Why is my degree important?

If you’re applying for the EB-2 visa and you earned your degree outside the U.S., you will most likely need to evaluate your foreign degree. To qualify for this visa, you need to meet one of two conditions: either you hold an advanced degree (bachelor's, master's, or higher), or you can demonstrate exceptional ability by meeting 3 out of 7 criteria.

For the advanced degree option, you’ll need to show an official academic record proving that you hold an advanced degree (a master's degree or higher), or that you hold a bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of relevant work experience in your field. If you’re going for the exceptional ability route, one way to prove this is by providing an academic record that highlights your educational background relevant to your field of exceptional ability.

No matter which EB-2 path you choose, it’s crucial to get your foreign academic credentials evaluated.

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Why does my degree need to be evaluated?

Let’s say you want to meet the advanced degree requirement. You can do this if you have:

• A bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of continuous work experience in your field of study
• A graduate/postgraduate degree, like a master’s degree or higher.

If your degree(s) are from a foreign country, you need to prove that they’re equivalent to the U.S. degrees mentioned above. This can be a straightforward process if your country has similar higher-education standards to those in the U.S., but even then, the names of disciplines and subjects might differ and need to be reviewed to find their U.S. equivalents.

However, higher education in some countries is structured differently from the American system. For example, some universities might offer 5-year “specialist” degrees or 1-year master’s programs, which may or may not be equivalent to a U.S. master’s degree. Other foreign universities might offer 3-year bachelor’s programs, whereas in the U.S., a bachelor’s degree usually takes 4 years to complete. You need to make sure the degree you have is actually equivalent to the same degree in the U.S. 

This is where the evaluation process comes into play.

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What does the evaluation process involve?

Once you submit your foreign education documents, including your academic transcript, credential evaluation experts will review your degree. They’ll check your academic program, the hours devoted to it, the methods used to assess your completion of it, and the accreditation status of the university that issued your degree. Additional documents may be requested based on your country of origin.

You’ll also need to have your foreign education documents translated into English. Some credentials evaluators offer this service, but not all do.

The good news is that for an NIW application, you only need a general analysis, or a document-by-document evaluation. You won’t have to worry about getting a detailed breakdown of your courses, grades, and grade point average.

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Who can I trust to evaluate my degree?

When choosing a credentials evaluator, it’s a good idea to refer to NACES, the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. While NACES isn’t officially endorsed by USCIS–no organization providing these services is–USCIS often accepts evaluations from its members because of the association’s solid reputation. You can find a directory of their members on their website.

Keep in mind that even if your degree is evaluated by a reputable evaluation organization, the immigration officer reviewing your case has the final say on whether your foreign degree is equivalent to a U.S. one.

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How long does evaluation take?

The evaluation process typically takes 2-4 weeks at a well-established credential evaluation service. However, many services offer expedited options, which can reduce the wait time to just 1-3 days.