When did the work occur?
Establish exact start and end dates rather than relying only on the year.
EB1B Research Structure
EB1B Three Years of Research Experience: What Counts and How to Prove It
An outstanding professor or researcher petition must establish at least three years of qualifying teaching or research experience in the academic field. The calculation should be completed as of the filing date, and employer letters should document the relevant work with enough specificity to establish the qualifying experience.
Experience Audit
Four Questions Determine Whether the Experience Can Be Counted
What academic field?
The experience must be qualifying teaching or research in the academic area.
What duties were performed?
The evidence should describe actual teaching or research activity with specificity.
Was the three year requirement met at filing?
Eligibility must exist when the petition is filed, not be acquired afterward.
Experience During an Advanced Degree
Graduate Research Does Not Automatically Count
Research or teaching performed while working toward an advanced degree is subject to additional conditions.
The degree must have been acquired. Teaching experience during the degree period may qualify where the applicant had full responsibility for the class taught. Research performed toward the degree may qualify where that research has been recognized within the academic field as outstanding.
Experience Documentation
Build a Date and Duties Record
Employer Letter Name, address and title of writer
plus specific duties.
Exact Dates Start and end dates for each
qualifying period.
Position Description Helps demonstrate that work
involved qualifying research.
Research Records Publications, reports or projects
from the period.
Appointment Records Institutional documentation of the position.
Teaching Records Course responsibility when teaching
experience is claimed.
Degree Records Relevant when experience occurred
during graduate study.
Recognition Evidence May be important for qualifying research
conducted toward an advanced degree.
Do the Math
Create an Experience Timeline Before Filing
Position A Exact dates Qualifying research duties
+
Position B Exact dates Qualifying research duties
=
3+ Years By filing date Supported by qualifying evidence
Common Mistake
Do Not Assume a CV Proves the Experience Requirement
Weak
CV listing “Research Scientist, 2023–2025.”
A CV may omit exact dates, duties and the information required to establish qualifying experience.
Stronger
Obtain detailed experience letters before filing.
Document the exact employment period, writer’s identity and a specific description of the research or teaching duties performed.
International Recognition
Three Years of Experience Is Structural. Recognition Requires Separate Evidence.
Common Questions
Three Years Experience FAQ
Do I need three years after receiving my PhD?
Not necessarily. Certain teaching or research performed while working toward an advanced degree can qualify when the regulatory conditions are met.
Can postdoctoral research count?
Postdoctoral research may count when it constitutes qualifying research experience in the academic field and is properly documented.
Can research at different employers be combined?
Qualifying research experience from different periods may be documented to establish the required total.
Can I reach three years after filing the I-140?
The petitioner should establish eligibility as of the petition filing date.
Primary Legal Sources USCIS Policy Manual — Outstanding Professor or Researcher 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(i)(3)