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Our mission is simple: to dismantle the black box of immigration law and give you information you can trust, without the jargon.

Today’s memo is brought to you by Ana Gabriela Urizar, an immigration lawyer with almost a decade of experience and over 15,000 cases filed.

As of February 2026, USCIS is deciding 80% of O-1 cases in about 9.5 months. But for a $2,805 fee, you can pay for premium processing and shrink that 9.5-month wait down to 15 business days.

What you need to know:

You can upgrade to premium processing at any time after your initial petition is filed. Just work with your immigration attorney to submit Form I-907 and the fee, and USCIS will move your case to the front of the line.

This week, Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar offers her insights on the latest headlines.

Did you know that not every country sends the same number of EB-1 talent to the U.S.? The 10 nations below account for over 68% of EB-1 visas issued by the State Department abroad between June 2024 and May 2025 (the most recent data available). 

🔑 Key insight: Mainland China accounts for the vast majority of new EB-1 visas issued abroad, outpacing Russia by more than 141.4%. 

Here’s my personal takeaway: As part of its efforts to expand its economic growth, China’s government has strategically invested in research and development. That alone has helped produce more candidates who can prove international recognition or outstanding achievement to qualify for the EB-1B.

Tuesday, February 10 at 6 p.m. EST: Join former USCIS officer Evan Law to learn how to reduce the risk of receiving a request for evidence. Plus, strategies to respond if you receive one.

This week, Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar offers insights on some of the latest headlines.

Starting March 1, the Small Business Administration will only lend to businesses owned 100% by U.S. citizens or nationals. Legal permanent residents won’t be allowed to own a percentage interest in a business seeking an SBA loan.

Urizar: “For Green Card holders looking to start a small business, I recommend consulting with an attorney on whether it makes sense to submit a loan application with the SBA before the new policy goes into effect.”

The registration window for the FY 2027 H-1B lottery will open on March 4, 2026. This season, USCIS will shift from a purely random lottery selection to a system that prioritizes applicants with higher wages.

Urizar: “Now’s the time to start preparing for the H-1B lottery, whether you’re an employer or employee. Gather all the information required to fill out a registration, and be ready to submit by March 4.”

So you’ve made a name for yourself with your work, but you’re not quite at the level of being a headline speaker at a global conference. How do you build even more name recognition among your peers, in a way that can help prove your extraordinary ability for an O-1A visa?

Instead of waiting for awards or media headlines to roll in, you can be proactive and apply to serve as a judge or peer reviewer for others in your field. These opportunities often allow you to lend your expertise, expand your network or even mentor the next generation of leaders. 

Call for judges: MIT Climate and Energy Prize

Every year, MIT’s Climate and Energy Prize looks for innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions and moving the world to a cleaner, greener future. They just wrapped up taking submissions for the 2026 prize, and they’ll be opening judging applications soon. Keep an eye out for more information on the MIT CEP page, and sign up to be one of their expert judges to evaluate the prize candidates.

💡 Insight: This opportunity is particularly useful for those with significant experience, such as investors, extraordinary researchers, or industry leaders. If you’re in climate tech, energy, transportation energy, sustainable agriculture, or any related fields, this is a top opportunity to participate with peers doing meaningful work.

Peer reviewers needed: Center for Chemical Process Safety

If you’re an engineering leader, consultant, or safety professional in the fields of chemicals, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, foods, metals, or mining, and work in chemical safety, the Center for Chemical Process Safety needs your expertise as a peer reviewer. This group has members from all over the world who work to improve safety and prevent chemical accidents that affect workers and communities.

💡 Insight: CCPS’s specially seeking people who work in chemical safety, but this is a great opportunity for any chemical engineer from a variety of industries — think pharmaceutical, battery recycling, food, or even energy.

Opportunities like these, where you can judge the work of others, offer your insights, and become better known by your peers, can be used as evidence for an O-1A visa packet. With Manifest Law’s evidence support coaching, you can get extra guidance on putting together a strong profile for your petition.