For EB-1B, I have 2 awards and several citations, but no peer review experience. Will it work?

Yes, your case can work under EB-1B even without experience as a peer reviewer. This category, aimed at outstanding professors and researchers, is evaluated on the totality of the evidence, and no single item is typically decisive on its own.

Awards and citations are valuable signals: awards indicate recognition, and citations show that your work is being used and is relevant to other researchers. The absence of peer review or editorial board activity may leave a gap in one of the criteria, but it does not cancel out the other strengths in your profile.

To compensate for that gap, it helps to reinforce the case with additional evidence, such as:

• Notable publications and the reach of your work.
• Original contributions that have influenced your field.
• Reference letters confirming your impact and standing in the field.

Because each petition is read as a whole, missing one type of evidence does not close the door. It is worth reviewing your full portfolio with a specialist before filing, to present your distinction in the most consistent way.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

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.