EB-1 Outstanding Researcher or Professor

Outstanding professor/researcher (EB-1B) is an achievement-based opportunity for a green card. This category is for professors and researchers who are recognized internationally as outstanding in his or her academic field.

Advantage

  • No Labor Certification Required. This classification is critical for people who wish to bypass the lengthy labor certification process. Extraordinary Ability petitions take anywhere from one month to about eight months to get approved.

  • EB-1 (employment-based 1st preference) quota is not backlogged. This is important to people from countries such as China and India.

Could EB1 Extraordinary Ability Work for You?

  • Do you hold a tenure-track faculty position or have a permanent job offer?

  • Has your employee agreed to sponsor you?

  • Do you have three years of experience in teaching or research in the academic area? (TA or RA experience can be counted while working on advanced degree if degree is acquired, and if the person had full responsibility for the class taught or if the research has been recognized as outstanding in the academic field)?

  • Are you internationally recognized as "outstanding" in a specific academic field?

Interpreting "Internationally recognized as outstanding”

Evidence that the professor or researcher is recognized as outstanding in the academic field must include at least two of the following:

  • Receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement;

  • Membership in an association which requires outstanding achievement;

  • Published material in professional publications written by others about the applicant’s work

  • Evidence of the person’s participation as a judge of the work of others;

  • Evidence of original scientific research;

  • Authorship of scholarly books or articles in the field.

Additional Notes

  • This category requires a "permanent" job offer. In other words, a visiting professor, or a postdoctoral researcher, or students would not be able to use this category

  • This category has to be "sponsored" by the employer. It cannot be self-petitioned

  • Timing of application: worker can apply as soon as job offer is received. There is no need to first wait for H1B approval.

The Typical Documents Needed for EB1 Outstanding Professor or Researcher

  • Copy of contract between university (company) and alien (offer letter)

  • Letter(s) documenting at least 3 years experience in teaching or research in the field

  • CV including updated Publications List

  • Copy of published journal articles or book chapters

  • Entries in citation indexes

  • Documentation of peer-reviewed presentations

  • Documentation of award/prize/grant received

  • Evidence of media coverage of your work

  • Evidence of invitations you may have received to participate in conferences, to submit papers or to review work of other scientists, including documentation of participation as a reviewer, judge, on a panel or individually of work of others in the same field

  • Information on elected/nominated professional membership

  • Support letters