EB-2 NIW Green Card

EB-2 NIW Green Card

The EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) is designed for individuals who possess advanced degrees or exceptional ability in their field and seek to contribute significantly to the U.S. national interest. This category allows applicants to bypass the standard requirement of employer sponsorship and the labor certification process if they can demonstrate that their work benefits the United States.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the EB-2 NIW, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

Advanced Degree

You must hold an advanced degree (master's or higher) or a bachelor's degree with at least five years of progressive work experience in your field.

Exceptional Ability

If you do not possess an advanced degree, you can qualify by demonstrating exceptional ability in your field. This includes showing a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered.

National Interest Waiver

You must prove that your work has substantial intrinsic merit and national importance, and that waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements is in the national interest. The following criteria are generally considered:

Impact on the Field

Evidence that your work has a significant impact on your field.

Proposed Endeavor

A detailed description of your proposed endeavor and its benefits to the U.S.

Benefit of Waiver

Evidence that your contributions will benefit the national interest to a degree that justifies waiving the job offer and labor certification.

Application Process

To obtain an EB-2 NIW Green Card, you will need to file an I-140 Immigrant Petition. You can also file an I-485 Adjustment of Status Application if you are eligible. There are two filing strategies: 

Strategy 01

Concurrent Filing

If you are uncertain about your profile's strength, you may choose to file the I-140 first and, once approved, file the I-485.
Strategy 02

Separate Filing

If you are uncertain about the strength of your profile, you can first file the I-140 and, upon approval, file the I-485. .

Advantages of the EB-2 NIW Green Card

Self-Petitioning

 You can self-petition without needing an employer to sponsor you. 

No Labor Certification Required

You can bypass the often lengthy labor certification process. 

Expedited Processing

The EB-2 category typically has shorter waiting times than other employment-based categories. 

Family Inclusion

Your spouse and children under age 21 can also file I-485 applications as part of your EB-2 NIW application. 

Family Inclusion

Your spouse and children under age 21 can file their own I-485 Adjustment of Status Applications as dependents of your EB-2 NIW application, allowing them to obtain green cards as well. 

Costs Involved

  • - I-140 Filing Fee: $715 
  • - I-485 Filing Fee for Principal Applicant: $1,225 
  • - I-485 Fee for Dependents over age 14: $1,225 each 
  • - I-485 Fee for Dependents under age 14: $750 each 

Our Fees

  • - EB-2 NIW I-140 Fee: $2,900  for PhDs and for others Starting at 3100 USD