EB-1A, EB-2 NIW or O-1: how to compare the routes

Start with the outcome

EB-1A and EB-2 NIW may lead to permanent residence. O-1 is a temporary work category. The first question is therefore not which criteria are easiest to collect, but which status is needed and what work is planned in the United States.

Then check the filing structure

A strong professional record does not remove the procedural differences between the routes.

• Who will file the petition
• How future work or the proposed endeavour is described
• Which independent evidence is available
• How the route fits the timing and family plans

Do not simply count criteria

Matching several listed criteria is the beginning of the analysis, not the final conclusion. The quality of the evidence, the strength of the record as a whole and the connection between past work and future activity all matter.