I was a principal investigator and informally mentored master’s students. Does that count for EB-1?

Yes, having served as a principal investigator and mentored master’s students can strengthen your EB-1 case, even when the mentorship was informal. Leading research and developing other professionals are signs of distinction and responsibility in the field.

The sensitive point is not the informality itself, but the documentation. A role that left no paper trail is hard to substantiate. That is why it is worth gathering records that translate this role into concrete evidence:

• recommendation letters from colleagues, mentees, or institutions;
• publications or projects that resulted from this work;
• any record that describes your responsibilities and their impact.

The clearer the connection between your role and meaningful results in the field, the stronger the argument becomes. Informal mentorship stops being a weak point when it is supported by consistent evidence.

Since each petition is evaluated individually, it is worth checking updated criteria with USCIS and reviewing your case strategy with a specialist.

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.