My articles are in preprint, without peer review. Do they count?

Yes, they do, but with the appropriate weight. In EB-2 NIW, preprint articles show that you are producing and sharing new ideas, which works in your favor. Because they have not yet gone through peer review, however, they tend to serve as complementary evidence rather than the central proof of your impact.

Peer review adds strength because it signals that experts in the field have validated the quality of your work. For that reason, the ideal approach is to combine preprints with other evidence of recognition, building a body of materials that supports the relevance of your contribution from multiple angles.

• Use preprints to demonstrate activity and originality.
• Add peer-reviewed publications, citations, or acknowledgments whenever available.
• Provide context for each item, showing what it proves in your specific case.

Because the overall body of evidence is evaluated individually by the competent authority, it is worth diversifying your proof and, if possible, reviewing the composition of your dossier with a specialist before filing.

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.