Filing a New Petition? You May Need to Update Your Credential Evaluation

By Mai Bui

If your client already has a certified credential evaluation, it may seem obvious to automatically reuse it for another immigration filing. However, before doing so, it’s worth checking whether or not the guidance behind that evaluation has changed.

AACRAO regularly updates its Electronic Database for Global Education (EDGE), a resource used by both USCIS and credential evaluators to assess how foreign credentials compare to U.S. education. These updates reflect new research that becomes available from deeper investigation into education systems, including the potential addition of new credentials. As a result, the same foreign degree may receive a different equivalency recommendation over time. Alternatively, a credential that previously was not EDGE-compliant might now become available.

The Indian Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) is one example that illustrates this change. Earlier EDGE guidance supported comparison to a U.S. first professional degree in law, a Juris Doctor (J.D.). Updated guidance places the credential at the U.S. Bachelor’s degree level, while still recognizing that it serves as a first professional law degree in India. The difference between a J.D. equivalency and a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies can matter significantly in a petition. An evaluation prepared under the earlier guidance may therefore need another review before it is used in a new filing.

The new 2026 EDGE 2.0 interface also makes it easier to understand these changes. Historical credential advice and previous equivalency recommendations are now available within the same credential entry.

On the other hand, changes can present new opportunities. When EDGE adds a certain credential that was previously missing, Park may be able to provide an EDGE-supported evaluation that we could not offer before. An older evaluation does not automatically become incorrect when EDGE changes its advice, for it may accurately reflect the guidance available when it was issued. However, that does not mean the same recommendation remains suitable for a new petition.

For each new filing, Park recommends obtaining an updated evaluation or contacting our team to confirm whether your client’s existing equivalency recommendation is still usable. A quick review before filing can help you identify changes and prepare the supporting evidence of your client’s case needs.