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EB-1B — Outstanding Professor or Researcher
Employment-based green card for researchers and professors recognized internationally as outstanding in their academic field.
About the EB-1B
The EB-1B is a first-preference, employment-based green card for outstanding professors and researchers with at least three years of experience in their academic field. Unlike EB-1A, it requires a permanent U.S. employer with an offer of a tenured or tenure-track teaching position, or a comparable permanent research role.
You must show international recognition as outstanding in your academic field, supported by at least 2 of 6 regulatory criteria. USCIS then conducts a final-merits review of the totality of the evidence.
EB-1B is widely used by university faculty, national-lab researchers, and senior R&D staff at private companies that maintain permanent research positions.
Who it's for
- Tenured and tenure-track university faculty
- Senior research scientists at national labs and institutes
- Industry researchers in permanent R&D roles
- Postdoc-to-faculty candidates with a permanent offer in hand
What USCIS evaluates
- 01Receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement
- 02Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievement
- 03Published material about you in professional publications
- 04Participation as a judge of the work of others
- 05Original scientific or scholarly research contributions
- 06Authored scholarly books or articles in journals with international circulation
Good to know
- EB-1B requires the U.S. employer to file. It is not a self-petition category.
- The job offer must be permanent — not project-based or fixed-term.
- Citation counts and downstream impact of your publications are typically the strongest evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Can I self-petition for EB-1B?
No. EB-1B requires a U.S. employer to file the I-140 petition.
Does my postdoc count as a permanent position?
Generally no — most postdoc roles are fixed-term and do not satisfy the permanent-position requirement. A tenure-track offer or a permanent research role does.
How many criteria do I need to meet?
At least 2 of the 6 regulatory criteria, followed by a final-merits review for international recognition as outstanding.
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This A.I assessment is informational and educational. AI can make mistakes. It does not constitute legal advice, and we are not a law firm. Eligibility for U.S. visas is ultimately determined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or U.S. Department of State officers based on the totality of evidence and applicable regulations. For legal representation in your immigration matter, please consult a licensed immigration attorney. Agora Visa is a service of Agora Works LLC.