Melania acquired 5 H1-B visas between October 1996 and 2001. Then on March 19, 2001, she obtained a inexperienced card by way of the EB-1 program. This is called the “Einstein visa,” because it’s reserved for “individuals with extraordinary ability.”
For years, there’s been a lot debate about whether or not Melania — who was a working mannequin, however by no means a supermodel — actually certified. Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett highlighted the First Lady’s less-than-exceptional achievements in June 2025 whereas criticizing her husband’s immigration insurance policies.
“You’re supposed to have some sort of significant achievement, like being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize or a Pulitzer, being an Olympic medalist, or having other sustained extraordinary abilities and success in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics,” the Texas Democrat said. “Last time I checked, the First Lady had none of those accolades under her belt. It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the math ain’t mathin’ here.”
It is uncommon to qualify for an “Einstein visa.” In 2018, the Washington Post reported that “of the more than 1 million green cards issued in 2001, just 3,376 — or a fraction of 1 percent — were issued to immigrants” beneath the EB-1 program.
But across the similar time, the New York Times reported that regardless of the identify, “Einstein visas” don’t simply go to Olympians and Nobel Prize winners. Experts mentioned loads of fashions with resumes just like Melania’s have acquired EB-1 visas, and the method is surprisingly subjective:
Petitioners for the EB-1, which was created as a part of the Immigration Act of 1990, face a two-part take a look at. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services first should decide whether or not a candidate has offered proof to fulfill three out of 10 criteria, corresponding to publishing materials in skilled publications or different main media, showing in inventive exhibitions or commanding a excessive wage.
Once these are met, the choice comes right down to a imprecise and undefined “final merits determination” by the immigration company.
“That is the mystery; nobody knows what it is,” mentioned Ms. Sostrin, the lawyer in Los Angeles, who not too long ago secured EB-1s for an award-winning stunt performer and a high-end occasions planner.
Did it assist that Melania was courting Donald Trump when she started making use of for an “Einstein visa,” not less than insofar as giving her entry to a good immigration legal professional? Certainly. Melania truly acknowledged this (albeit vaguely) in her memoir.
“My personal experience of traversing the challenges of the immigration process opened my eyes to the harsh realities people face … who try to become U.S. citizens,” she wrote. “Of course, there are the nuances of understanding the United States immigration laws, and the complex legal language contained therein. I was very devoted, but I certainly was not an attorney, and eventually, it proved critical for me to retain counsel. I was fortunate to do so, as ultimately my journey was streamlined and brought me over the finish line as a naturalized citizen.”
Melania turned a U.S. citizen in July 2006, a number of months after Barron was born.
