What are the main items USCIS reviews in an Academic Evaluation?

In the EB-2 NIW, the Academic Evaluation is an assessment of your academic background and professional achievements, used to demonstrate that your work can bring meaningful benefits to the United States. When reviewing it, USCIS typically focuses on a few key areas.

• Formal education and credentials: degrees, certificates, and transcripts, with particular attention to the equivalency of foreign qualifications to U.S. standards, often verified by a specialized evaluation service.
• Publications and research: articles, book chapters, presentations, and recognition of your work (such as citations) that indicate impact.
• Contributions and awards: recognitions that underscore the relevance of your work.
• Recommendation letters: assessments attesting to your expertise, innovative capacity, and the reach of your results.

These elements are considered together, not in isolation. Since every case is unique, it is worth reviewing updated requirements and going over your documentation with trusted professionals before filing.

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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.