On December 5^th, 2016, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Field of Molecular Biology (Approval Notice).

General Field: Molecular Biology

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Researcher

Country of Origin: China

Service Center: .Nebraska Service Center (NSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: New Jersey

Approval Notice Date: December 5^th, 2016

Processing Time: 4 months, 9 days (PP Requested)

Case Summary:

A little over 4 months after North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) filed an EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) petition on behalf of a recent client, the USCIS approved her case. Our client, a postdoctoral researcher from China, boasted all the right qualifications for EB-1A. We took note of her various achievements in the field of molecular biology and meticulously presented them to the USCIS. Amongst other things, here are some of the points we chose to focus on:

1. Research Efforts: We detailed our client’s investigations on the stress adaptation mechanism in green algae under limited carbon dioxide conditions, with the specific aim to increase food security through development of sustainable agriculture. We then demonstrated that her findings are essential in addressing growing concerns of national and international food security.
2. Publication Count: At the time of filing, our client’s research had resulted in the publication of 5 articles, all of which appeared in high-impact scientific journals.
3. Citation Record: We used Google Scholar to determine our client’s citation count. When we filed her EB-1A case, her work had already been cited 112 times by researchers around the globe.
4. Peer Review Experience: The 10 times our client assessed the work of her peers demonstrated that her opinions are highly regarded by other researchers working in the field.

We also incorporated six recommendation letters into our client’s EB-1A petition packet. These letters were volunteered by other respected researchers working in the field, one of whom stated that our client’s “…determination and success demonstrate the importance of her being permitted to remain in the United States, for without the continued research endeavors of [Client], her field will greatly suffer.”

Overall, the USCIS spent 4 days and 9 months reviewing our client’s case before they decided to approve it. It would have taken them far longer had our client not elected to upgrade her case to Premium Processing (PP). After the upgrade, the USCIS only spent another 18 days reviewing her case before sending her notification of case approval. We join our client as she celebrates this important milestone, and we wish her the best as she continues to advance the field of molecular biology. We also thank her for retaining our I-485 services to help her and her dependent adjust their status for permanent residence, and we look forward to helping them obtain their green cards.