On May 10^th, 2016, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Field of Metallurgical Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Metallurgical Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Country of Origin: India

Service Center: Texas Service Center (TSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Texas

Approval Notice Date: May 10^th, 2016

Processing Time: 11 months, 27 days

Case Summary:

With a doctoral degree and extensive experience conducting research in the field of metallurgical engineering, our client seemed like a suitable candidate for EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability). However, before initiating an attorney-client relationship, we carefully evaluated his credentials to make sure that we could build a strong case for him. In a nutshell, we needed to verify whether he met at least three out of the 10 requirements set by the USCIS to qualify for EB-1A.

The three requirements:

We went through our client’s achievement record with a fine-toothed comb. Using Google Scholar and other means, we were able to establish that his work had gathered 147 citations at the time of filing and that he had conducted 39 peer reviews for various scientific journals. Furthermore, his publication record was made up of 19 scientific articles, three books, one book chapter, and a dozen presentations at national and international conferences. Taken together, our client’s outstanding citation record, peer review record, and publication count made for a strong EB-1A case.

Gathering sufficient evidence:

Some of the most powerful weapons in our arsenal of evidence were the recommendation letters that our client obtained from six of his peers. These letters confirmed that he is an asset to the nation and that his work on the physical metallurgy with an emphasis on mechanical behavior of lightweight alloys is important to the country. According to one of his recommenders: “The automobiles we drive, the airplanes that whisk us away to our vacation destinations, and the buildings in which we live and work have all been built of materials that were rigorously tested first and modified for the best results. Sometimes this means two materials are melded together or that a highly technical process is used to add or subtract mechanical qualities from the original material. At his laboratory […] [Client] is performing feats such as these.”

The long road to petition approval:

The USCIS spent a lengthy 11 months and 27 days adjudicating our client’s EB-1A petition before deciding to grant their approval. We raised a service request on our client’s behalf after the case was considered outside the normal processing timeline. The USCIS responded by saying that they needed to perform additional reviews. Our client’s patience ultimately paid off and he is now the proud holder of an in-demand EB-1A petition approval. We congratulate him and thank him for working with North America Immigration Law Group (WeGreened.com).