Does charging very high fees for a lecture count as ‘high salary’?

Not automatically. In EB-1, high remuneration (‘high salary’ or ‘high remuneration’) is one of the types of evidence that can point to extraordinary recognition, but a high fee for a single lecture, in isolation, does not prove that criterion on its own.

What the officer evaluates is the pattern, not a one-time value. A high fee tends to carry weight when it is consistent and clearly above what other professionals in the same field earn, indicating genuine distinction rather than an isolated case or the result of marketing.

To strengthen this type of evidence, it generally helps to present:

• Contracts and supporting documents showing the recurrence of those values.
• Market references that allow comparison of your remuneration to others in your field.
• Additional evidence of distinction that reinforces the same overall picture.

In other words, high fees for lectures can be part of the package, but only as part of a broader narrative of recognition. Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth checking the current requirements with USCIS and reviewing your profile with a specialist.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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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.