In the US, professors and researchers play a very important role in society. They develop new ideas and find new solutions to diseases and social problems. Researchers help find cures for diseases and professors teach at universities and contribute to their fields of knowledge. As a recognition of these achievements, the US makes a visa available for such professions. The Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa allows professors and researchers with outstanding achievements to enter the US and to live and work permanently in the US. The USCIS also allows such professors and researchers to get a green card and become a permanent resident of the US.
In order to qualify for the Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa, you must be able to prove to US immigration authorities that you are not only a professor or researcher, but that you have also achieved international recognition in your field. This means that with your application you may also need to provide evidence of academic awards and other recognitions, academic publications, and other proof that you have achieved outstanding recognition.
To qualify for this type of visa, you must have evidence of achievement in your field as well as at least three years of experience as a researcher or professor in your field. As well, The Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa is an employment-sponsored visa. This means that you must have a job offer of a tenure-track or tenure position or its equivalent in the US when you apply for the visa. In many cases, universities will help outstanding professors with such requirements. That is, if you qualify for a tenure-track or tenured position in the US, the company hiring you or the university interested in hiring you can usually provide letters of recommendation and may be able to help you with the immigration process. To apply for the Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa, you will need to file a USCIS EB-1 I-140 petition.
The Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa is part of a series of visas intended for those with extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, and other fields. However, in general the Outstanding Researcher/Professor Immigrant Visa can be easier to apply for because the legal requirements are slightly less strict. As well, professors and researchers can often have an easier time proving their achievements than artists and other professionals. In many cases, researchers and professors are part of academic institutions that carefully document achievements, making it easier for scientists, researchers, and professors to then prove these achievements.