EB-1A · Extraordinary Ability · Profession Guide
EB-1A for Economists and policy researchers: Kazarian Criteria & AAO Patterns
How economists and policy researchers satisfy the Kazarian two-step analysis: which of the ten regulatory criteria are most accessible for this profession, and what final-merits evidence has cleared AAO scrutiny.
Based on 6,362 real USCIS AAO decisions · Last updated May 2026
Short answer
EB-1A requires economists and policy researchers to meet at least 3 of the 10 Kazarian regulatory criteria and then clear a final-merits analysis that the petitioner has sustained national or international acclaim. EB-1A denials commonly find that strong publication and citation evidence describes a successful academic, not a national / international leader.
Most accessible Kazarian criteria for economists and policy researchers
The regulation requires that you meet at least 3 of 10 criteria from 8 CFR § 204.5(h)(3). Below are the criteria most commonly satisfied in EB-1A petitions by economists and policy researchers, with profession-specific evidence patterns.
- 1
Original contributions of major significance
Methods, frameworks, or empirical findings cited by federal agencies (Fed reserve banks, Treasury, CBO, BLS, BEA) or in major regulatory rulemakings.
- 2
Authorship of scholarly articles
Refereed publications at top-5 economics journals (AER, QJE, JPE, Econometrica, REStud) or top field journals with independent citations.
- 3
Service as a judge of others' work
Editorial-board membership, NBER program affiliation, NSF / NIH grant-review service, Federal Reserve advisory roles.
- 4
Published material about you
Major-media coverage (NYT, WSJ, Economist, FT) explicitly discussing the petitioner's findings, with the petitioner named as the subject of the piece.
Final-merits framing under Kazarian step 2
Economist EB-1A is uniquely difficult — final merits often turn on whether the petitioner's work has influenced policy beyond academic citations. Congressional testimony, regulatory citations, or court expert-witness work are the most reliable distinguishing evidence.
Why EB-1A petitions by economists and policy researchers fail at AAO
EB-1A denials commonly find that strong publication and citation evidence describes a successful academic, not a national / international leader. Agency-use evidence (Fed citations, regulatory rulemakings, congressional testimony) is the cleanest counter.
For context: across all professions, 5.9% of NIW appeals are approved at the AAO level. EB-1A appeals follow similar dynamics — most denials are at first-pass USCIS, and AAO data reveals which arguments fail at the highest scrutiny level.
Build your EB-1A petition with profession-specific framing
Our $99 EB-1A Petition Builder generates a Kazarian-framework petition letter section by section, with criterion-by-criterion evidence framing tailored to your profile and references to similar approved AAO cases in our 6,362-decision corpus.
One-time payment, no subscription. Greenway AI is a data + document-generation platform, not a law firm; nothing here is legal advice.