Success Stories: Greener Chemistry, Cleaner Futures: EB1A Approved for Leader in Solvent Innovation and Environmental Remediation

Client’s Testimonial:

“I am delighted to express my sincere appreciation to North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG), led by the esteemed Victoria Chen, for their exceptional handling of my EB1A petition. My attorney, who demonstrated remarkable expertise, professionalism, and dedication throughout the entire process, which spanned approximately 50 days from case preparation to petition package submission to USCIS through courier. Her outstanding communication skills, prompt responses, and meticulous attention to detail made the experience truly seamless and stress-free. I am deeply grateful for her exemplary guidance, support, and commitment to excellence. NAILG’s impressive expertise, efficiency, and personalized approach make them an outstanding leader in the field of immigration law. I wholeheartedly recommend NAILG to anyone seeking superior immigration legal services.”

On May 21^st, 2025, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Field of Chemistry (Approval Notice).

General Field: Chemistry

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Country of Residence at the Time of Filing: South Africa

Approval Notice Date: May 21^st, 2025

Processing Time: 14 days (Premium Processing Requested)

Case Summary:

We proudly celebrate the EB1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval of a Nigerian chemist whose pioneering work is revolutionizing green solvent systems for dye separation, metal recovery, and pollution control. His research, widely cited and globally implemented, has placed him among the top experts in the field of environmental chemistry and separation science.

Leading Sustainable Solutions in Chemistry

This client’s body of work is grounded in constructing advanced aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) using ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) to combat environmental pollution caused by dyes, metals, and other hazardous compounds. His groundbreaking findings have reshaped how synthetic dyes are removed from water, how electronic waste is processed, and how green solvents can reduce industrial reliance on toxic chemicals.

Currently serving in an academic research role, he is developing solvent-substrate interaction models and leading efforts in eco-friendly metal leaching and recovery technologies. His proposed work in the U.S. includes continuing this research at a major R1 university, where he will further integrate chemistry with industrial sustainability.

A Record of Extraordinary Impact

With 17 peer-reviewed journal articles (13 first-authored), 3 book chapters, and 286 citations, this researcher’s work stands among the top 1% most cited on topics like printed circuit board recycling and places him in the top 3% in environmental engineering based on h-index metrics. At least 9 of his articles are in the top 10% or 1% most cited in the field of chemistry for their publication years.

His projects include:

Extraction of dyes using alcohol-based DESs, which achieved near-complete dye recovery and introduced low-toxicity alternatives to wastewater treatment.
Partitioning behavior of dyes in ionic liquid-based ABSs, offering new industrial methods for dye separation with minimized environmental impact.
Concurrent leaching of copper and cobalt from ores provides sustainable methods for extracting critical materials from e-waste.

Recognized by Scholars and Institutions Worldwide

He has performed over 70 peer reviews for top-ranked journals, such as Desalination, Separation and Purification Technology, Journal of Environmental Management, and Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, among others. He also serves as an editorial board member at PLOS ONE, reflecting peer acknowledgment of his leadership in chemistry research.

His work has been cited by researchers from over 39 countries across six continents, and his findings have been utilized by institutions in Brazil, Turkey, Germany, China, and South Korea. According to one recommender:

“[Client’s] method ensures more efficient dye extraction while minimizing environmental impact, offering industries a practical and sustainable alternative to traditional separation processes”.

He has also advised major funding agencies, such as the French National Research Agency, on the merit of scientific proposals, further affirming his stature in the field.

Scientific Acclaim with Broad Public Reach

Beyond academic circles, his research has garnered media attention from The Guardian and The Nation, collectively reaching over 21 million readers monthly. These outlets highlighted his contributions to e-waste recycling and environmentally safe solvent technologies—work that directly impacts public health, industrial sustainability, and green innovation.

A Fast, Merit-Based Approval

Filed under premium processing on May 7, 2025, and approved by May 21, 2025, the case demonstrated clear evidence of extraordinary ability, national and international acclaim, and continued benefit to the United States.

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 Ten Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With more than 58,000 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 Hundreds and 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 over 58,000 in 2025.