I chaired an interministerial committee. Does that count as a ‘leading or critical role’ for EB-1?

Yes. Chairing an interministerial committee can indeed be interpreted as a ‘leading or critical role’ for EB-1. Positions in which you influenced decisions, strategies, or policies align well with this standard, provided the relevance is clearly established.

The decisive point is documenting your impact. A presidential title on the committee is not enough; you need to show what your work changed, how you influenced decisions, and how that work benefited the organization or broader sectors.

To support this evidence, it helps to gather:

• Official descriptions of the position and your responsibilities.
• Recommendation letters detailing your influence and results.
• Records of decisions, policies, or projects you led.

Each case is evaluated individually, within the full body of evidence. To confirm how to frame this experience within your profile, review the updated guidance on the USCIS website and, if possible, go over your documentation 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.