026, USCIS approved an EB-1A extraordinary ability petition for an education researcher, just 17 days after it was filed, and without a Request for Evidence. In a category where RFEs are common, a clean approval on the first submission is the result of how the petition is built.
The client
He is an education policy researcher with a Ph.D. in education policy and a master’s degree from a leading U.S. graduate school of education. His quantitative work focuses on outcomes for underserved students, including English learners and first-generation students, and on how schools identify children for advanced programs.
He leads the research department of a national education organization, overseeing large-scale studies used by schools and policymakers. Earlier in his career, he earned two highly competitive international scholarships for graduate study.
Why EB-1A
The EB-1A is the first-preference green card category for people with extraordinary ability. It needs no employer sponsor and no labor certification, and because it is a first-preference category, it can move faster than EB-2. The bar is high: the petition must show sustained national or international acclaim, usually by meeting at least three of ten regulatory criteria, and then persuade the officer that the person is among the small percentage at the very top of the field.
Six criteria, each one documented
Three criteria are the minimum. We documented six, so that the case would not rest on any single one:
How we avoided an RFE
- Every claim tied to an exhibit. Each statement in the petition letter pointed to the document that proved it, so the officer never had to search.
- Plain-language fit for each criterion. For every criterion, the letter showed how the evidence met the regulation’s exact wording, the same test USCIS applies first.
- Independent evidence. Journal confirmations, media coverage and award records came from third parties, not from the client.
- The final merits question answered up front. The letter did not stop at counting criteria. It explained why, taken together, the record shows sustained acclaim and a place at the top of the field.
The timeline
- Early 2026Petition builtA criterion-by-criterion petition letter, with each claim tied to an exhibit.
- April 27, 2026Filed with premium processingForm I-140 for EB-1A extraordinary ability, claiming six of the ten criteria.
- May 14, 2026Approved, with no RFEUSCIS approves the petition 17 days after receiving it.
Thinking about EB-1A?
Researchers, scholars and professionals with a strong record are often closer to EB-1A than they think, and the right strategy can mean an approval without a Request for Evidence. If you are weighing EB-1A against the EB-2 NIW, we would be glad to review your record.
Congratulations to our client on his approval.