Outstanding Researchers/Professors/Teachers

O-1 Visa Status/Green Cards for Researchers/Professors and Teachers - Qualifications, Requirements and Application Procedures 

Outstanding professors and researchers are recognized internationally for their outstanding academic achievements in a particular field. To qualify for an employment based Green Card,  EB-1, an outstanding professor or researcher must have at least three years experience in teaching or research in that academic area, and enter the U.S. in a tenure or tenure track teaching or comparable research position at a university or other institution of higher education. If the employer is a private company rather than a university or educational institution, the department, division, or institute of the private employer must employ at least three persons full time in research activities and have achieved documented accomplishments in an academic field.

Evidence that the professor or researcher is recognized as outstanding in the academic field must include documentation of at least two of the following:

• Receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement;
• Membership in associations that require their members to demonstrate outstanding achievements;
• Published material in professional publications written by others about the alien's work in the academic field;
• Participation, either on a panel or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or allied academic field;
• Original scientific or scholarly research contributions in the field;
• Authorship of scholarly books or articles (in scholarly journals with international circulation) in the field.

Individuals and workers in this category may apply for various non-immigrant visas such as, H-1B, O-1 for the duration of their employment or projects.  They may also pursue green cards based on Labor Certification or National Interest Waiver depending on the nature of their work and qualifications.

Certain people in this category may be exempt from the H-1B cap that applies to other professionals.