Does editing books at a small publisher count as ‘judge of the work of others’ in the EB-1?

In the EB-1, the ‘judge of the work of others’ criterion recognizes individuals who have been called upon to evaluate the work of others in a relevant context. Editing books at a small publisher, on its own, typically does not meet this criterion, even though it is an important function.

This is because editing involves reviewing manuscripts, suggesting improvements, and working collaboratively with the author to enhance the work. That collaborative process is different from issuing an independent judgment, which is what the criterion requires. In general, it refers to roles such as:

• Serving as a juror or reviewer in contests and awards.
• Sitting on panels that select or evaluate works independently.
• Reviewing works by invitation from recognized conferences or organizations.

There is one important caveat: if, beyond editing, you have also played a role involving critical and independent evaluation, such as serving on a literary award panel or judging an editorial competition, that involvement may be interpreted more favorably.

Since each case is assessed individually, it is worth checking the criteria on the USCIS website and seeking specialized guidance to determine which of your activities best supports this criterion.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.