Do I need to register my degree in the United States?

For the H-1B visa, there is no formal ‘registration’ of your degree like those required in countries where validation goes through a specific government agency. What the law requires is something different: that you demonstrate your academic qualifications.

In practice, this typically involves:

• Submitting diplomas and academic transcripts, with translation when needed.
• In some cases, obtaining an equivalency evaluation from a specialized institution, confirming that the foreign degree corresponds to a comparable U.S. degree.

The responsibility for gathering and presenting the correct documents rests with the applicant, and this evaluation may be requested by the employer or by USCIS itself during the process. Even without a formal registration, keeping everything organized and authenticated helps avoid setbacks. It is worth checking the latest guidance from official sources and, for greater peace of mind, consulting a credentialed specialist (without falling for promises of guaranteed outcomes).

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.