Melania received five H1-B visas between October 1996 and 2001. Then on March 19, 2001, she obtained a green card via the EB-1 program. This is known as the “Einstein visa,” as it’s reserved for “individuals with extraordinary ability.”
For years, there’s been much debate about whether Melania — who was a working model, but never a supermodel — really qualified. Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett highlighted the First Lady’s less-than-exceptional achievements in June 2025 while criticizing her husband’s immigration 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.”
BREAKING: In a stunning moment, Rep. Crockett blasts Trump’s immigration hypocrisy on Melania’s Einstein Visa: “You’re supposed to have some significant achievement. She had none of those.
It doesn’t take an Einstein to see the math ain’t mathin here.”💥pic.twitter.com/erKHAwctZ7
— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) June 25, 2025
It is rare 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” under the EB-1 program.
But around the same time, the New York Times reported that despite the name, “Einstein visas” don’t just go to Olympians and Nobel Prize winners. Experts said plenty of models with resumes similar to Melania’s have received EB-1 visas, and the process is surprisingly subjective:
Petitioners for the EB-1, which was created as part of the Immigration Act of 1990, face a two-part test. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services first must determine whether a candidate has presented evidence to satisfy three out of 10 criteria, such as publishing material in professional publications or other major media, appearing in artistic exhibitions or commanding a high salary.
Once those are met, the decision comes down to a vague and undefined “final merits determination” by the immigration agency.
“That is the mystery; nobody knows what it is,” said Ms. Sostrin, the lawyer in Los Angeles, who recently secured EB-1s for an award-winning stunt performer and a high-end events planner.
Did it help that Melania was dating Donald Trump when she began applying for an “Einstein visa,” at least insofar as giving her access to a good immigration attorney? Certainly. Melania actually 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 became a U.S. citizen in July 2006, several months after Barron was born.
