On April 12^th, 2017, we received another EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for an Assistant Professor in the Field of Robotics and Control (Approval Notice).

General Field: Robotics & Control

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Assistant Professor

Country of Origin: China

Service Center: Texas Service Center (TSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Virginia

Approval Notice Date: April 12^th, 2017

Processing Time: 93 days (Premium Processing Requested)

Case Summary:

When a Virginia-based assistant professor sought our assistance in securing an EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) petition approval from the USCIS, we at North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) initiated the process by scrutinizing our client’s credentials. Our client –– a China-born robotics and control specialist possessing a doctoral degree in electrical engineering –– met the requisite criteria and was found to be a suitable candidate for EB1A. We focused on the following points to build a strong case for him:

1. We took note of his publication and citation record as they indicated his expertise in obtaining impactful research results. At the time of filing, he had a notable 142 citations to the 18 articles he had published in several high-impact journals. Additionally, he had conducted 30 peer reviews for several journals. This was a testament to the level of expertise he had gained in the field of robotics and control.
2. We also highlighted the years of specialized research our client had conducted throughout his career, mostly focused on next-generation robotic technologies and autonomous systems. Some of the applications, fruits of his untiring research, are an automated water sampling system, a robot that monitors algal blooms and a miniature underwater glider. Needless to say, these applications hold immense potential in maintaining water quality and play a role in progressing advanced robotics in the United States. Our team incorporated these accomplishments in a very careful and effective manner in the EB1A petition dossier.
3. Six distinguished professors of high-standing in the field of robotics and control were instrumental in fortifying our client’s case through the six recommendation letters they contributed. The contents of one such letter stated: “Robotics is a complex field in dire need of [Client’s] admirable work; his depth of expertise would be difficult to replicate. His various research positions have granted him immeasurable experience in sensor, actuator, and algorithmic development, honing his expertise and skill set to a level simply unrivaled by his colleagues. His skill set is arguably irreplaceable, extending beyond the implementation of novel operation patterns and nonlinear controllers to monitoring and modeling for sustainability. It is imperative that he be allowed to continue to go about his research without interruption, for the loss sustained by the removal of [Client’s] work would be most considerable.” Undeniably, these letters strengthened our client’s case to a great extent.

Our team assembled a detailed and well thought out EB1A petition and filed it with Premium Processing (PP). Despite our best efforts, our client was issued a Request for Evidence (RFE). Although this caused a delay in our client’s petition approval, our team handled the RFE in a very competent manner. The EB1A petition was approved merely 93 days (3 months, 3 days) from the day of filing. Further, our client decided to retain our firm to file I-485 applications for himself and his spouse. As the final step in obtaining permanent residency in the United States, we assure him of our continued support on the I-485 application and congratulate him on his EB1A success.