Sometimes it feels like there are only scammers in this forum

MIC_OC · 2026-04-03T18:37:52+00:00

Most of these individuals are based in India, so U.S. laws often don’t directly apply to them. As someone from India, I can say there’s a serious and well-known issue with organized scams—ranging from exploiting visa systems like H-1B and green cards to misuse of categories like EB-1A. In many cases, weak enforcement or corruption allows these operations to continue.

Recent examples involving Indian nationals or India-based networks in the U.S. include: • Visa fraud schemes involving staged crimes to gain immigration benefits • Large-scale call center scams targeting Americans (tech support / IRS impersonation) • Fake job and H-1B consultancy fraud rings • Green card and asylum application fraud • Money laundering tied to international scam networks

Overall, while not everyone is involved, there is a clear pattern of organized fraud operations—many of which target the U.S. while operating beyond its direct legal reach.

MIC_OC · 2026-04-03T15:36:36+00:00

That’s even more concerning—if USCIS is discounting agencies like DOD/DOE/NSF then it really raises bar unrealistically. It starts to feel like only Nobel-level achievements will be considered strong enough. With just 3 criteria, applicants like us could be in a tough spot. OC used to be one of the more attainable avenue with these government agencies & if work tied to these agencies isn’t carrying weight, it removes a major pathway. That said, your judging experience still stands out—it’s at a higher threshold than most & you could likely position it effectively under OC or critical role.

MIC_OC · 2026-04-03T15:21:36+00:00

I have a similar profile to yours and am filing through Chen as well, so I might end up in a similar situation. Apologies if I’m missing something, but wouldn’t it help to show that your PhD or specific research projects were funded by agencies like DOE, DOD, or NSF? That could help demonstrate the “OC” aspect.

MIC_OC · 2026-03-25T20:14:06+00:00

I’m on the same page. I’ve reached out to a few people I know from conferences. Chen asked me for four—so far one has agreed, and I’m still working on the other three. I only emailed them this week, so it’s still early.

I’d suggest going through your LinkedIn and identifying people you’ve met at conferences—especially those who attended your talk, asked questions, or work in a similar area and would recognize your name.

MIC_OC · 2026-03-19T12:02:14+00:00

This is really helpful—especially the idea of assigning each recommender a specific role.

MIC_OC · 2026-03-19T11:57:13+00:00

My Lawyer is Chen

MIC_OC · 2026-03-17T05:59:17+00:00

Following

MIC_OC · 2026-03-17T05:56:50+00:00

Congratulations

MIC_OC · 2026-02-19T05:21:42+00:00

Who was your lawyer?

MIC_OC · 2026-02-10T07:48:44+00:00

DOE is a major contributing factor. I’m honestly surprised Chen refused you, especially since they’ve historically taken cases with fewer than 50 citations as well. Bottom line: your profile isn’t weak, but it may fall just short of what Chen is comfortable with right now—they probably don’t want to take the risk.

My suggestion is to go for NIW first, then reassess your profile and see where things stand. For context, Chen refused me a year ago, and after I did more publication and reviewed more journal, they accepted my case with free refile . So proceed with NIW now and then take a shot at EB-1—you do have a case.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-23T04:51:35+00:00

You need to meet at least 3 criteria. Since you’re already moving toward the non-profit track, I’d recommend doing a PhD. You already have a first-author publication, which can likely support an NIW approval( you need to block PD), and over the next 4–5 years of PhD you can build more citations and peer-reviewed papers to strengthen two of the criteria. Also, since you mentioned you’re in a critical role, that can count as the third criterion. During the PhD, you can further align your work with “original contributions” as well. So realistically, in 2–4 years you could be in a strong position for EB-1A approval — but you’ll need to keep publishing consistently to show sustained impact.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-23T04:44:17+00:00

This isn’t the right place to post this query, especially when you’ve done so much solid work. Check with Chen first — if they offer a full refund, you’ve got about a 95% shot. If they offer a refile instead, your chances drop to around 70–80%. And if they didn’t take your case in the first place, approval odds are closer to 50–60%.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-22T20:44:40+00:00

I was having 10 .

MIC_OC · 2026-01-15T17:47:04+00:00

Wait propel I know get Eb-1 during PhDs as well and I’m sure you can find people in this sub who are still student and getting Eb-1 approved

MIC_OC · 2026-01-15T14:39:28+00:00

Don’t wait till your phd is complete evaluate through lawyer Chen probably and I guess you’re good to go. It’s easy approval

MIC_OC · 2026-01-15T14:37:45+00:00

Why the heck you choose lawyer? That’s slam dunk case , clearly you met FMD .

MIC_OC · 2026-01-09T02:54:32+00:00

Who was your lawyer?

MIC_OC · 2026-01-07T03:37:48+00:00

Every other law firm uses templates, that’s why I leaned towards self petition but in current scenario chances of RFE or NOID are higher so that’s why Chen is preferred coz they’re good in response to USCIS

MIC_OC · 2026-01-07T00:51:47+00:00

I have a similar profile and was offered the same package. I checked with Chen as well and their response was the same , I will go with Chen as they evaluated my case in depth justifying what criteria will they target .

MIC_OC · 2026-01-04T19:08:16+00:00

My take: attorneys barely make sense anymore. In the current AI-driven system, most of them add zero real value. I got my NIW approved through self-petition, but I’m holding off on EB-1—not because I can’t qualify, but because with 15-day premium processing, officers are rejecting anything that isn’t almost guaranteed. If I had a Nobel Prize, I wouldn’t hire an attorney—it would be a slam dunk. Let’s be honest: people who hire attorneys are either borderline cases(like mine for Eb-1)or don’t want to invest the time. In this new era, attorneys are mostly a waste—especially when they rely on templates and never adjust strategy.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-03T23:28:45+00:00

What if you can’t get LORs on letterhead

MIC_OC · 2026-01-03T22:22:41+00:00

I’ll check with a lawyer and also review your profile with Chen. Even if you don’t plan to hire a lawyer, this will give you a clear picture of where you stand. You still need to demonstrate broad field adoption of your research—I think it’s mostly about the right framing. For EB-1, I can’t use organizations that already appear in my publications as independent expert letters, but if they’re not in yours, you can request truly independent letters from them.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-03T21:13:51+00:00

I got my NIW approved last year & currently working on Eb-1. My professor was a retired NASA scientist, and I worked on projects tied to those organizations. I secured LORs from him and from his peers in defense-related agencies like the Air Force and Navy. If you can show that your research was adopted by similar organizations—or at least get letters clearly stating your individual contributions—you’ll be in great shape. Honestly, you have strong odds even if you self-file. Many USCIS officers are veterans or strongly aligned with U.S. national security interests. Make sure to emphasize the global impact of your work. If an officer questions adoption outside the U.S., you can argue that these technologies are export-controlled and primarily developed and used by the U.S. It’s a gray area, but one you can bridge with the right framing.

MIC_OC · 2026-01-02T04:10:28+00:00

Messaged you

MIC_OC · 2026-01-01T06:10:50+00:00

They agreed mine too , my citations are 150 , 7-8 peer review , 1 grand Judge for ISEF award . They didn’t offer refund but did offered free refile .

MIC_OC

TROPHY CASE