Green card Self-petition

A green card for people at the top of their field.

The EB-1A lets you petition for yourself — no employer, no job offer, no labor certification. We map your record to the criteria, build the final-merits argument, and tell you plainly whether to file now or build the record first.

Start your EB-1ANot sure? $200 strategy review
Flat fee
$15,000
Time to filing
~6 weeks
Employer sponsor
Not needed
Premium processing
15 business days

Is the EB-1A right for you?

It's the highest bar among employment-based green cards — and the most direct path when your record supports it.

A strong fit

  • Founders whose companies have clear traction, funding or press
  • Senior researchers with strong citations and recognition
  • Recognized experts who judge, speak and publish in their field
  • O-1 holders ready to move to permanent residence
  • People born in countries where EB‑1 has no wait

Probably not yet, if

  • Your record is strong in two areas, not three or more
  • Most of your recognition is recent or local
  • Your achievements are your company's, with little about your own role

That's not a no. An O-1A or EB-2 NIW can come first while the record grows.

The ten criteria.

USCIS asks you to meet at least three. Not every criterion fits every career — founders often build on press, judging, original contributions, a critical role and compensation.

Quick self-check: tap the criteria you think you meet.

0 / 10

Tap the criteria that fit your record.

Or skip the list: a one-time achievement — a major, internationally recognized award — can qualify on its own.

Get a candid assessment

A quick self-check, not a legal assessment. Only an attorney can judge whether your evidence meets a criterion.

From first call to filed petition.

About six weeks, most of it spent on evidence and the argument — not paperwork.

  1. 1

    Week 1

    Candid assessment

    An attorney reviews your record against the criteria and final merits, and tells you whether to file now, file an O-1A or NIW first, or build the record.

  2. 2

    Weeks 1–2

    Evidence plan

    AI maps every document to the criterion it supports and flags gaps. You get an exhibit index and a list of what's still needed.

  3. 3

    Weeks 2–5

    Letters and argument

    We draft expert and support letters and the legal brief that ties your evidence to the final-merits standard.

  4. 4

    Week 6

    Attorney files the I-140

    Your attorney reviews, signs and files. If USCIS asks for more evidence, the response is included in your fee.

AI prepares the petition. Your attorney signs it.

Every EB-1A petition is reviewed, signed and filed by a licensed immigration attorney who answers for it — and for the response if USCIS asks for more.

Meet the attorneys
  • AIOrganizes evidence and drafts. It doesn’t give legal advice.
  • AttorneySets the strategy, writes the argument, signs and files.
  • YouReview and approve everything before it’s filed.

Evidence, gathered once.

Start with what you have. We’ll tell you what each document proves — and what’s missing.

01

About you

  • Résumé or CV
  • Passport and current immigration status
  • A short summary of your plans in the US
02

Recognition

  • Awards and the criteria behind them
  • Press coverage about you
  • Invitations to judge, review or speak
03

Impact

  • Funding, revenue or adoption metrics
  • Patents, publications and citations
  • Evidence of your role — board decks, org charts, letters
04

People

  • 5–8 experts who know your work
  • Ideally some who have never worked with you
  • We draft the letters for their review

Don’t send passports or documents through the website — we set up a secure channel once you start.

One fixed fee. Government fees shown separately.

Cooperative · EB-1A

$15,000

flat fee per petition

  • Case-strength assessment by an attorney
  • Criteria map and final-merits argument
  • Expert and support letters drafted
  • Complete I-140 petition, filed by your attorney
  • Request for Evidence (RFE) responses
Start your EB-1A
Cooperative fee
EB-1A petitionFlat fee · RFE responses included
$15,000
Paid to the government
Form I-140 filing fee
$715
Asylum Program FeeSelf-petitioners · paid separately from the I-140 fee
$300
Premium processingOptional · USCIS acts within 15 business days
$2,965
Green card step (I-485 or consular)Quoted when you're ready
Separate
Total to file$16,015$15,000 Cooperative + $1,015 USCIS

Government fees are paid to USCIS, not to Cooperative, and change from time to time. Figures as of October 2026.

After the I-140 is approved.

Approval of the petition is the main hurdle. The green card itself comes next, through one of two routes.

Step 1

I-140 approved

Inside the USForm I-485

If your priority date is current, you apply to adjust status — sometimes filed together with the I-140.

Outside the USConsular processing

Your case moves to the National Visa Center and an immigrant visa interview at a US consulate.

Step 2

Green card

The wait, by country

EB-1 is current for most countries, so there is usually no queue. Applicants born in China or India face a wait — see the latest Visa Bulletin.

Your family

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can receive green cards with you.

EB-1A, plainly.

Do I need a job offer or an employer?

No. You can petition for yourself. You do need to show that you'll continue working in your field of extraordinary ability in the United States.

Should I apply for the O-1A first?

Often, yes. The O-1A asks for similar evidence, is easier to win, and gets you working in the US while your record grows. If your record is already strong, filing the EB-1A directly — or alongside the O-1A — can make sense. Your attorney will tell you which.

Can I file an EB-1A and an EB-2 NIW at the same time?

Yes. They're separate I-140 petitions with different standards, and some people file both so the stronger case leads.

How long does it take?

We typically prepare and file within about six weeks. With premium processing, USCIS acts on the I-140 within 15 business days — an approval, a denial or a request for more evidence. The green card step that follows depends on where you live and the Visa Bulletin for your country of birth.

What if USCIS asks for more evidence?

Your attorney prepares the response, and it's included in your flat fee.

What if my record isn't strong enough yet?

We'll tell you before you pay for a petition. A $200 Visa Strategy review shows which criteria you meet today, what would strengthen the case, and whether an O-1A or NIW is the better first step.

From our notes.

All notes
Strategy

O-1A or EB-1A: Which Comes First?

The criteria overlap. The strategy doesn’t. How founders and senior talent should sequence a work visa and a green card.

Oct 1, 2026 · 8 minO-1A

What “Extraordinary Ability” Actually Means

It isn’t about being famous. It’s about evidence — the eight O-1A criteria, and what each one looks like for founders and engineers.

Oct 1, 2026 · 9 minImmigration update

October 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed for EB-1 and EB-2

Fiscal year 2027 opens with a new cutoff for worldwide EB-2, EB-1 still current for most countries, and USCIS accepting the Dates for Filing chart.

Oct 4, 2026 · 3 min

Start your EB-1A.

Tell us about your background. An attorney will tell you how strong the case is today — before you pay for a petition.

Start your EB-1A

Cooperative is not a law firm. Legal services are provided by independent licensed immigration attorneys. AI tools assist with evidence organization and drafting; they do not provide legal advice. No attorney can guarantee the outcome of a visa or green card application — decisions are made by U.S. government agencies. Submitting a request or using this website does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.