Author
Sylvia Gorajek
Sylvia moved from Poland to Silicon Valley in 2012 on a tourist visa, with no employer and no family to sponsor her. Six years, an O-1, two E-2 visas and several denials later, she got her EB-1A green card, and in 2024 she and her husband Kuba became U.S. citizens.
She founded America Unlocked to give skilled professionals the support she wished she had: a free community, courses and live events, and individual petition support with immigration attorneys, former USCIS officers and consular officers.
Posts by Sylvia
15 posts
Don't Spend Months on Evidence USCIS Would Never Read
Takeaways from our first Office Hour on EB-2 NIW evidence, letters, RFEs and filing, plus an EB-1A approval and what's new in the community this week.
Two Approvals and a Double Filing: An EB-1A, an O-1 and an EB-2 NIW in One Week
Two members got approved this week, one for the O-1 and one for the EB-1A, and another filed EB-1A and EB-2 NIW together. Here's what each win shows you.
How Much Does a Self-Sponsored EB-1A or EB-2 NIW Visa Cost?
What a self-sponsored EB-1A or EB-2 NIW really costs: USCIS and State Department fees, legal fees, hidden costs and practical ways to save on your green card.
5 Myths About Self-Sponsorship You Need to Stop Believing
Think the EB-1A is only for celebrities, the rich or Nobel laureates? Five common myths about self-sponsored U.S. visas, debunked with real examples and facts.
What Is the Difference Between EB-2 and EB-2 NIW?
EB-2 vs. EB-2 NIW: how the National Interest Waiver lets you self-petition without an employer or PERM, who qualifies, examples, forms and recent updates.
O-1 vs. EB-1A: Which Extraordinary Ability Visa Is Right for You?
O-1 work visa or EB-1A green card? Compare requirements, costs, approval rates, family benefits and how to use the O-1 as a stepping stone to the EB-1A.
O-1 Visa Guide: Extraordinary Ability Requirements, Criteria and Process
Who qualifies for the O-1 extraordinary ability visa in 2026: O-1A and O-1B criteria, how founders can use their own company, costs and processing time.
EB-1A Visa Requirements: The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary Ability Green Card
What the EB-1A extraordinary ability green card requires in 2026: the 10 criteria, final merits review, fees, processing and who qualifies without a sponsor.
EB-2 NIW Visa Requirements: The Complete Guide to the National Interest Waiver
EB-2 NIW requirements explained: the advanced degree and exceptional ability paths, the 3-prong Dhanasar test, examples by field, costs and how to self-petition
Why the EB-1A Is a Great Green Card Path for International Artists
How international artists, performers and creatives can self-sponsor a U.S. green card through the EB-1A, which criteria fit artistic careers and who qualifies.
Understanding the Matter of Dhanasar: Your Guide to the EB-2 NIW Green Card
What the Matter of Dhanasar test means for your EB-2 NIW: its history, each of the three prongs, common misconceptions, examples and how to strengthen your case
EB-2 NIW Policy Updates: Key Changes and What They Mean for You
What USCIS's January 2025 EB-2 NIW policy update changed: proposed endeavors, degrees, exceptional ability, evidence, the Dhanasar prongs and entrepreneurs.
OpenAI's Global Talent: What It Means for AI Researchers Seeking a U.S. Visa
OpenAI was built by people from around the world. What that means for AI researchers and engineers, and the best U.S. visa options: EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1.
Trump's AI Executive Order and the EB-2 NIW: What AI Specialists Need to Know
How Trump's 2025 AI executive order and the AI Action Plan affect AI researchers and engineers applying for an EB-2 NIW green card, and what to do next.
Founder's Visa Story: 12 Years from Tourist Visa to U.S. Citizen
How we went from tourist visas to EB-1A green cards and citizenship without an employer sponsor: denials, wrong advice, an O-1, two E-2s and the win.