Preparing Evidence of Peer Review Activities (EB-1A/B)

Published on: Fri May 02 2025

Understand USCIS Requirements for Peer Review Evidence

Before you start gathering your documents, it’s important to know what USCIS looks for when it comes to peer review activities.

Know What Counts as Peer Review: For EB-1A/B petitions, peer review means you have judged the work of others in your field, such as reviewing journal articles or grant proposals. Being an editor or serving on a review committee can also count, as long as you are evaluating others’ research or achievements.
Check Official USCIS Guidance and Trends: USCIS has clear rules about what counts as acceptable peer review. Review the latest USCIS policy manual and look at recent cases to see what types of evidence have worked well. This can help you avoid mistakes and make your application stronger.
Identify Accepted Documentation: USCIS usually accepts invitation letters, thank-you emails, or certificates from journals or organizations as proof of peer review. Screenshots from journal websites or official lists showing your name as a reviewer can also help. Make sure your evidence is clear, official, and easy for officers to verify.

Gathering your official invitations is a key part of showing that you were chosen for your expertise.

Save every email or letter you get inviting you to be a peer reviewer. These invitations are strong proof that others value your knowledge.
Include messages from journal editors or conference organizers. Whether it’s an email from a science journal or a letter from a conference, these documents show you were trusted to review important work.
Make sure each invitation clearly shows your name, your role as a reviewer, and the date you were invited. This helps prove what you did and when you did it.
Keep all your invitations organized in a safe folder on your computer. Save them as PDFs or print them out so they’re easy to find later.

After you finish a peer review, ask for a formal confirmation letter from the journal or conference.

This letter should state that you completed the review, which is strong evidence for your EB-1A/B petition.
Make sure the letter lists the number and titles of the manuscripts or papers you reviewed. This detail shows exactly what you contributed.
The confirmation should be printed on the journal’s or conference’s official letterhead and signed by an editor or another authority. This makes your evidence official and trustworthy.

Keeping a detailed log of your peer review work makes it much easier when it’s time to put your application together.

Create a simple spreadsheet or notebook to track all your peer review activities. Use tools like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or just paper—whatever works best for you.
For each review, record the date, the name of the journal or conference, the manuscript title (if allowed), and your role (like reviewer or editor). This shows the depth and range of your work.
Update your log right after each review. Keeping your log current ensures you don’t forget any important details when you gather your evidence.

Showing that your peer review work is valued by others can make your application even stronger.

Include certificates, awards, or official acknowledgments you have received for your peer review work. These documents show that your efforts were noticed and appreciated.
If you have served on editorial or program committees, gather proof of these roles. Committee memberships show that you are trusted to make important decisions in your field.
Highlight invitations to review for high-impact or prestigious journals and conferences. Being chosen by respected organizations shows that your expertise is recognized by leaders in your area. Save and submit these invitations as evidence of your impact.

Not all peer review activities are equal—reviewing for well-known journals or conferences makes a bigger impact.

Highlight the Reputation and Impact Factor: When describing your peer review, mention if the journal or conference is well-known in your field. If it has a high impact factor, share that number to show its importance. For example: “I reviewed for Nature, which has an impact factor of 42.”
Include Rankings, Audience Reach, or Relevance: Note if the journal or conference is ranked highly or reaches a wide audience. For example: “This conference is ranked in the top five for computer science worldwide,” or “The journal is read by thousands of scientists in my field.”
Explain the Significance of Your Reviewer Role: Make it clear why being a reviewer matters. Explain that only experts are invited to review, so your role shows you are trusted to judge important research. This helps USCIS see you as a leader or specialist.

Finally, tie everything together with a strong summary that explains your peer review activities.

Draft a Concise Narrative: Write a short, clear summary of your peer review work. Explain which journals or conferences you reviewed for, how many reviews you completed, and any special roles you had. This helps readers quickly see the value of your work.
Connect to EB-1A/B Criteria: Show how your peer review work matches the EB-1A or EB-1B requirements. For example, explain that reviewing for major journals proves your expertise and recognition in your field.
Reference Your Evidence: Point to the letters, certificates, and emails you gathered as proof. Explain how these documents show that you are respected and trusted by others in your area of research. This supports your claim of being a leader or expert in your field.