First Preference Employment-Based Immigrant Petition:
Outstanding Researcher or Professor Category
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides for a fast-track route to permanent residence for certain qualified professors or researchers who have a job offer in the U.S. In order to qualify for the first preference employment-based immigrant visa category as an outstanding researcher or professor, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

I. A least three years of teaching or research in the applicant’s field of specialty;

II. An offer of a tenured or tenure-track teaching or research position at a university or BCIStitution of higher in the U.S.; and

III. Evidence of at least two of the following:

1. Documentation of the receipt of major international prizes or awards for outstanding achievements in the academic field;

2. Documentation of membership in associations in the academic field which require outstanding achievements of their members;

3. Published material in professional publications written by others about the applicant’s work in his or her field;

4. Evidence of participation, on a panel or individually, as the judge of the work of others in the same or allied academic field;

5. Evidence of original scientific or scholarly research contributions to the academic field; and

6. Evidence of authorship of scholarly books or articles in scholarly journals with international circulation.

The I-140 Petition is filed with the regional USCIS service which has jurisdiction over the place of employment. Processing times vary. Currently USCIS is processing I-140 petitions in 9 to 12 months. If approved, the applicant, spouse and minor children can then file an immigrant visa application at the U.S. Consulate or an application to adjust status at the USCIS office in the United States.