Who qualifies for a U.S. talent visa?

People whose achievements can be proven with documents: awards, published material about you, judging, a critical role, high remuneration, scholarly articles, original contributions. EB-1A needs three of ten criteria, O-1 three of eight, NIW a project of national importance. Occupation does not matter: engineers, scientists, physicians, founders and artists all come through. You can check yourself in two minutes — Check your chances.

Do I need an employer?

Not for EB-1A or EB-2 NIW — those are self-petitions. O-1 requires a petitioner: an employer or an agent. If you need one, we can provide an employer.

Can I file from outside the United States?

Yes. The petition is filed with USCIS from any country. After approval you proceed through consular processing — or, if you are already in the United States in lawful status, through adjustment of status.

How long does it take?

Preparing the package usually takes 3–6 months, depending on how complete the evidence is. With premium processing, USCIS adjudicates EB-1A and O-1 in 15 business days and NIW in 45.

What if I do not yet meet enough criteria?

The audit shows which criteria can realistically be built. Publications, awards, memberships and judging are closed through PR services mapped to the specific USCIS requirements.

What is included in $10,000, and what is billed separately?

Everything listed in the Fees section is included, including certified translation of the package documents. Separate: government filing fees and premium processing, notarizations, PR services, and an RFE response. A refiling after a denial is under the terms of the guarantee.

Is approval guaranteed?

USCIS makes the decision, and no one can guarantee approval. We stand behind the result this way: if a petition we prepared receives a final denial, we prepare a refiling with no professional fee — up to three times. If the fourth filing is also denied, we refund the representation fee in full. The terms are on the Terms page.

Who provides the services, and who files the petition?

Services are provided by advocate Sergei Voronin. You receive a complete package; the petition is filed with USCIS by the petitioner — you (EB-1A, NIW) or your employer/agent (O-1). We remain on the case at every stage.

U.S. talent visas

A U.S. talent visa based on your achievements

EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1 for professionals, researchers, founders and artists. No employer. No investment.

Check your chances Book a call

About

Forward Visa is an agency for immigration to the United States. We prepare EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1 petitions for people whose record speaks for itself — and deliver a complete package ready for filing with USCIS.

People come to us when they need a clear read of their chances, a body of evidence, and a petition taken all the way to filing — without extra complexity, and without promises USCIS will not uphold.

Meet the team

500+

approved petitions

years of experience

countries

categories: EB-1A, NIW, O-1

Services

Three paths to the U.S. on the strength of your record

We work only with categories decided by your achievements — not a lottery, and not an employer.

Check your chances

EB-1A

First-preference green card

EB-2 NIW

Green card in the U.S. national interest

O-1

Talent visa

Process

Three steps to a ready package

From the first conversation to a filing set for USCIS: a clear read of your chances, evidence built to the criteria, and support at every stage.

Check your chances

Forward Visa

Consultation

Fees

Transparent terms

Initial consultation

Complimentary

By video or messenger. We review your situation and say whether it is worth going further.

Book a call

Profile audit

$250

A written opinion from counsel: the right category, which criteria are already met, what is missing, and a plan to close the gaps.

Request an audit

Legal representation

$10,000

Included:

help collecting and structuring evidence
preparation of recommendation letters
preparation of the petition
completion of all required forms
ongoing support
a complete document package ready for filing
answers to your questions and case monitoring at every stage
certified translation of the petition package documents

Check your chances

What does the full cost of a green card consist of →

USCIS filing fees, premium processing, notarizations and PR services are billed separately. An RFE response is a separate service. A refiling after a denial is under the terms of the guarantee. The audit fee is credited against the representation fee.

Insights

Articles and cases

Visa-category breakdowns, USCIS criteria, and real cases.

All insights

Talent visa

A quiet American suburban street with houses in soft evening light

September 20, 2026

How to get a U.S. green card in 2026? Every route, and what works for Russian nationals

The lottery has not opened for a second year, family categories added a year of waiting, investment starts at $800,000, and consulates have been cancelling interviews since late August. And yet in 2026 a green card based on achievements is more reachable for a Russian national than ever. We walk through every path and count, for each: how many years, how much money, and what is real for a Russian passport. Current as of 20 September 2026.

For citizens of Russia and the CIS

A desk by a window: a closed passport, a laptop and a coffee cup

September 19, 2026

A U.S. work visa for Russian nationals in 2026: what exists and what is actually open?

The United States has seven work visas. For a Russian national in 2026, two are actually open — and they are not the two people think of first. We follow one engineer who started with the lottery and finished with a green card, spending a year and one mistake on the way. Current as of 20 September 2026.

Talent visa

September 19, 2026

U.S. talent visa: who qualifies, the criteria, and how to get one in 2026?

“U.S. talent visa” is the phrase we hear most often — and no such visa exists in the statute. Behind it sit three different tools: the EB-1A green card, the EB-2 NIW green card, and the O-1 work visa. Which one you choose decides the timeline: four months or two years. We set out who qualifies, what you must prove, and how it works in 2026. Current as of 19 September 2026.

Updates

Updates 2026

September 30, 2026

The DV-2026 lottery closes on 30 September: unissued visas are forfeited, and no new drawing has been announced

A DV-2026 selection does not carry over: visas not issued by 30 September have expired. DV-2027 registration never opened, and there is no announcement of DV-2028. What remains are the ordinary routes — work visas and self-petitions.

September 29, 2026

October Visa Bulletin: EB-1 for Russia is Current, and EB-2 and NIW have retrogressed

EB-1 for Russia is still Current: an approved petition can go straight to adjustment of status or an immigrant visa. EB-2, including NIW, has retrogressed — Final Action Dates at January 1, 2025, Dates for Filing at March 15, 2026. The priority date is fixed on the day the I-140 is filed, so the queue is not a reason to wait.

September 20, 2026

$100,000 H-1B payment extended through September 2027 — while a court injunction remains in force

For anyone planning H-1B from abroad, the uncertainty now lasts another year: the payment may start being collected at any moment after the appeal is decided, and employers price that risk in advance. Routes without a sponsoring employer — O-1, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW — are not touched by this proclamation at all.

All updates

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Ask a question

A U.S. talent visa based on your achievements

Forward Visa is an agency for immigration to the United States. We prepare EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1 petitions for people whose record speaks for itself — and deliver a complete package ready for filing with USCIS.

Three paths to the U.S. on the strength of your record

EB-1A

EB-2 NIW

O-1

Three steps to a ready package

Transparent terms

Articles and cases

How to get a U.S. green card in 2026? Every route, and what works for Russian nationals

A U.S. work visa for Russian nationals in 2026: what exists and what is actually open?

U.S. talent visa: who qualifies, the criteria, and how to get one in 2026?

Updates 2026

The DV-2026 lottery closes on 30 September: unissued visas are forfeited, and no new drawing has been announced

October Visa Bulletin: EB-1 for Russia is Current, and EB-2 and NIW have retrogressed

$100,000 H-1B payment extended through September 2027 — while a court injunction remains in force

Frequently asked questions

Who qualifies for a U.S. talent visa?+

Do I need an employer?+

Can I file from outside the United States?+

How long does it take?+

What if I do not yet meet enough criteria?+

What is included in $10,000, and what is billed separately?+

Is approval guaranteed?+

Who provides the services, and who files the petition?+

Frequently asked questions

Who qualifies for a U.S. talent visa?+

Do I need an employer?+

Can I file from outside the United States?+

How long does it take?+

What if I do not yet meet enough criteria?+

What is included in $10,000, and what is billed separately?+

Is approval guaranteed?+

Who provides the services, and who files the petition?+

Transparent terms

Updates 2026

The DV-2026 lottery closes on 30 September: unissued visas are forfeited, and no new drawing has been announced

October Visa Bulletin: EB-1 for Russia is Current, and EB-2 and NIW have retrogressed

$100,000 H-1B payment extended through September 2027 — while a court injunction remains in force

Three paths to the U.S. on the strength of your record

EB-1A

EB-2 NIW

O-1

Articles and cases

How to get a U.S. green card in 2026? Every route, and what works for Russian nationals

A U.S. work visa for Russian nationals in 2026: what exists and what is actually open?

U.S. talent visa: who qualifies, the criteria, and how to get one in 2026?

Three steps to a ready package