EB1A Membership Criteria RFE? How to Qualify

Professional memberships can be a great way to demonstrate expertise in your field—but does simply being a member of an organization help your EB1A extraordinary ability petition to meet the EB1A membership criteria? Not necessarily.

Contents hide
1 Understanding the EB1A Membership Criteria
2 What Qualifies as an EB1A-Recognized Membership?
3 What Doesn’t Qualify as an EB1A Membership?
4 How to Strengthen Your EB1A Membership Evidence
5 Common USCIS RFEs and How to Overcome Them
6 Conclusion

USCIS applies strict standards when evaluating membership in associations as evidence of extraordinary ability. Paying an annual fee or joining a group with open enrollment isn’t enough. You must prove that your membership is exclusive, merit-based, and reserved for top professionals in your field.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what counts as an EB1A-eligible membership, what doesn’t, and how to strengthen your case to meet this criterion.

PS: If you go through this guide and believe you have a potentially valid case, then don’t hesitate to fill out our free attorney case assessment questionnaire: Click here to access our free EB1A evaluation form!

EB1A Membership Criteria RFE

Understanding the EB1A Membership Criteria

One of the 10 criteria for an EB1A petition is:

“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.”

This means that:
✅ The membership must be exclusive and require proof of extraordinary achievement.
✅ The selection process must involve experts who assess applicants’ accomplishments.
✅ The organization must be prestigious and recognized at a national or international level.

Simply being a member of an association does not satisfy this requirement—USCIS wants proof that only top professionals qualify.

What Qualifies as an EB1A-Recognized Membership?

To count toward EB1A eligibility, a membership must have:

1️⃣ Rigorous Selection Criteria

  • Membership must be granted only to individuals with significant achievements.
  • The organization must evaluate qualifications, work impact, or peer recognition.

2️⃣ Evaluation by Experts

  • Admission must be judged by a panel of experts in the field, not just a membership committee.
  • There should be objective selection criteria based on professional excellence.

3️⃣ National or International Recognition

  • The organization should be widely recognized in its field.
  • It should be known for admitting only high-caliber professionals.

Examples of Acceptable Memberships:

✅ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, or Medicine
✅ Fellowships in Prestigious Professional Societies (e.g., IEEE Fellow, AAAS Fellow)
✅ Invitation-Based Honorary Societies (e.g., Royal Society, National Academy of Inventors)
✅ Highly Selective Trade and Industry Groups with Rigid Entry Criteria

If your membership falls into one of these categories, it may help your EB1A case—but you’ll still need to prove its exclusivity.

What Doesn’t Qualify as an EB1A Membership?

Many applicants mistakenly assume that any professional membership will help their case. However, USCIS rejects memberships that lack merit-based selection.

Commonly Rejected Memberships:

❌ Paid or Subscription-Based Memberships – If anyone can join by paying a fee, USCIS will not consider it exclusive.
❌ Union or Trade Organization Memberships – Unless membership requires demonstrated excellence, these are usually not accepted.
❌ Alumni Associations – Membership in a university’s alumni network does not prove extraordinary ability.
❌ Open-Enrollment Professional Societies – If an association accepts anyone in a field, it does not meet EB1A standards.

How to Strengthen Your EB1A Membership Evidence

Even if your membership is in a prestigious organization, you must provide clear documentation to prove its merit-based selection process. Here’s how:

1. Provide Official Membership Criteria

  • Submit documents showing the organization’s admission standards.
  • If the membership requires nominations, peer reviews, or selection by experts, highlight this.

2. Prove Selectivity and Exclusivity

  • Show data on how many people apply vs. how many are accepted.
  • If your membership is awarded to only a small percentage of professionals, this strengthens your case.

3. Submit Evidence of Achievements Leading to Membership

  • Provide proof that your work, publications, or contributions were the reason you were admitted.
  • If you had to submit credentials, letters of recommendation, or undergo a vetting process, include these details.

4. Include Independent References

  • Letters from recognized experts confirming that the membership is prestigious and reserved for top professionals can help.
  • If the membership is widely respected in your field, media articles or official reports mentioning it can support your claim.

Common USCIS RFEs and How to Overcome Them

USCIS often pushes back on membership claims that lack sufficient supporting evidence. Here are common challenges and how to respond:

💬 RFE: “This membership does not require outstanding achievements.”
✅ Solution: Submit official membership criteria proving that admission is merit-based and judged by experts.

💬 RFE: “This is a paid membership.”
✅ Solution: Provide evidence that payment alone does not grant entry and that selection is based on accomplishments.

💬 RFE: “This organization is not nationally or internationally recognized.”
✅ Solution: Include media coverage, government recognitions, or third-party sources that validate its prestige.

Conclusion

Not all professional memberships count toward EB1A extraordinary ability—only those that are highly selective, merit-based, and judged by experts.

To strengthen your petition, focus on:
✅ Demonstrating exclusivity (low acceptance rates, expert judgment)
✅ Providing strong documentation (official admission criteria, letters of support)
✅ Proving the organization’s national/international recognition

If your memberships don’t meet these standards, you’ll need to strengthen other parts of your case. A well-documented petition with multiple strong criteria will always have a higher chance of approval.

Further Reading on EB1A Membership Criteria

For additional insights and official resources to strengthen your EB1A Membership Criteria petition, check out these authoritative sources:

USCIS and Legal Guidelines

Case Law and RFEs Related to EB1A Memberships

Recognized Prestigious Professional Memberships

How to Strengthen Your EB1A Membership Evidence

These resources can help further validate your case and provide additional guidance on proving that your professional memberships are merit-based, exclusive, and judged by recognized experts for an EB1A petition.