Do press releases published by your own company count as media evidence in EB-1?

Rarely. In EB-1 petitions, what counts as media evidence is recognition from independent sources. A press release issued by your own company is promotional in nature and does not go through the editorial review of an external outlet, so it typically carries little weight.

The logic is straightforward: self-created material shows what you want to communicate, not how much your work has been recognized by those with no stake in the coverage. For that reason, this type of content rarely sustains the media coverage criterion on its own.

Coverage that tends to carry more weight includes publications with their own editorial standards and reputation, such as:

• Recognized newspapers, magazines, and news outlets.
• Specialized publications in your field.
• Articles where the decision to cover your work was made by a third party.

Each case is evaluated individually. To strengthen this area of your petition, prioritize independent coverage and confirm the current criteria with USCIS or review your materials 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.