The regulation offers two doors into EB-1A. One major internationally recognised award, or at least three of the ten criteria. The first is narrow by design and admits no substitutes, which is why nearly every real petition goes through the second.
- One qualifying award replaces the three-criteria requirement
- The example USCIS gives is the Nobel Prize
- No comparable evidence exists for this route
- The other eligibility requirements still apply
- The lesser prizes criterion is a different, far more accessible test
What the regulation says
"Such evidence shall include evidence of a one-time achievement (that is, a major, international recognized award), or at least three of the following" 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3)
USCIS restates it with the canonical example attached:
"This initial evidence must include either evidence of a one-time achievement (for example, a major internationally recognized award, such as the Nobel Prize) or at least three of the types of evidence listed in the regulations." USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 2
The "or" is the whole design. These are alternatives, and satisfying the first makes the second unnecessary.
No substitutes
The comparable evidence provision, which elsewhere gives real flexibility where a criterion does not fit an occupation, is switched off here:
"There is no comparable evidence for the one-time achievement of a major, international recognized award." USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 2
So there is no argument available that your field's highest honour is comparable to a Nobel for these purposes. If the award does not meet the standard, the route is closed and the three-criteria route is the case. EB-1A comparable evidence covers where that provision does apply, which is to the ten criteria.
Why the distinction matters for planning
The practical value of understanding this door is knowing not to aim at it.
A strong industry award is unlikely to be a one-time achievement. It may comfortably satisfy criterion 1, the lesser nationally or internationally recognised prizes, and USCIS is explicit that this criterion "does not require an award or prize to have the same level of recognition and prestige associated with the Nobel Prize or another award that would qualify as a one-time achievement." That is a different and far more reachable test, covered in the EB-1A awards criterion.
The failure mode worth avoiding is a petition that argues an award is nearly a one-time achievement, rather than documenting it properly under criterion 1 and building two more criteria around it. Arguing up to a bar you cannot reach is weaker than clearing the bar that applies.
What still has to be shown
The one-time achievement satisfies the initial evidence requirement. It is not the whole petition. The classification also requires that the person "seeks to enter the United States to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability" and that their "entry into the United States will substantially benefit the United States in the future", which is the subject of continuing to work in your field.
The two-step review still applies as well. In practice a genuine Nobel-class award makes the final merits determination straightforward, since the award itself is powerful evidence of standing at the very top of the field. But the structure does not change, and the final merits determination is still where the officer lands.
The route almost everyone takes
Three of ten, then a final merits determination on the whole record. That is what the rest of this site is about: which criteria to build first, and how to make each one hold up.
If you hold a major internationally recognised award, you will not need to wonder whether it qualifies, and your attorney will tell you quickly. For everyone else, the useful question is not how close an award comes to that bar but how well documented it is under the criterion that actually applies.
Sources
All accessed 24 August 2026.
- 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3), eCFR. The initial evidence requirement, quoted verbatim above including the regulation's own phrasing.
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 2. The restatement with the Nobel example, the comparable evidence discussion, and the criterion 1 guidance.
- INA 203(b)(1)(A), Cornell Legal Information Institute. The statutory requirements that apply on either route.
- USCIS, Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1.
We publish no list of awards that qualify as one-time achievements. No such list appears in the regulations or the Policy Manual, which gives the Nobel Prize as an example rather than as a boundary.
This article describes the standard in general terms. It is not a substitute for advice from your attorney about your own case.
Frequently asked questions
What is a one-time achievement for EB-1A?
The regulation describes it as a major, internationally recognized award. USCIS gives the Nobel Prize as its example. Holding one removes the need to satisfy three of the ten criteria.
Can you submit comparable evidence instead?
No. The guidance states there is no comparable evidence for the one-time achievement of a major, internationally recognised award.
Does an industry award count as a one-time achievement?
Almost certainly not, though it may well satisfy the lesser prizes criterion, which is a separate route and expressly does not require Nobel-level prestige.
Does a one-time achievement guarantee approval?
It satisfies the initial evidence requirement. The petition must still show the person seeks to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability and that their entry substantially benefits the United States.
What if I am nominated but did not win?
The EB-1A regulation speaks of receipt of a one-time achievement rather than nomination. Nominations may still be evidence elsewhere in the record, and how to present one is a question for your attorney.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.