The EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) is an immigrant visa category for individuals with outstanding achievements in the sciences, education, business, athletics, the arts, or other professional fields.
Its main advantage: you can obtain a Green Card without a job offer from a U.S. employer and without Labor Certification (PERM). You file the petition yourself - this is known as self-petitioning.

Who Qualifies

Applicants must demonstrate that they belong to "that small percentage who have risen to the very top of their field" and have sustained national or international acclaim.

USCIS Requires at Least 3 of the Following 10 Criteria:

- Documentation of the alien's receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor
- Documentation of the alien's membership in associations in the field which require outstanding achievements of their members, as judged by recognized national or international experts in their disciplines or fields
- Published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media, relating to the alien's work in the field for which classification is sought
- Evidence of the alien's participation, either individually or on a panel, as a judge of the work of others in the same or an allied field of specialization
- Evidence of the alien's original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field
- Evidence of the alien's authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional or major trade publications or other major media
- Evidence of the display of the alien's work in the field at artistic exhibitions or showcases
- Evidence that the alien has performed in a leading or critical role for organizations or establishments that have a distinguished reputation
- Evidence that the alien has commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services, in relation to others in the field
- Evidence of commercial successes in the performing arts, as shown by box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales

Meeting 3 criteria is only the threshold requirement. USCIS then evaluates the totality of the evidence in what's known as a "final merits determination."
 

EB-1A is a First Preference category - one of the most prestigious immigration pathways in the U.S. immigration system. Success depends on the quality of your evidentiary record and the strength of the legal argument built around it.