Employment-Based Immigration
From extraordinary ability visas to investor pathways and specialty occupation permits — comprehensive employment-based immigration representation by Kamkhadze PA.
Kamkhadze PA focuses on extraordinary ability petitions as a primary practice — not as a side category of a generalist immigration firm. Ana Kamkhadze, Esq. MBA has prepared O-1A and EB-1A petitions for professionals across technology, research, medicine, finance, and the arts, representing clients from all 50 U.S. states and internationally. Her dual LL.M. and MBA background gives her particular strength in structuring business and entrepreneurship profiles where standard evidentiary criteria require comparable evidence arguments. Consultations by secure video call — clients served worldwide. +1 (786) 590-9400
Flagship Categories
O-1A Nonimmigrant Visa
The O-1A visa is for individuals who possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics — demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim. It does not require a specific degree, making it ideal for self-made professionals, researchers, executives, and athletes whose achievements speak for themselves.
Who May Qualify
Case evaluation → petition preparation (4–8 weeks) → USCIS filing → approval in 15 business days via premium processing. No annual cap. No lottery.
EB-1A Immigrant Visa · Green Card
The EB-1A is the highest-priority employment-based immigrant visa category, reserved for individuals who have risen to the very top of their field. No employer sponsor required — you may self-petition based solely on your extraordinary accomplishments. No labor certification needed, resulting in faster processing.
Who May Qualify
I-140 self-petition → premium processing (15 business days) → concurrent I-485 filing available for most nationalities. No labor certification. No employer required.
Additional Practice Areas
O-1B
The O-1B visa is for individuals with extraordinary achievement in the arts, or in the motion picture and television industries. A high-standard visa recognizing talent at the top of the creative industry.
Who May Qualify
EB-1B
The EB-1B green card is for foreign nationals internationally recognized as outstanding in their academic field. Requires employer sponsorship from a university or research institution but no PERM labor certification.
Who May Qualify
EB-1C
The EB-1C green card is for executives and managers transferring to the U.S. within a multinational company. No labor certification required. A direct pathway to permanent residence for senior corporate professionals.
Who May Qualify
EB-2 NIW
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver allows qualified professionals to self-petition for a green card without an employer sponsor if their work is in the national interest of the United States. Available to those with an advanced degree or exceptional ability.
Who May Qualify
H-1B
The H-1B is a nonimmigrant visa for professionals in specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent. Subject to annual cap with cap-exempt options available for qualifying employers.
Who May Qualify
L-1A / L-1B
L-1 visas allow multinational companies to transfer employees to the United States. L-1A is for managers and executives; L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge. A strong pathway toward permanent residence via EB-1C.
Who May Qualify
E-2
The E-2 visa is available to nationals of treaty countries who invest a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. enterprise. Renewable indefinitely while the investment remains active and the business is operational.
Who May Qualify
TN
TN status is available to Canadian and Mexican citizens under USMCA for employment in specific professional categories. Simpler and faster than many other work visa categories.
Who May Qualify
Common Questions
O-1A Visa
To qualify for an O-1A visa, you must demonstrate extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics through sustained national or international acclaim. USCIS requires either a major internationally recognized award, or satisfaction of at least 3 of 8 evidentiary criteria: nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards; membership in qualifying associations; published media coverage about you and your work; participation as a judge of others' work; original contributions of major significance; scholarly articles in professional journals; critical or essential role at a distinguished organization; or high salary significantly above peers in your field.
Yes, the O-1A visa requires a U.S. petitioner — either a qualifying employer or an authorized agent. Unlike the EB-1A green card, you cannot self-petition for an O-1A. However, the arrangement is flexible: agents may file on behalf of multiple engagements, and some professionals use an immigration agent while working with multiple clients or employers simultaneously.
O-1A petitions can be adjudicated in 15 business days via premium processing (for an additional USCIS fee). Standard processing typically takes several months. The O-1A is initially approved for up to 3 years, with 1-year extensions available. There is no annual cap and no lottery for the O-1A visa.
The O-1A is a nonimmigrant (temporary) work visa; the EB-1A is an immigrant petition leading to lawful permanent residence (a green card). Both require extraordinary ability, but the EB-1A sets a higher evidentiary bar — requiring demonstrated field-wide impact and sustained acclaim at the very top of the profession. The EB-1A can be self-petitioned with no employer required, while the O-1A requires a petitioning employer or agent. Many professionals use the O-1A as a strategic first step before pursuing the EB-1A green card.
EB-1A Green Card
Yes. The EB-1A is one of the few employment-based green card categories that permits self-petition. You file the I-140 immigrant petition directly with USCIS — no employer sponsor, no PERM labor certification required. This makes the EB-1A particularly valuable for independent professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and executives who are not tied to a single sponsoring employer.
An EB-1A petition requires either a major internationally recognized award, or evidence satisfying at least 3 of 10 USCIS criteria — prizes/awards, qualifying association memberships, published media about you and your work, judging others' work, original contributions of major significance, scholarly articles, leading roles at distinguished organizations, high salary relative to peers, commercial success in the performing arts, or artistic exhibitions. Beyond the criteria threshold, USCIS conducts a final merits determination requiring that the overall record demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim at the very top of the field.
The EB-1A I-140 immigrant petition can be adjudicated in 15 business days with premium processing. For applicants inside the U.S., concurrent filing of the I-485 adjustment of status application is available for most nationalities when a visa number is immediately available. For most nationalities outside of India and China, there is no significant backlog in the EB-1 preference category. Total time from I-140 filing to green card approval typically ranges from several months to about one year depending on the adjustment of status queue.
No. The EB-1A I-140 petition can be filed from anywhere in the world. Applicants outside the U.S. complete their immigration process through consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Applicants already lawfully present in the U.S. may file for adjustment of status (I-485) concurrently with or after the I-140 approval. Kamkhadze PA represents EB-1A clients internationally — consultations are conducted by secure video call. Call +1 (786) 590-9400 to schedule.
Practice Profile
The following describes categories of matters Kamkhadze PA handles in extraordinary ability immigration. Specific client information is confidential.
O-1A · Technology & Entrepreneurship
Extraordinary ability petitions for technology professionals and startup founders — structuring comparable evidence arguments for individuals whose achievements are documented through venture capital backing, product adoption metrics, industry press coverage, and advisory or speaking roles rather than traditional scholarly publication records.
EB-1A · Research & Academia
Self-petition I-140 cases for research scientists and academics — analyzing citation profiles, peer review records, and contributions relative to peers at the same career stage to construct a compelling final merits argument under the post-Kazarian framework.
O-1A · Business, Finance & Medicine
Extraordinary ability petitions for senior executives, financial professionals, and physicians — identifying and documenting the evidentiary criteria most naturally supported by industry recognition, compensation data, leadership roles, and published professional commentary.
EB-2 NIW · Specialized Professionals
National interest waiver self-petitions for STEM professionals, physicians, and researchers — structuring the proposed endeavor, well-positioned, and waiver-justification prongs of the Dhanasar framework with particular attention to the forward-looking plan and national scope elements that drive most denials.