I received invitations to serve on thesis committees but declined. Does that count for EB-1?

In practice, very little. In the EB-1, one of the recognized criteria is having acted as a judge of the work of others in your field, for example by serving on committees, reviewing articles, or judging competitions. What generates the evidence is actual participation, not merely the invitation.

If you were invited to serve on thesis committees but declined, the criterion itself is unlikely to be met: there was no active role that it requires. Even so, the invitation does not need to be discarded entirely, because it can be mentioned, with appropriate context, as a signal that institutions recognized your expertise.

If you want to strengthen this point in the future, consider:

• Accepting invitations to judge, review, or evaluate work in your field.
• Keeping formal records of those participations (invitations, minutes, emails).
• Gathering other recognition evidence that complements this.

Since each case is evaluated individually, the ideal approach is to look at the full picture of your profile. To understand how this criterion is analyzed, check the official USCIS guidance or speak with a specialist.

About the author

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.