Awards
The first criterion described by USCIS is awards — specifically, receipt of nationally or internationally recognized awards for excellence in the field
Important: this page is for informational purposes only. We are not lawyers, we share information from open sources and do not provide any legal or immigration advice or consultations. The full liability disclaimer is located at the bottom of the page.
The original USCIS requirements can be found here, link
Discover new international opportunities right now
Complete your professional profile assessment in 2 minutes and find out:
The page you will be redirected to is exclusively related to building a professional profile and does not provide visa, immigration, or legal services and is in no way affiliated with the Knowledge Center educational platform.
The first criterion is not first by accident — awards, contributions to the field, and media publications are considered the most important criteria that significantly influence the visa decision.
For all questions regarding public profile building, publications, scholarly materials, interviews, and comprehensive professional positioning, we recommend the PR platform Persona System , which systematically works in this field, has been verified by us, and has signed the ethical memorandum on the .
On the page you can learn more about the Persona System platform, or choose other specialists who have also signed the ethical memorandum and work in this field.
Persona System provides exclusively PR and media support and does not provide legal or immigration advice.
We do not place paid advertising and do not receive payment from companies for placement in the "Specialists we recommend" section. This section includes only specialists and companies that have signed the ethical memorandum on the .
So let's review the original text, specifically its translation, and then be sure to check the practical recommendations from open sources regarding fulfilling the criterion, the list of necessary steps and documents, and an example letter that should help fulfill the criterion.
Important and universal for this criterion and all others. As known from open sources, all screenshots should be taken so that the URL address of the page is visible. If you use MacOS, press Command + P — this way you can download or save the full page entirely, so that the document retains proof of the source. A regular screenshot is not sufficient.
Translation
Criterion 1: Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized awards for excellence in the field
First, USCIS determines whether the person is a recipient of prizes or awards. There are no restrictions on using a team award if the person is one of its recipients. The focus here is on the person's receipt of the award, not on awards received by the employer. USCIS then evaluates whether this award is a lesser nationally or internationally recognized award for outstanding achievements in the professional field. The law does not require the award to have the same level of prestige as, for example, a Nobel Prize or other one-time achievements. Examples of acceptable awards may include:
- Certain awards from well-known national institutions or professional associations;
- Awards for best doctoral dissertations;
- Awards for presentations at nationally or internationally recognized conferences.
Criteria that USCIS considers when evaluating awards:
- What requirements or criteria are used to grant the award;
- The national or international significance of this award in the field;
- The number of winners or laureates;
- Restrictions on participants or competitors.
Most academic awards do not have a sufficient level of recognition, but some may be nationally or internationally recognized as honors for exceptional achievements and therefore satisfy this criterion. For example, an award available only within one city, employer, or educational institution is unlikely to be recognized at the national level. However, an award from a well-known national institution (including R1 or R2 category universities) or professional organization may be considered nationally recognized.
Likewise, national or international recognition is most often associated with awards given to leading professionals in the field. However, it is not required that the award be open to all participants in the field, including the most experienced, to satisfy this criterion's requirements. Even if the competition is limited, USCIS may recognize that the award has national or international recognition — for example, awards for new players in major sports leagues that receive extensive media coverage in the US or abroad.
What you need to collect and prepare for the "Awards" criterion
Information from open sources!
First and foremost is documentary evidence of receiving nationally or internationally recognized awards or prizes for outstanding achievements in your professional field:
1. Confirm that the applicant is the award recipient
Specialists determine that applicants should provide a copy of the certificate, diploma, or commendation, a clear photo of the award, an official announcement of the win, an extract from the competition protocol, a letter from the organizers, etc.
But even if the employer received the award, this is not a problem. In this case, they prove that it was your contribution that led to this award being received.
In such cases, confirmation letters are added clearly describing your contribution to the project or initiative that was the basis for the award.
2. Prove that the award relates to the applicant's professional field
Evidence may include:
- An extract from the competition rules indicating the field of activity;
- A media publication describing which specialists the competition was held for;
- A list of other winners demonstrating the professional level and theme of the award.
3. Show that the award has national or international recognition
Evidence may include: an extract from the award granting rules and evaluation criteria; information about the reputation of the organization or jury; data on the geographic coverage of participants; information about the number of awards; a list of previous laureates or articles in well-known media.
4. Explain that the award was received specifically for outstanding achievements
They submit: an extract from the competition rules with a description of evaluation criteria; an explanatory letter from the organizers; a list of jury members with a brief description of their authority; competition protocols.
Important — each point must be documented. This reduces the number of questions from the immigration officer and increases the chances of approval.
How to format explanations
It is recommended to add a brief explanatory note (1 page) summarizing why this award is important. The note answers the following questions:
- By what criteria were winners selected?
- What is the significance of the award in the applicant's professional field?
- Who else among notable figures has received this award?
- What is the reputation of the organization that grants the award?
- How many participants were there and what is the ratio of winners (for example, 1 out of 100)?
- How many such awards are given per year and how prestigious is it?
Awards received during studies or early in a career are generally not considered primary, but exceptions are possible if the award has high recognition or media resonance.
!!!The main thing is to show the scale of the competition, the composition of the jury, the publicity and professional significance of the award!!!
List of what to prepare to confirm the "Awards" criterion
Information from open sources and is not a personalized instruction. The final structure of evidence and the text of all letters is composed exclusively by your attorney or by yourself for EB1 visas.
1. Photos and copies of awards
Photos or scanned copies of all awards, certificates, diplomas, or other documents confirming your professional level and achievements in the field.
2. Explanatory letter
Briefly but in a structured way, describe the main information about each award: description and significance, scale, type of event and organizers, conditions for participation, number of participants, evaluation criteria, jury and experts.
3. Media coverage
If media wrote about the competition or award, add links to publications or screenshots of articles.
4. Previous winners
Indicate who received this award before and whether these individuals have national or international recognition.
5. Significance and reputation of the event
Describe the position the competition or award holds in the applicant's industry.
6. Confirmation letters
Letter from organizers — official confirmation. Letter from sponsor — brief description of the sponsor company, its reputation.
7. Photos or video from the event
Provide photos or video from the ceremony showing the moment of the award, jury, participants.
8. Online resources
Add links to official websites, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn pages, etc.
9. Additional achievements
Sometimes awards can include: a patent, a grant, the best presentation at a conference, an investment in the applicant's project, an innovation award.
Example explanatory letter 1
This letter contains fictional names. The specific text and wording is always composed by your attorney.
In 2023, Mr. Oleksandr Romanov, a specialist in strategic communications and branding, won the "Global Marketing Excellence Awards 2023" in the "Best Brand Transformation Campaign" category. He took first place among 4,800 participants from 39 countries.
The "Global Marketing Excellence Awards" competition has been held annually since 1998 and is one of the most prestigious in Europe in the field of marketing, media, and advertising. It is organized by the International Association of Marketing Professionals (IAMP). Competition partners include companies such as Google, Meta, Deloitte, Ogilvy, and Accenture Interactive.
Oleksandr's project involved rebranding a local retail chain, which through a new communication strategy increased its recognition by 350% and boosted sales by 240% over 12 months.
The evaluation was conducted by a jury of 25 international experts, including: Sofia Müller (Unilever Europe), Michael Sims (Deloitte), Claire Lewis (Ogilvy London).
Previous laureates included Seth Godin, Philip Kotler, Simon Sinek, and Laura Ries.
Example explanatory letter #2
In 2022, Ms. Maryna Koval, an economist and strategic development consultant, received the "European Economic Leadership Award 2022" in the "Innovation in Sustainable Business Strategy" category. She won first place among 1,200 finalists from 27 EU countries.
The award is held under the aegis of the European Council for Business and Economics (ECBE). Competition partners include OECD, PwC, Bloomberg Europe, and London School of Economics. Results are covered by The Economist, Financial Times, Reuters, and Euronews.
Maryna Koval's project was dedicated to a sustainable financial growth model for small businesses — reducing operating costs by 18% and increasing investment attractiveness.
Jury composition: Prof. Richard Hoffman (European Investment Bank), Dr. Isabel Fernandez (OECD), Prof. Carlos Mendes (LSE).
Previous laureates included Nouriel Roubini, Mario Monti, Christine Lagarde, and Thomas Piketty.
In the concluding section, 3–4 quotes from recommendation letters are provided
- that the applicant personally received the award,
- that the award relates specifically to their professional field of activity,
- that this award has national or international recognition,
- and that winners are determined for outstanding professional achievements by an authoritative jury.
All advice on this page is for informational purposes only and is not an instruction for preparing or filing petitions; the final structure and composition of evidence is determined by you together with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.
International professional awards in PR
For a more extensive list and participation conditions, contact experts on the page
Examples of independent and well-known awards that attorneys sometimes count toward this criterion (the list is not exhaustive and is not a recommendation)
This list is just examples of well-known independent awards. We do not recommend or collaborate with any paid programs or "award mills." Always independently verify the reputation of a competition before submitting.
1. Global Recognition Awards
Awards in business, marketing, PR, design, technology, education.
https://globalrecognitionawards.org/2. International Business Awards (Stevie Awards)
One of the most well-known business awards in the world. Has separate categories for PR, marketing, management.
https://stevieawards.com/iba3. Global Excellence Awards
A prestigious international award evaluating creative, economic, and social projects.
https://www.globalexcellenceawards.com/4. Hermes Creative Awards / MarCom Awards
Competitions for PR, communications, video, marketing, and branding specialists.
https://enter.hermesawards.com/https://enter.marcomawards.com/
5. The Communicator Awards / Vega Digital Awards
Recognition for outstanding achievements in media, design, creative, video.
https://www.communicatorawards.com/https://vegaawards.com/
American industry awards
7. American Business Awards (Stevie USA)
The American version of the international award. Has nominations for PR agencies, individual specialists.
8. Inc. 5000 / Forbes Awards / Entrepreneur 360
Rankings and competitions, officially recognized and submitted under the awards criterion.
European and academic awards
9. European Excellence Awards / Digital Impact Awards Europe
Focus on PR, branding, communications strategy.
10. World Communication Forum Association (WCFA)
International association that holds annual awards in communications and media.
Where else to look for competitions
- Awards Finder: awardsfinder.com — an aggregator of awards across various fields.
- Submithub / AwardStage / Submittable: Platforms for submitting to dozens of competitions at once.
- LinkedIn / PR Newswire / Medium: search by tags "Awards Call for Entries", "Apply for Awards".
Let's go over the main points again
Do not submit awards that do not meet the criterion's requirements or are not related to the applicant's professional specialization.
Each award must be accompanied by explanations regarding the authority of the competition, the jury composition, and high professional requirements for participants.
All screenshots must be taken with the page URL visible. MacOS: Command + P — save the full page.
All documents submitted without exception must be translated into English.
Telegram channel — join our group.
And we move on to the next section
Disclaimer
The "Knowledge Center for O1 and EB1 Talent Visas" platform is an independent informational resource created solely for educational and informational purposes.
We are not lawyers, a law firm, or accredited immigration representatives and do not provide legal or immigration advice.
All information on the site is general in nature and based on open sources.
Information published on the site may be summarized, simplified, or incomplete. We do not guarantee its completeness, accuracy, or timeliness and are not responsible for any actions, decisions, or consequences that may arise from the use of this content.
Before submitting any documents or making important decisions regarding immigration procedures, consult a licensed attorney in the United States if needed.
Materials published on the platform may be distributed for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the source.
Please include a warning that these materials do not constitute legal advice and do not guarantee approval of any visas or petitions.
By using this site, you confirm that you have read the terms of this disclaimer, understand that all materials are for reference only, and agree that the Knowledge Center for O1EB1 Talent Visas bears no legal or other liability for any use of the published information.
The platform is not an official resource of the U.S. government or USCIS and has no formal affiliation with them.
This project aims to combine knowledge, experience, and open sources to help professionals better understand their opportunities. However, each path is individual. If in doubt, consult professionals.
By using this platform, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Legal Disclaimer, available in the respective sections of this resource.