How to Check If Your Brazilian Degree Qualifies for EB-2 (Step-by-Step)
The single most common reason Brazilian EB-2 petitions fail is filing in the wrong category based on a misunderstanding of how Brazilian degrees map to US immigration law. Before you pay for a credential evaluation, hire an attorney, or file anything with USCIS, complete this five-step check. It takes 15 minutes and can save you from an I-140 denial that would cost you the filing fee, months of preparation, and a permanent denial record.
Step 1: Identify Your Highest Academic Credential
Look at your diploma and the institution's transcript. What is the formal name of the credential?
Bacharelado (4–5 years undergraduate): This evaluates as a US bachelor's degree. You do not qualify for EB-2 Advanced Degree on education alone. You may qualify through the "5 years of progressive experience" bridge — see Step 3.
Tecnólogo (2–3 years): This evaluates as 2–3 years of university study — not a bachelor's equivalent. You do not qualify for EB-2. Your pathway is EB-3 Skilled Worker (requires two years of training or experience) or EB-3 Professional if you later complete a full Bacharelado.
Especialização or Lato Sensu MBA (post-Bacharelado, typically 360+ hours): This evaluates as a professional certificate, not a graduate degree. It does not change your EB-2 eligibility status. A Bacharelado + Lato Sensu MBA is still evaluated as a bachelor's degree under USCIS standards. The AACRAO EDGE database — which NACES agencies use — explicitly classifies Lato Sensu credentials as professional certificates rather than academic degrees.
Mestrado (Stricto Sensu) from a CAPES-accredited institution: This evaluates as a US master's degree. You qualify directly for EB-2 Advanced Degree. Proceed to Step 4.
Doutorado (Stricto Sensu): This evaluates as a US PhD. You qualify directly for EB-2 Advanced Degree. Proceed to Step 4.
Key test for Stricto Sensu vs Lato Sensu: Check whether your program was accredited by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior). Stricto Sensu programs require CAPES accreditation. Lato Sensu programs do not. If your MBA or Especialização was not CAPES-accredited, it is Lato Sensu.
Step 2: Check the Degree Table
| Brazilian Credential | US Equivalency | EB-2 Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Tecnólogo (2–3 years) | Associate's degree equivalent | No — EB-3 pathway only |
| Bacharelado (4–5 years) | US Bachelor's degree | No — unless + 5 yrs progressive experience |
| Lato Sensu MBA / Especialização | Professional certificate | No — does not change Bacharelado status |
| Mestrado (Stricto Sensu, CAPES) | US Master's degree | Yes — EB-2 Advanced Degree |
| Doutorado (Stricto Sensu, CAPES) | US PhD | Yes — EB-2 Advanced Degree |
If your highest qualifying credential is a Bacharelado (meaning no Stricto Sensu Mestrado or Doutorado), proceed to Step 3.
Step 3: Assess the Five-Year Progressive Experience Bridge
If you have a Bacharelado but no graduate degree, you can still qualify for EB-2 if you have at least five years of progressive post-baccalaureate work experience in the specialty related to your degree. Answer these questions:
How many years of professional experience do you have after completing your Bacharelado? Count only full-time, post-degree employment in your field. Part-time work and internships typically do not count.
Is the experience in the same specialty as your degree? The specialty must be consistent — an engineering Bacharelado supports an EB-2 Advanced Degree equivalency in engineering. If you moved into a different field, you need to be able to argue it is a direct extension.
Does the experience show progressive responsibility? This is the critical question. USCIS requires that experience demonstrates increasing complexity, scope, or seniority — not just additional time. Indicators of progressive responsibility:
- Promotions to roles with greater authority or scope
- Movement from individual contributor to team or project lead
- Expansion of responsibilities documented in employer letters
- Salary increases that reflect market recognition of growing expertise
- Specific projects with increasing complexity or budget
Can you document the progression? CTPS records establish the employment timeline. Employer letters — including from past employers — must describe the duties with O*NET-aligned language showing the progression. Both documents are required. CTPS without employer letters is not sufficient.
If you have 5+ years of progressive experience in the matching specialty: you are likely eligible for EB-2 through the experience bridge. Proceed to Step 4.
If you have fewer than 5 years, or your experience is not progressive, or documentation is unavailable from past employers: you are likely an EB-3 candidate, not EB-2. EB-3 Professional requires a Bacharelado and PERM labor certification with employer sponsorship.
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Step 4: Verify the NACES Evaluation Strategy
Once you have confirmed your degree qualifies — either directly (Mestrado/Doutorado) or through the experience bridge (Bacharelado + 5 years) — you need to request the correct type of credential evaluation.
There are two types of NACES evaluations:
Document-by-document: The evaluator lists your credentials and their US equivalencies. This is sufficient for a Mestrado or Doutorado — the evaluation simply confirms the degree is equivalent to a US master's or PhD.
Expert opinion letter (or course-by-course plus professional assessment): For the experience bridge, a document-by-document evaluation of your Bacharelado just confirms you have a bachelor's equivalent. What USCIS needs is a determination that your Bacharelado plus your years of progressive experience together constitute the equivalent of a US master's degree in your specialty. This requires an evaluator willing to assess the combined qualification — not just the degree in isolation.
When requesting an evaluation for the experience bridge, be explicit: tell the agency you are filing EB-2 under the "bachelor's plus five years of progressive experience" pathway and need an evaluation that addresses whether your combined education and experience constitute an advanced degree equivalent.
Step 5: Map to the National Interest Waiver Eligibility Check
EB-2 Advanced Degree qualification is necessary but not sufficient for the NIW self-petition pathway. The NIW also requires that your proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, that you are well-positioned to advance it, and that waiving the labor certification requirement benefits the United States.
With EB-2 qualification confirmed, check whether your field and professional profile support a NIW petition:
Fields with the strongest NIW track record for Brazilian professionals:
- Healthcare: physicians, nurses, mental health professionals addressing HPSA-designated shortages
- Engineering: civil, aerospace, environmental engineers aligned with infrastructure or clean energy
- Technology: AI, cybersecurity, software development with documented national importance framing
- Research: academics with publications, citations, peer review activity
- Aviation: pilots and technicians addressing regional airline capacity shortages
Fields where NIW is harder to establish (often requires employer PERM instead):
- Sales, marketing, business development without documented systemic impact
- Roles that primarily benefit a single employer's revenue
- Fields with no documented national shortage or strategic priority
If your field does not support a viable NIW argument, EB-2 still requires PERM labor certification from a US employer — you cannot self-petition. EB-3 Professional also requires PERM. In this case, the pathway requires finding a US employer willing to sponsor PERM, which is a separate strategic question.
Summary: Your EB-2 Eligibility in Four Outcomes
Outcome A — Direct EB-2, NIW available: You hold a Stricto Sensu Mestrado or Doutorado. You qualify for EB-2 Advanced Degree. A NACES document-by-document evaluation confirms this. If your field supports national importance, NIW self-petition is available.
Outcome B — EB-2 via experience bridge, NIW potentially available: You hold a Bacharelado plus 5+ years of documented progressive experience in the matching specialty. You need an expert opinion letter or combined assessment from a NACES agency. If your field and professional record support Dhanasar prongs 1–3, NIW self-petition is available.
Outcome C — EB-2 requires PERM (no NIW): You qualify for EB-2 Advanced Degree but cannot build a viable NIW case — your work primarily benefits one employer and does not have documented national importance. You need a US employer to file PERM and an I-140 on your behalf.
Outcome D — EB-3, not EB-2: Your credentials (Tecnólogo, or Bacharelado with fewer than 5 years of progressive experience in the specialty) place you in EB-3 Professional or Skilled Worker. PERM and employer sponsorship are required.
Knowing your outcome before filing prevents the most expensive mistake in the EB-2 process. For Brazilians, the credential audit is not a formality — it is the decision that determines everything.
The Brazil → US EB-2/EB-3 Green Card Guide provides the complete credential audit framework, the NACES evaluation strategy for each degree type, the NIW self-petition playbook, and the step-by-step process from credential check through green card approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
My company in Brazil was listed in Forbes as one of the best employers. Does that help my NIW case? It is useful evidence of professional standing if the listing was competitive and selective — it may support Dhanasar Prong 2 (well-positioned to advance the endeavor). It does not affect credential qualification, and it does not constitute national importance on its own. NIW national importance is about the impact of your proposed work in the US, not the prestige of your Brazilian employer.
I have a Bacharelado in engineering and an MBA from FGV. Does the MBA add anything? Not for EB-2 purposes. USCIS evaluates the MBA as a professional certificate. Your highest qualifying credential for USCIS is the Bacharelado. The MBA does not count toward the five-year progressive experience requirement either, since it is coursework, not professional employment. If you want to leverage it, it could be one piece of evidence of additional expertise — but it cannot serve as the basis for EB-2 Advanced Degree qualification.
I completed a Mestrado abroad (not in Brazil). Does it count? A Mestrado from a foreign institution outside Brazil evaluates based on that country's academic standards, not Brazil's. The key question is whether the credential is research-oriented and was from an accredited institution. A NACES agency will evaluate it — if it is a genuine research master's equivalent to a US master's, it qualifies for EB-2 Advanced Degree. If it is a professional or taught master's without research, evaluation outcomes vary.
How long does a NACES credential evaluation take? Standard processing is 4–8 weeks for most agencies. Rush processing is typically 1–2 weeks at additional cost. Evaluation World, WES, and ECE all offer rush options. For EB-2 petitions with premium processing, complete the credential evaluation before filing the I-140 so the evaluation letter is in hand when you submit.
Can I use my CTPS records if my former employer no longer exists? Yes. If a past employer has closed, the CTPS record establishes the employment period. For the employer letter, you may be able to locate a former manager who can provide a personal attestation describing your duties and progression in that role. This is not perfect evidence, but USCIS accepts reasonable documentation alternatives when the primary employer no longer exists.
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