What Is An Advanced Degree?
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, former INS) regulations, an “advanced degree” means any U.S. academic or professional degree or a foreign equivalent degree above that of baccalaureate. A U.S. baccalaureate degree or a foreign equivalent degree followed by at least five years of progressive experience in the specialty shall be considered the equivalent of a master’s degree. If a doctoral degree is customarily required by the specialty, the applicant must have a U.S. doctorate or an equivalent foreign degree. Although Congress confirmed that aliens with advanced degrees may also be considered in a National Interest Waiver situation, the case law in this area appears to indicate that the advanced degree in and of itself is no longer sufficient. The beneficiary must not only have the advanced degree, but possess abilities that are beyond his/her peers. While the advanced degree showing appears to be less than the “exceptional ability” standard and is cont
