Success Story: EB1B Approved Despite RFE! We Helped an Indian Principal Scientist Secure Success

Case Summary:  

We are pleased to share another successful result achieved through our firm’s extensive experience with complex immigration petitions. Our team recently secured an EB-1B approval for a leading agronomy expert whose work has played an important role in advancing crop protection research in the United States. The case received an RFE and was ultimately approved.

With an M.S. in Weed Science, the client is a highly accomplished researcher specializing in agronomy, with a particular focus on herbicide discovery and weed science. This includes essential work on unlocking the biological mechanisms that underpin herbicide resistance and improving strategies that protect agricultural productivity. The client’s research addresses critical national concerns related to ensuring a stable food supply, developing next-generation crop protection tools, and enabling farmers to effectively manage herbicide-resistant weeds.

The client has produced an impactful publication record consisting of 5 peer-reviewed journal articles and 1 book chapter. These works have been cited 240 times, reflecting the influence and widespread use of the client’s findings within the scientific community. The petition also highlighted the client’s service to the field through at least 10 peer-review assignments for well-established journals – an activity reserved for top experts whose judgment is trusted to evaluate the work of other specialists.

In preparing the petition, our team demonstrated the client’s significance by presenting strong evidence of original and influential research contributions. This included detailed documentation of the client’s specialized work on herbicide resistance mechanisms in major agricultural weeds, research that has helped guide improved weed-management strategies for American farmers. We additionally incorporated evidence of the client’s involvement in major funded projects, including support from the USDA, the Kansas Wheat Commission, and the Kansas Crop Improvement Association, all of which reinforced the importance and national relevance of the client’s scientific work.

To further demonstrate standing in the field, the petition included four letters of recommendation from independent experts and senior researchers. These letters provided authoritative testimony on the client’s impact, emphasizing the originality, scientific value, and real-world importance of the client’s research contributions.

 “Due to [Client’s] outstanding publication record and professional achievements in the discipline of agronomy, it is imperative that he be permitted to continue his research in the United States.”

Taken together, the client’s strong research record, extensive citations, documented peer-review service, and clear evidence of major significance allowed our team to build a compelling case, ultimately resulting in the successful approval of the EB-1B petition.