Can I use internal corporate awards, like ‘Best Team of the Year’, for the EB-1A?

You can include them, but expect limited weight. The EB-1A, the green card for extraordinary ability, values broad, external recognition granted by those outside your immediate work circle. An internal award like “Best Team of the Year” originates within the company itself, so it tends to carry restricted reach in the eyes of USCIS.

That does not mean it is useless. An internal recognition can be submitted as complementary evidence, helping to tell your story, especially if it comes with context that shows relevance beyond the office, for example:

• Competitive, large-scale selection criteria;
• Impact of the result that extended outside the company;
• A clear connection between the achievement and a concrete impact in your field.

Even so, an internal award can rarely sustain extraordinary ability on its own. What tends to carry weight are distinctions granted by reputable external entities, evaluated within the full body of evidence. Internal awards work better as supporting elements, not as the foundation of the petition.

Since each case is analyzed individually, it is worth checking the updated criteria at the official source (USCIS) and building your evidence strategy with a specialist before filing.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.