I received an honorable mention at a national festival. Is that the same as winning it?

They are not the same thing. An honorable mention recognizes that you stood out, but it generally carries less weight than winning the festival, which represents the highest prize in a competition. Even so, that does not cancel the value of an honorable mention as evidence in EB-1.

In EB-1, awards and recognitions factor into the assessment of how much a candidate stands out in their field. What typically matters is not just having received an award, but the weight of that award:

• The prestige and reach of the festival or awarding body.
• The level of competition and the significance of the distinction received.
• The impact and recognition it generates within your field.

For that reason, an honorable mention tends to work well as supporting evidence, especially when combined with other proof of excellence and recognition. It is worth gathering documentation that shows the importance of the award and verifying the updated requirements with USCIS, assessing the full picture of your profile with a qualified professional.

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.