If you earned your degree outside the United States and are preparing to apply for an H1B visa, a green card, or a professional license in the U.S., one of the practical steps you will need to complete early in the process is obtaining a foreign degree evaluation.

This guide walks through the process in straightforward terms so you know what to expect before you begin.

Step 1 — Understand Why the Evaluation Is Required

In the United States, educational credentials earned at foreign institutions are not automatically recognized as equivalent to U.S. degrees. USCIS, U.S. employers, licensing boards, and academic institutions all rely on formal evaluation reports to establish what a foreign qualification corresponds to in the American educational system.

For immigration purposes — particularly H1B and employment-based green card petitions — the evaluation is not optional. USCIS adjudicators need a documented basis for accepting that the beneficiary's educational background meets the degree requirement for the specialty occupation.

Step 2 — Gather Your Academic Documents

Before contacting an evaluation provider, collect the following:

• Official transcripts from every university or college attended

• Degree certificates or diplomas (front and back, if seals or signatures are on the reverse)

• Certified English translations of any documents not in English

• If applicable, any graduate-level coursework records or postgraduate diplomas

Having these ready before you contact an evaluation firm speeds up the process significantly.

Step 3 — Select a Provider With Immigration Evaluation Experience

Not all credential evaluation providers are the same. Some specialize in academic admissions evaluations, which follow different standards than immigration evaluations. For USCIS purposes, you need a provider that understands the specialty occupation standard, the H1B degree requirement, and the level of field-specific detail that USCIS adjudicators expect.

Career Consultant International provides foreign degree evaluation in the USA specifically for immigration, employment, and RFE response purposes. Their evaluations are prepared with the USCIS context built into the process.

Step 4 — Submit Your Documents and Wait for Processing

After selecting a provider and submitting your documents, the provider reviews your academic records and prepares a written evaluation report. Standard processing times vary by provider, but most evaluations for immigration purposes can be completed within several business days to a couple of weeks, depending on the complexity of the records and the turnaround option selected.

Step 5 — Review the Report Before It Goes Into Your Petition

When you receive the evaluation, read it carefully before it is submitted as part of your petition. Confirm that it includes your name, the name of the institution, the degree earned, the U.S. equivalent degree level, and the specific field of study. If anything appears vague or generic, discuss it with the provider before the report is filed.

A well-prepared evaluation that clearly addresses the degree equivalency question is one of the most valuable documents in an H1B petition.