Eniola OloyedeCan I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition?
This is one of the most dangerous EB-1 questions to get wrong, and one of the most common reasons strong cases collapse quietly.
You are not asking because you are weak.
You are asking because you are careful.
You have built real value.
You have worked inside serious companies.
You may have helped your company win awards that carry weight.
And now you are staring at your EB-1 strategy, asking:
Can I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition, or will USCIS reject my case because of it?
This article answers that question clearly.
Not politely.
Not vaguely.
Not the way many law blogs do.
By the end, you will know:
- When company awards help
- When they hurt
- Why do many lawyers mishandle them?
- How USCIS actually reads them
- And how to use them without putting your case at risk
We will also explain how Veripass handles this properly, unlike others.
Read Also: Difference Between EB License And EB1: Unlock 7 Tips
The short answer USCIS will never give you
Yes, you can show your company’s awards in EB1 petition, but only if you prove the award belongs to you, not just your employer.
If you submit company awards without personal attribution, you are inviting an RFE or denial.
USCIS does not reward proximity.
They reward causation.
They are not asking:
“Was this company impressive?”
They are asking:
“Why does this award prove you are extraordinary?”
If your petition does not answer that question clearly, the award works against you.
Why does this question keep ruining good EB-1 cases
Many EB-1 applicants are founders, executives, senior engineers, researchers, creatives, or product leaders.
You often:
- Worked at respected companies
- Led key initiatives
- Delivered results
- Helped your company win awards
Naturally, you assume:
“This proves my impact.”
USCIS does not assume that.
And here is where bad legal advice enters.
The most common bad advice lawyers give about company awards
Let’s call this out plainly.
Many lawyers will tell you:
- “Include the award. It shows prestige.”
- “USCIS will understand your role.”
- “We’ll explain it in a cover letter.”
- “It helps the overall picture.”
That advice is lazy and risky.
USCIS officers do not infer.
They do not guess.
They do not fill in gaps.
If your company won “Company of the Year,” USCIS assumes:
- The company won
- The brand benefited
- The organisation was recognised
They do not assume you caused it.
This is why people with strong backgrounds still receive RFEs saying:
“The evidence reflects recognition of the organisation, not the beneficiary.”
Company awards vs team awards vs individual awards
Before we go further, we need clarity.
These are not the same thing, and USCIS treats them differently.
1. Individual awards
These names you can use directly.
Examples:
- “Best Researcher: John Smith”
- “Top Innovator Award: Applicant Name”
These are the strongest.
2. Team awards
These recognise a defined group.
Examples:
- “Product Team of the Year”
- “Research Team Excellence Award”
These are usable only if your role is isolated and proven.
3. Company awards
These recognise the organisation.
Examples:
- “Company of the Year”
- “Best Startup”
- “Top Employer”
- “Fastest Growing Company”
These are the weakest by default, unless reframed correctly.
Most EB-1 articles fail to clearly explain this distinction.
This article will not.
Where company awards fail inside EB1 criteria
Now, let’s answer the real question behind
“Can I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition?”
Can company awards satisfy the “awards” criterion?
In most cases: No
USCIS applies a two-step test for awards:
- Did the individual receive the award?
- Does the award reflect national or international recognition?
Company awards fail step one.
They are not given to you.
They are given to the organisation.
Submitting them under the awards criterion is one of the fastest ways to trigger an RFE.
Where company awards can help, if used correctly
This is where strategy matters.
Company awards can support an EB-1 case indirectly under other criteria.
1. Leading or critical role
This is the most common and most effective placement.
Company awards can help if you prove:
- You held a leading or critical role
- Your role directly caused the outcome
- The award reflects results tied to your work
But this only works if you build attribution.
Not storytelling.
Not job descriptions.
Evidence.
The attribution hierarchy USCIS actually follows
USCIS officers don’t say this out loud, but they follow a mental hierarchy.
From strongest to weakest:
- Award explicitly names you
- Award cites a project or unit you led
- Independent media links the success to you
- Third-party experts explain your role
- Internal letters without outside proof
- Company award with no attribution
Most failed cases sit at level 6.
Winning cases move the company’s awards up the ladder.
What evidence makes company awards usable
If you want to answer “Can I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition” safely, your petition must show causal linkage.
That means combining the award with:
- Organisational charts showing your authority
- Proof of decision-making power
- Metrics tied to your work
- Independent media coverage
- Third-party expert letters
- Clear role isolation
Not vague praise.
Not long resumes.
Clear cause → effect → recognition.
Where most petitions quietly collapse
Here is the mistake no one tells you about.
Many petitions mention company awards in passing.
One paragraph.
One exhibit.
No structure.
USCIS sees this as padding.
And padding damages credibility.
A weak company award does not just fail; it raises doubts about the rest of the case.
Final merit determination: where company awards really belong
This is the safest place for company awards.
During the final merit review, USCIS must consider the totality of evidence.
They cannot deny a case simply because:
- You lack a single major award
- You rely on comparable evidence
Company awards can help only if they support the narrative that:
- You sit at the top of your field
- Your work drives recognised outcomes
- Independent proof backs your claims
Used here, company awards reinforce, but they do not lead.
EB-1 vs O-1 vs EB-2 NIW, why this still matters
Even though this article focuses on EB-1, the logic carries across.
If you are pre-filing and anxious, you may:
- Start with O-1
- Build toward EB-1
- Consider EB-2 NIW as backup
Misusing company awards damages all three.
Strong attribution builds all three.
Why Veripass approaches this differently
This is where Veripass matters.
Veripass does not:
- Dump evidence into the criteria
- Hope officers connect the dots
- Rely on generic templates
Veripass works backwards from officer psychology.
They ask:
- What will this officer doubt?
- Where will attribution break?
- What evidence removes ambiguity?
Then they build around that.
How Veripass handles company awards step by step
When Veripass reviews a case involving company awards, they:
- Identify every award tied to the organisation
- Strip away what does not link to you
- Isolate your authority and decisions
- Match evidence to the right criterion
- Decide whether the award helps or hurts
- Exclude awards that dilute credibility
- Frame surviving awards with independent proof
Sometimes the right move is not to use the award.
That restraint is what separates strong cases from risky ones.
Watch this webinar and book a consultation with Veripass.
What anxious pre-filers need to understand
If you are asking, “Can I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition?”, you are already thinking ahead.
That is good.
But do not confuse:
- Being impressive
- Being provable
USCIS does not evaluate effort.
They evaluate evidence logically.
A direct answer, one more time
Let’s state it clearly again.
Can I show my company’s awards in EB1 petition?
Yes,
If and only if you prove:
- The award reflects outcomes you controlled
- Your role was leading or critical
- Independent evidence backs your claim
- The award supports, not substitutes, other criteria
Anything else is noise.
Before you file
If you are pre-filing and anxious, the danger is not rejection alone.
The danger is:
- Filing too early
- Filing with weak framing
- Burning evidence that could mature
- Locking yourself into a bad narrative
This is where quiet strategy matters.
A soft close, because pressure helps no one
You do not need hype.
You need clarity.
If company awards appear in your EB-1 plan, they deserve careful handling, not assumptions.
This is the kind of issue Veripass reviews early, before mistakes become permanent.
No pressure.
No promises.
Just structured thinking.
And that, more than any award, is what keeps strong people from losing strong cases.
Can an employer sponsor EB-1?
Yes, an employer can sponsor an EB-1 petition, but it depends on the category.
For EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability), you do not need an employer. You can self-petition as long as you plan to keep working in your field in the U.S.
For EB-1B (Outstanding Professors and Researchers) and EB-1C (Multinational Managers and Executives), an employer sponsor is required. In these cases, the U.S. employer files the petition on your behalf.
What are common EB-1A denial reasons?
Most EB-1A denials do not happen because the applicant is unqualified. They happen because the evidence is framed poorly.
Common reasons include:
1. Evidence shows company or team success, not individual achievement
2. Awards or recognition are submitted without proving personal attribution
3. Letters are too generic or written by people with no independent standing
4. Meeting three criteria but failing the final merit determination
5. Relying on job titles instead of showing real impact and influence
6. Submitting weak or irrelevant evidence just to “fill” the criteria
USCIS looks for proof that you are among the small percentage at the top of your field, not just experienced or senior.
What are the criteria for EB-1 petition?
For EB-1A, you must meet at least 3 out of 10 criteria, unless you have a single major internationally recognised award. The criteria include:
1. Lesser nationally or internationally recognised awards
2. Membership in associations with strict entry standards
3. Published material about you or your work
4. Judging the work of others
5. Original contributions of major significance
6. Authorship of scholarly articles
7. Leading or critical roles for distinguished organisations
8. High salary compared to others in your field
9. Commercial success in the performing arts
10. Public display of artistic work
Meeting three criteria is only the first step. USCIS then decides if the total evidence proves extraordinary ability.
How many publications do I need for EB-1?
There is no fixed number of publications required for EB-1. One strong publication can be enough if it is:
1. Published in a respected journal
2. Relevant to your field
3. Cited or used by others
4. Clearly tied to your original contribution
USCIS cares more about impact, not volume. Ten weak papers with no citations are often less persuasive than one well-cited, influential publication.