Wht date is considered for the EB-2 category? 7 Answers as of January 30, 2012

The date the diploma was earned is the effective date, but you cannot just say it you must back it up with the proper documentation. Good luck!

You have to show that you earned the diploma that is the basis for the EB-2 or whatever category you are seeking. It does not really matter so much when the diploma was dated as long as you satisfied the requirements for the degree before that. If the diploma does not show that date, you can get a letter from the university explaining it.

The concern should be if you qualify based on having a bachelor's degree + 5 yrs or experience. The date of the diploma being issued does not take away from the fact that you would have a valid bachelor's degree and the 5+ yrs of experience. Some people earn their diploma while they are working, so as long as you have the require work experience and a valid bachelor's degree you should be fine.

A year of work experience counts as a year of work experience, regardless of when your diploma was issued or earned. In order to prove your years of work experience you should obtain employment verification letters from your previous employers that specify the exact dates that you worked for them, the job title and a list of your job duties.

The date that should be relevant is the date the bachelor's degree was earned. That being said, the fact that your diploma was issued more than a year later could become a problem. You will have to be able to explain why the date of completion should be used and the reason for the difference in dates. You may want to contact your University to see if you could obtain a diploma that is back-dated to the actual date of completion of your degree program or some other official documentation to set forth when the degree was completed.

That depends what country you are from. Additionally, you should do the H-1B first. *H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa* You qualify for what is known as the H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa. You will need to have an employer agree to sponsor you for a job. It does not need to be a full-time position, but it should be related to your degree. Our firm can do the entire petition. Once we begin processing and get it filed, it normally takes about six to nine months to get the approval. Please note that H-1B's are very limited and are only available for small periods of time during the year. Therefore, Premium Processing discussed next should be used. If you want a work permit in an expedited manner, you can take advantage of the Premium Processing program at USCIS.

Good question. As you may know, EB2 is actually a Master Level qualification. There is an equivalency permitted for a B.A. plus several years of qualifying experience, to make up for the missing years of education. And the experience must be more than just working in a position. It also has to be certified as meeting the same level as the missing degree. Its a complicated question, and I think you should seek specific advice in a consultation with an immigration attorney.