USCIS Updates Guidance for O-1 Petitions with a Focus on STEM Fields

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today updated its Policy Manual to provide further guidance on evidence that can be used to support a petition for an O-1A nonimmigrant of extraordinary ability with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. USCIS clarified that being named on a competitive government grant for STEM research can be a positive factor toward demonstrating that a beneficiary is at the top of their field. This evidence is added to the listed examples of evidence that may be submitted to show that an applicant has extraordinary ability in the STEM fields. The full list is available in the USCIS Policy Manual. O-1 nonimmigrant status is available to people with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, business, education, and athletics, and those with a record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has provided clarification on what evidence can be used to support O-1A petitions with a focus in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Key Points: USCIS clarified that being named on a competitive government grant for STEM research can be a positive factor for showing that a beneficiary is at the top of his or her field. Being named on a competitive government grant for STEM research has been added to the list of examples beneficiaries can use to prove their extraordinary ability in the STEM fields. A full list of evidence that can be used to prove extraordinary ability is available in the USCIS Policy Manual.