Can I use regional awards in another function as a ‘leading role’?

Yes, awards with regional reach can be included as evidence of a ‘leading role’ in an EB-1 petition. What truly matters is not the geographic scope of the award, but the recognition it carries among specialists and institutions in your field.

A regional award granted by a respected organization or recognized peers can reinforce your standing as a leader. To make it count, you need to show clearly how that recognition connects to your leadership role and your influence in the sector.

It is worth gathering documentation that explains the significance and prestige of the award, along with elements that tie that achievement to your work, for example:

• A description of who grants the award and what the selection criteria are.
• Testimonials or letters that contextualize the relevance of the recognition.
• Articles or records linking the award to your leadership work.

Since each petition is evaluated as a whole and on a case-by-case basis, it is worth checking the current requirements with USCIS and aligning your strategy with a specialist.

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.