postdoc eb1a or not
Hi everyone,
I’m a PhD researcher with U.S. postdoctoral experience, working on quantum algorithms, mainly for optimization and scientific computing. I’m considering preparing an EB-1A petition myself and would appreciate feedback from people with similar research profiles.
I already have an approved EB-2 NIW and attorney-prepared materials from that case. I understand that the EB-1A argument would need to be developed separately.
My approximate profile, with ranges used for privacy:
- 8–10 peer-reviewed journal/conference papers, including several first-author papers.
- Another 8–10 preprints, counted separately.
- 100–150 total Google Scholar citations.
- Approximately 20 peer reviews in an earlier tally; I’m updating my complete review record.
- An independent research group used a method from my work in its subsequent algorithm research. I have both the relevant paper passages and a signed letter explaining how the method contributed to their research.
I’m considering scholarly authorship, judging, and original contributions of major significance as the three criteria.
Attorney feedback has been mixed: some firms declined based on my publication/citation record, while another offered drafting help. My main concern is whether the independent-use evidence is strong enough to support original contributions and final merits at my current citation level.
For researchers who have gone through this:
- Would you consider preparing to file now, or strengthen the impact evidence first?
- What evidence beyond citation totals helped demonstrate the significance of theoretical or algorithmic work?
- How much of an existing NIW packet was reusable?
- Was DIY preparation followed by a substantive attorney review worthwhile?
I’d appreciate firsthand experiences, including RFEs or denials and what you learned from them.