The Visa
The EB-1B visa is for Outstanding Professors and Researchers. It is a first-preference employment-based immigrant visa. The visa is employment-based, which means that an employer must be the one petitioning an applicant with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Because it is an immigrant visa, it will allow the applicant to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. This visa would allow for your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 to apply for a dependent immigrant visa. You can not only live and work in the United States on this visa and bring your family, but you can also file the I-485 Adjustment of Status concurrently with this visa.
General Requirements
In order to qualify for the EB-1B visa, you must demonstrate that you have gained international recognition for your outstanding achievements in a particular field, that you have at least 3 years of experience in teaching or research in your field, and you have a tenure track teaching or research position at an institution of higher education. If your employer is a private company, they must employ at least 3 persons full time in research activities and have achieved documented accomplishments in an academic field.
Additional Evidence
To demonstrate international recognition for your outstanding achievements in a particular field, you will need at least two of the following:
- Receipt of lesser national or international prizes or awards for outstanding achievement in your field
- Membership in an association that requires outstanding achievement in the field
- Published material about you & your work in professional trade journals / major media
- Your participation as a judge if the work of others in the same / related field
- Evidence of original contributions of major significance in your field
- Authorship of scholarly articles in the field – published in professional journals or other major media.
