I.
You file for yourself.
There is no employer requirement and no PERM.
For founders
EB-1A for Founders
Founders who have raised serious capital, hit real traction, or built something the press cares about are often closer to permanent U.S. residence than they think. The EB-1A Green Card is an immigrant category that can be self-petitioned, requires no PERM labor certification, and for most countries no priority date backlog. At Manifest Law, our attorneys help founders translate venture funding, press, advisor work, and product traction into petitions that hold up under the two-step USCIS review.
- Flat fees with payment plans, no hourly surprises
- Ex-USCIS officer review available on every plan as an add on
- Live case tracking through the Manifest portal
- Built for founders: funding, traction, press, and advisor work all count
*Representative image — not actual Manifest lawyer or client
/Find your path
What the EB-1A is, and why founders use it
EB-1A is the Green Card category for people with extraordinary ability. The bar is higher than O-1, and the petition has to survive a final-merits review where USCIS looks at the totality of your record. For founders, that means more than three checked boxes. It means a coherent story about why your work stands out.
Why founders choose the EB-1A
II.
You skip labor certification.
PERM adds 12 to 18 months and ties you to a single job. EB-1A skips it entirely.
III.
Premium processing is available.
You can pay to have your I-140 petition adjudicated within 15 business days.
/Do you qualify
Do you qualify for the EB-1A as a founder?
USCIS uses a two-step analysis. First, you must meet at least three of ten criteria. Second, USCIS asks whether the totality of evidence shows you at the top of your field. Founders who try to meet three criteria thinly tend to fail the final-merits review, so we aim for four or five strong criteria with a clear narrative. What strong evidence looks like for founders: a funding history with named lead investors, dollar amounts, and press confirmations; customer letters or partnership announcements naming specific U.S. enterprises; press coverage in tier-1 outlets with author names and dates; advisor agreements with other startups, plus pitch-competition judging records; patent filings and product traction data; and recommender letters from investors, advisors, and independent field experts.
Awards
Forbes 30 Under 30, TechCrunch Disrupt finalist, named industry awards, prestigious accelerator demo-day awards, or government innovation grants.
Membership in selective organizations
Y Combinator, Techstars, a16z accelerator, or other highly selective programs. Invited fellow positions at think tanks or industry groups can also fit here.
Published material about you
Funding announcements in tier-1 outlets like TechCrunch, Forbes, Bloomberg, or The Information. Substantive founder profile pieces and reputable podcast appearances also count.
Judging the work of others
Advisor roles at other startups, accelerator partner or mentor roles, pitch competition judging, or board member at a non-profit related to your field.
Original contributions of major significance
Your company and product, supported by funding, customers, partnerships, patents, or a novel business model. The bar is real impact, documented carefully.
Critical role at a distinguished organization
Founder, CEO, or CTO of a venture-backed company with name-brand investors, named partnerships, or a significant customer base.
High salary
Founder cash compensation is often low, but equity value at recent fundraise valuation, plus offer letters and market comps, can demonstrate market value.
Commercial success
Revenue, contracts, customers, exits, or acquisitions tied to your work. The bar is documented success at scale.
Meet our experienced attorneys
Our immigration lawyers are more than credentialed. They are personally committed to your outcome. Only 1% of attorney applicants are selected to work with Manifest, and they bring the care, insight, and precision needed to craft complex cases at the highest level.
Jeff Joseph
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
30+ Years of Experience
Gregory Boult
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
25+ Years of Experience5,000+ Cases Filed*
Rami Lee
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
18+ Years of Experience5,000+ Cases Filed*
Evan J. Law
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
17+ Years of Experience1,300+ Cases Filed*
Ana Senior
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
14+ Years of Experience1,200+ Cases Filed*
Lahaina Araneta McBeth
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
12+ Years of Experience4,800+ Cases Filed*
Avalon L. Paul
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
10+ Years of Experience1,700+ Cases Filed*
Ana Gabriela Urizar
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
10+ Years of Experience15,000+ Cases Filed*
Amanda Mitchell
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
9+ Years of Experience2,500+ Cases Filed*
Nicole Gunara
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
7+ Years of Experience1,700+ Cases Filed*
Rashmi Bishnoi
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
6+ Years of Experience2,500+ Cases Filed*
Henry Lindpere
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
5+ Years of Experience700+ Cases Filed*
Bruna Maciel Soledade
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
5+ Years of Experience1,150+ Cases Filed*
*Representative image - not actual Manifest lawyer or client
/Our approach
Why clients trust Manifest’s immigration lawyers
Here is what our clients get on every Manifest case.
01
Ex-USCIS officer review
Available as an add-on for Silver and Gold plans, and automatically included in the Platinum plan. An attorney with USCIS adjudication experience reviews your petition before it leaves our office.
02
Flat fees, no surprises
One price, quoted upfront on your strategy call. We do not bill by the hour. Payment plans are available.
03
Live case tracking
The Manifest portal shows every status update, every document, and your next step in real time.
04
Built for founders
We have represented founders, international founders, across the country.
05
Money-back guarantee
If conditions are met and your visa isn’t approved, you get a refund of all or part of your legal fees.
/Success stories
Helping founders build their future in the U.S.
From EB-1A self-petitions built on funding and press to approvals after RFE responses, we’ve helped founders translate traction into petitions that persuade.
/Testimonials
Client stories
Discover how Manifest has helped clients navigate the visa process and read their success stories.
Very professional, Simon and Dan responded to my clarifications with satisfaction. prepared my case with detailed documentation and got my approval from USCIS. Highly recommended for individuals looking for GC process under employment-based category
Gurinder Singh
I have worked with Dan and Simon directly, and my experience has been like no other. It feels like I'm talking with actual people who care about my case. Any questions I had, they were happy to assist me with in a very short time and make sure everything was clear before moving on to the next thing. I will definitely be working with them again in the future.
Sandra Rocha
I had an amazing experience with Manifest Law from the first intake interview, through a fast and professional process of working on the file, to a straightforward approval of my case. Catlea Bobis is a superstar attorney, and I recommend everyone considering trusting your case to professional support like I had with Catlea and the entire team at Manifest Law.
Irina Batukhtina
*Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.
*Representative image - not actual Manifest lawyer or client
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Carolyn Yang/FAQs
Still have questions about the EB-1A as a founder?
How is EB-1A different from O-1 for founders?
EB-1A is a Green Card category, not a temporary visa. The bar is higher than O-1, and the petition has to survive a final-merits review where USCIS looks at the totality of your record — more than three checked boxes, and a coherent story about why your work stands out.
Can I self-petition?
Yes. The EB-1A can be self-petitioned. There is no employer requirement and no PERM labor certification.
How much funding do I need to qualify?
There is no fixed dollar amount. What matters is documented impact — a funding history with named lead investors, dollar amounts, and press confirmations is strong evidence, alongside customers, partnerships, and traction.
What if my press is only in my home country?
Home-country coverage can still support the published-material criterion depending on reach and substance. Tier-1 U.S. outlets like TechCrunch, Forbes, Bloomberg, or The Information strengthen the record further — something to map on a strategy call.
Can my spouse work?
Once your priority date is current and you file I-485, your spouse can file alongside you and receive an EAD. They can work for any employer while the case is pending.
What happens if I get an RFE?
We respond with targeted evidence and a tighter extraordinary-ability narrative — additional press, customer letters, and recommender support where needed. Gold, Platinum, and Diamond plans include the RFE response.
Pay on Approval availability and payment terms are subject to the terms of the selected service plan and engagement agreement.
