Citing startup profits: US$500k/year. Is that significant?

Yes, you can cite your startup’s profits as part of your evidence in an EB-1 petition, but it is worth understanding how that figure is read. There is no official threshold that makes a financial result automatically significant in the eyes of U.S. immigration: a number like US$500,000 per year may be highly relevant in one sector or stage and merely average in another.

What gives meaning to that figure is context. The same profit tells a stronger story when you show the company’s stage, the size and competitiveness of the market, the pace of growth and, above all, your personal role in that result. The EB-1 evaluates your individual excellence, not just the business’s performance.

For that reason, the ideal approach is to position the profits within a broader body of evidence, such as:

• Recognition of your work by third parties and the press.
• Original contributions or innovations you led.
• Awards, speaking engagements or participation in panels and committees.

Treat revenue as a supporting indicator, not as standalone proof of merit. Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth checking the updated criteria at USCIS and discussing with a specialist how to frame your numbers.

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.