EB-1B Green Card – U.S. Permanent Residency for Outstanding Professors and Researchers
The EB-1B Green Card is a subcategory of the EB-1 employment-based immigrant visa, available to professors and researchers who have received international recognition for exceptional achievements in an academic field. To qualify, applicants must have at least three years of experience in teaching or research in their area of expertise and must be coming to the United States to accept a tenured, tenure-track, or comparable research position at a recognized U.S. university, institution of higher education, or qualified private employer.
A key requirement for EB-1B eligibility is a job offer from a U.S. employer. If the sponsoring organization is a private company, it must provide evidence of significant research activity and employ at least three full-time researchers.
To establish eligibility, the applicant must present evidence satisfying at least two of the following six criteria (or provide comparable evidence if a listed criterion does not readily apply): receipt of major awards for outstanding work, membership in associations that require exceptional achievements, published material about the applicant’s work in professional publications, participation as a judge of others’ work in the same field, original research of significant impact, or authorship of scholarly books or widely circulated academic articles.
Unlike other employment-based green cards, no labor certification is required for the EB-1B, which can significantly reduce the overall processing time.
The EB-1B Green Card grants permanent resident status, allowing recipients to live and work in the United States indefinitely, provided they maintain residency and comply with immigration rules.
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may accompany the principal applicant by applying under the E-14 or E-15 immigrant classifications after the I-140 petition is approved, offering a direct path to U.S. permanent residency for immediate family members.
The EB-1B is an excellent option for accomplished academics seeking to advance their careers in the United States through long-term, stable employment with respected institutions.