Success Stories: Premium Processing Leads to EB-1A Petition Approval (Without RFE) for Chinese Research Scientist in the Field of Meteorology in Only 8 Days
Client’s Testimonial:
“Glad to receive such good news. […] Again, thanks a lot for your great help!”
On May 3rd, 2016, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Research Scientist in the Field of Meteorology (Approval Notice).
General Field: Meteorology
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Research Scientist
Country of Origin: China
Service Center: Texas Service Center (TSC)
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Oklahoma
Approval Notice Date: May 3rd, 2016
Processing Time: 8 Days (Premium Processing Requested)
Case Summary:
Just 8 calendar days after we filed an EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) petition for a research scientist based in Oklahoma, we received notification of case approval from the USCIS. The speedy adjudication was thanks to Premium Processing, a paid option offered by the USCIS. By paying them $1,225 more, petitioners can expect action to be taken on their cases within 15 days. Assuming their priority date is current, they can then proceed with the next step (either filing an I-485 application or undergoing immigrant visa processing) instead of twiddling their thumbs for 4-9 months.
About our client:
Our client obtained both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Meteorology from a top university in his birth country of China. Ever since then, he has been a permanent fixture in the field, churning out findings that benefit not just other researchers studying meteorology but the U.S. as a whole. For example, his investigations on hydrometeorology, radar meteorology, and hydrology advance the country’s understanding of how best to predict and monitor the severity, location, and arrival of floods and other forms of dangerous weather, as well as how best to use natural rainfall for human purposes and fostering the growth of the economy. Many researchers agree that our client is an asset to the nation and six of them even contributed recommendation letters to prove it. These six letters were incorporated into our client’s EB-1A petition packet and served as additional evidence of the value of his research-focused presence in the United States. Here are a couple of excerpts from these letters:
“It is critical that meteorologists continue to expand their ability to predict severe weather patterns and events so that adequate warning is available to those who are in the path of destructive storms. Millions of people, both in the United States and around the world, rely on meteorologists’ predictions to provide essential—and lifesaving—information. [Client] is addressing this need via his valuable and substantive meteorological research. The United States unquestionably benefits from his work, as he is increasing the understanding of severe weather patterns and enhancing the accuracy with which scientists predict them.”
Independent recommender, USA
“As evidenced by the scientific community’s usage of this work, [Client’s] original research contributions are significantly beneficial to the best interests of the United States. […] I can state with absolutely certainty that his work is needed in order to propel research and innovation in our field.”
Independent recommender, Norway
Alongside these recommendation letters stood our client’s citation count, publication record, and the number of times he judged the work of others. When we filed the case, these numbers were 236 citations, 25 publications, and 18 instances of peer review service. We congratulate our client for obtaining a well-deserved EB-1A petition approval, and we wish him the best as he files an I-485 application (last step in green card proceedings) with the help of our D.I.Y. Packet. We looks forward to updates and thank him for choosing North America Immigration Law Group (WeGreened.com).

