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EB-1B Visa

EB-1B “Outstanding Researcher” Visa

The EB-1B immigrant visa is intended for professors and researchers who have achieved international recognition for their outstanding accomplishments in a specific academic field.

A key benefit of this visa category is that it does not require a PERM labor certification, though it does require sponsorship from a U.S. employer.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the EB-1B Outstanding Researcher category, the applicant must:

Be internationally recognized as outstanding in a specific academic field.

Have a minimum of three years of experience in teaching or research within that field.

Have a permanent job offer from a U.S. employer for either a teaching or research position.

Evidence Criteria

To establish eligibility, applicants must provide evidence satisfying at least two of the following six criteria:

1

Evidence of receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement in the academic field.
2

Evidence of membership in associations that require outstanding accomplishments of their members.
3

Evidence of published material by others about the applicant’s work in professional or academic publications.
4

Evidence of participation as a judge, either individually or on a panel, evaluating the work of others in the same or a related academic field.
5

Evidence of original scientific or scholarly research contributions to the academic field.
6

Evidence of authorship of scholarly books or articles published in scholarly journals with international circulation.

USCIS Evaluation Process

USCIS evaluates EB-1B petitions through a two-step analysis:

Step 1:

Objective Criteria Review

USCIS first determines whether the applicant objectively meets the regulatory requirements through submitted evidence.

Step 2:

Totality of Circumstances Assessment

USCIS then evaluates the quality, impact, and overall significance of the applicant’s accomplishments to decide whether they are recognized internationally as outstanding in their academic field.

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