Success Stories: We Helped a Research Associate from India Secure O1-A Approval in the Field of Molecular Biology in 1 Month, Despite RFE

Posted by wegreened on July 9, 2020 in Success Stories O1-A, Biology (Pathology and Immunology, Human Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Animal, Plant, Microbiology, Genetics, Botany)

Client’s Testimonial:

"Thank you for your support.”

On March 12^th, 2020, we received another O1-A (Individual with extraordinary ability or achievement) approval for a Research Associate in the Field of Molecular Biology (Approval Notice).

General Field: Molecular Biology

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Research Associate

Country of Origin: India

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Illinois

Approval Notice Date: March 12^th, 2020

Processing Time: 1 month, 1 day (Premium Processing Requested)

Case Summary:

A research associate from India hired North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) to help her file an O-1A (Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement) petition. With a Ph.D. in biochemistry and extensive experience in molecular biology, our client checked all the boxes when it came to qualifying for O1-A. These are the criteria she claimed:

Original contributions: At the time of filing, our client had already been cited 340 times. This proved the value of her work not just to other researchers but to the field of molecular biology as a whole.
Authorship: The many years that our client has dedicated to the field have resulted in 23 peer-reviewed scientific articles (14 of them first-authored and 1 of them co-first-authored), all of which were published in well-known scientific journals.
Judge of others’ work: To highlight the fact that our client’s ideas and opinions are respected by other researchers in the field, we presented her peer review record- 5 reviews conducted by the time we filed her case.

Besides data on the three O1-A criteria mentioned above, our client’s petition packet contained a wealth of information related to her impactful research on clarifying how the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of cells and neurons influence disease development. Her research addresses some of our nation’s most pressing issues in the study and development of cutting-edge therapies for treating deadly conditions like cancer and liver disease. In a bid to further fortify our client’s O1-A petition, we also included 4 written advisory opinions contributed by experts from well-known institutions around the world. These letters advocated for the approval of our client’s O1-A petition and supported our argument that she is indeed an individual with extraordinary ability. One of these letters contained statements like “...[client’s] excellent work has significantly advanced scientific understanding and progress throughout the world. [Client’s] research accomplishments place her in the upper echelons of the field of cell and molecular biology today. Throughout her career, she has consistently illustrated her expertise and the beneficial applications of her work.”

Despite our meticulous presentation of our client’s strong credentials, the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence (RFE). According to the USCIS website, “A request for evidence is made when an application/petition is lacking required documentation/evidence (initial evidence) or the officer needs more documentation/evidence (additional evidence) to determine an applicant’s eligibility for the benefit sought.” As soon as we received the RFE, our legal team sprang into action. We promptly responded to the RFE and successfully dealt with all hesitations about our client’s qualifications. Thanks to premium processing (PP), our client received notification of case approval in just 1 month after we filed the personalized O1-A petition on her behalf. We thank her for choosing us for her O1-A petition and trusting us for her NIW and EB1B applications.

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North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

Our Sixty-four Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With nearly 64,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

We Have Helped Tens of Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to nearly 64,000 in 2025.

Track Record of Success EB-1 and NIW Approvals

(2012.01 - 2025.12)

Category	Approval or Refund^®		Approval or Refiling^TM
	Approval or Refund^®
Category	Approved Sum	Success Rate	Approved Sum	Success Rate
NIW	42,047	99%	5,258	97%
EB1A	9,218	91%	4,534	86%
EB1B	1,488	98%	448	93%
Total	52,753	98%	10,240	92%