How can you prove the role of judging others’ work in EB-1 if it was voluntary?

Yes. In EB-1, serving as a judge or evaluator of others’ work can support the judging criterion even when the activity was voluntary. What matters to the authority is not whether you were compensated, but the nature of the role and the credibility of whoever invited you.

To make this evidence compelling, gather documents that show you were genuinely selected to evaluate others’ work and the context in which that took place:

• Invitations, letters, or certificates from the organization that designated you as an evaluator.
• A description of the criteria used to select evaluators and of what was being judged.
• Materials showing the relevance of the event, competition, or publication, such as the official website, program, and coverage in specialized media.

The voluntary nature of the activity does not weaken the evidence on its own. Many judging roles on panels, committees, and peer reviews are naturally unpaid, and the weight comes from the recognition of the institution and the seriousness of the process in which you participated.

Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth confirming the current requirements with USCIS and aligning the preparation of your petition package with an immigration professional 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.