Success Story: An RFE Did Not Stop This Electrical Engineering Researcher from Achieving EB-1A Approval Within 4 Months
Client’s Testimonial:
"Thank you for the collaboration in achieving a successful I-140 petition.”
On May 27th, 2026, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Researcher in the Field of Electrical Engineering (Approval Notice).
General Field: Electrical Engineering
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Researcher
Country of Origin: Belgium
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Colorado
Approval Notice Date: May 27th, 2026
Processing Time: 3 months, 23 days (Premium Processing Requested)
Case Summary:
When USCIS issued a Request for Evidence (RFE) in this EB-1A case, the central question was not whether the client was active in research. The record already demonstrated a substantial publication history, extensive peer-review service, and significant citation activity. Instead, the challenge was showing why those accomplishments reflected contributions of major significance and established the client as one of the leading researchers in his area of expertise.
The client, a researcher from Belgium working in electrical engineering, focused on power systems and power electronics. His work addressed a growing challenge facing modern energy infrastructure. As renewable energy technologies, battery storage systems, and inverter-based resources became increasingly common, electric grids must maintain stability and reliability under conditions that traditional systems were not designed to handle.
As one independent expert explained:
"[Client] is an outstanding electrical engineering researcher who has made breakthroughs in the field through his research on the design of novel inverter control concepts, as well as his peer review services."
Specifically, the petition documented a robust record of achievement that included:
- 7 peer-reviewed journal articles, 16 peer-reviewed conference articles, and 1 first-authored patent application publication
- 471 citations at filing, which later increased to 584 citations
- At least 29 completed peer reviews for leading journals and conferences
After reviewing the petition, USCIS issued an RFE questioning whether the evidence sufficiently demonstrated original contributions of major significance. In response, North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) assembled a comprehensive package of objective evidence that further contextualized the client's influence within the field.
To decisively establish sustained acclaim and field-wide impact, the response paired elite bibliometric evidence with concrete documentation of cross-sector implementation. By demonstrating that the client's models ranked in the top tier of global citations and were actively deployed by major energy stakeholders to safeguard grid resilience and national energy security, the filing established a clear record of non-speculative, nationwide benefit. This narrative was heavily reinforced by top-tier professional awards and independent expert testimonies certifying his work as foundational to modern critical infrastructure.
Taken together, the evidence presented a clear picture of a researcher whose work had moved beyond publication and into widespread adoption, validation, and reliance by the international engineering community.
USCIS ultimately approved the I-140 EB-1A petition on May 27th, 2026, after three months and 23 days of processing under Premium Processing.
This approval reflects not only a strong record of scholarly achievement but also the successful demonstration that the client's research has become an important part of ongoing efforts to build more resilient, reliable, and renewable-friendly power systems. We extend our congratulations and look forward to his continued contributions to the future of electrical engineering in the United States.