Criterion 4: Judging
Have you judged the work of others in your field, individually or on a panel (for example peer review or grant panels)?
Last reviewed against the USCIS Policy Manual on
This is one of the 8 evidentiary criteria in 8 CFR 214.2(o)(3)(iii)(B)(4). USCIS looks for evidence under at least 3 of them (or a major internationally recognized award), then weighs all the evidence together.
What the USCIS Policy Manual says
Criterion 4: Evidence of the beneficiary's participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or in an allied field of specialization for which classification is sought. USCIS determines whether the person has acted as the judge of the work of others in the same or an allied field of specialization. Examples of relevant evidence may include, but are not limited to: - Reviewer of abstracts or papers submitted for presentation at scholarly conferences in the respective field; - Peer reviewer for scholarly publications; - Member of doctoral dissertation committees; and - Peer reviewer for government research funding programs. Considerations: The petitioner must show that the beneficiary has not only been invited to judge the work of others, but also that the beneficiary actually participated in the judging of the work of others in the same or allied field of specialization. For example, a petitioner might document a beneficiary’s peer review work by submitting a copy of a request from a journal to the beneficiary to do the review, accompanied by evidence confirming that the beneficiary actually completed the review.
Quotes are word for word from the USCIS Policy Manual. Practitioner tips are common practice, not USCIS rules. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.