8 I-140 Approvals After RFE on August 11, 2026
A Request for Evidence (RFE) represents one of the most demanding stages of adjudication in the employment-based immigration process. Once USCIS issues an RFE, the petition enters a heightened level of review in which the adjudicating officer may request additional documentation, clarification of the applicant’s qualifications, or a more persuasive explanation connecting the submitted evidence to the applicable immigration standard. Successfully navigating this stage requires an evidentiary record that remains organized, internally consistent, and directly responsive to the concerns raised during adjudication.
The following success stories highlight 8 I-140 approvals secured after RFE review. These approvals include 1 EB-1A petition and 7 NIW petitions. Several cases involved circumstances that added complexity to adjudication, including multiple service center transfers, petitions with limited or no supporting letters, and applicants in non-STEM fields.
Cases With Inherent Challenges
Multiple Service Center Transfers
Several petitions underwent multiple service center transfers before final adjudication, moving between the Nebraska Service Center and Texas Service Center. Such procedural movement can add complexity because the petitions must remain logically structured, internally consistent, and persuasive throughout review by different service center operations.
Limited or No Supporting Letters
Two petitions proceeded without recommendation or testimonial letters, while several others relied on a limited number of supporting letters. In these cases, adjudication depended more heavily on objective evidence such as academic credentials, publication records, citation impact, professional experience, and documentation demonstrating the significance of the applicants’ work.
Non-STEM Fields
Two NIW approvals involved applicants in non-STEM fields. These cases required the overall evidentiary record to clearly establish the applicants’ qualifications and the significance of their proposed work under the applicable NIW standard.
EB-1A Approval After RFE (1)
#1: EB-1A in Biology
This EB-1A approval involved a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, born in China and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Biology, the petition received an RFE from the Nebraska Service Center before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM Ph.D. and demonstrated a substantial scholarly record consisting of 11 publications and 475 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2025. The filing was supported by 4 recommendation letters and proceeded without testimonial letters.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Texas Service Center to the Nebraska Service Center and then back to the Texas Service Center with a premium processing upgrade.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing EB-1A approval after RFE review while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
NIW Approvals After RFE (7)
#2: NIW in Heterogeneous Catalysis
This NIW approval involved a Research Associate, born in India and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Heterogeneous Catalysis, the petition received an RFE from Officer XM2420 before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM Ph.D. and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 3 publications and 34 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2021. The filing was supported by 2 recommendation letters and 1 testimonial letter.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Nebraska Service Center to the Texas Service Center and then back to the Nebraska Service Center with upfront premium processing.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
#3: NIW in Medical Education
This NIW approval involved a House Staff Resident, born in the United Kingdom and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Medical Education, the petition received an RFE from Officer XM1984 before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held an M.D. degree and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 3 publications and 90 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2022. The filing proceeded without recommendation letters and was supported by 2 testimonial letters.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Nebraska Service Center to the Texas Service Center and then back to the Nebraska Service Center with a premium processing upgrade.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review in a non-STEM field while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
#4: NIW in Applied Machine Learning
This NIW approval involved an Applied Research Engineer in industry, born in China and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Applied Machine Learning, the petition received an RFE from Officer XM2481 before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM Ph.D. and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 6 publications and 322 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2024. The petition proceeded without any supporting letters.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Nebraska Service Center to the Texas Service Center and then back to the Nebraska Service Center with upfront premium processing.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review without recommendation or testimonial letters while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
#5: NIW in Medicine and Surgery
This NIW approval involved a Visiting Scholar, born in Iran and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Medicine and Surgery, the petition received an RFE from Officer EX0068 before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held an M.D. degree and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 23 publications and 111 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2022. The filing was supported by 4 recommendation letters and proceeded without testimonial letters.
The petition was adjudicated through the Nebraska Service Center with a premium processing upgrade.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review in a non-STEM field.
#6: NIW in Chemical Engineering
This NIW approval involved a Postdoctoral Researcher, born in Pakistan and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Chemical Engineering, the petition received an RFE from Officer EX5132 before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM Ph.D. and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 9 publications and 58 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2024. The petition proceeded without any supporting letters.
The petition was adjudicated through the Nebraska Service Center with a premium processing upgrade.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review without recommendation or testimonial letters.
#7: NIW in Cloud Networking
This NIW approval involved a Cloud Artificial Intelligence (AI) Optical Network Engineer in industry, born in China and residing in the United States, who proposes to remain in the same employment. Filed in Cloud Networking, the petition received an RFE from the Texas Service Center before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM Ph.D. and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 12 publications and 75 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2025. The filing was supported by 2 recommendation letters and proceeded without testimonial letters.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Nebraska Service Center to the Texas Service Center and then back to the Nebraska Service Center with upfront premium processing.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
#8: NIW in Experimental Physical Chemistry
This NIW approval involved a Ph.D. student (Graduate Research Assistant), born in Turkey and residing in the United States, who proposes to work as a Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow. Filed in Experimental Physical Chemistry, the petition received an RFE from the Texas Service Center before approval was ultimately secured.
The applicant held a STEM master's degree and demonstrated a scholarly record consisting of 3 publications and 18 citations, with peer-reviewed work published as recently as 2026. The filing was supported by 1 recommendation letter and 3 testimonial letters.
The adjudication involved transfers from the Nebraska Service Center to the Texas Service Center and then back to the Nebraska Service Center with upfront premium processing.
Notable: This approval is notable for securing NIW approval after RFE review while undergoing multiple service center transfers.
The key to our success is the way in which we present supporting evidence and provide the highest quality petition letters. With over 64,000 I-140 EB-1 ( EB-1A Alien of Extraordinary Ability; EB-1B Outstanding Researcher or Professor), EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) and O-1 approvals, our firm has acquired substantial information about USCIS decisions, which gives us significant advantage over firms that only handle a small number of cases.
Based on our close track of USCIS internal memoranda, AAO decisions, and judicial review decisions, we have unique insight into the USCIS adjudication trends. Not only do we apply this insight into our approaches to our clients' cases, but we also carefully review all RFEs (Requests for Evidence), NOIDs (Notices of Intent to Deny), approvals, and denials issued on our cases so that we can further increase our understanding of USCIS strategies and decision-making processes. With the insight, we are able to advise our clients on the best ways to proceed with their petitions.
While other petitioners and attorneys may still use templates to draft recommendation letters or petition letters, our clients' recommendation letters and petition letters are tailored to their individual credentials to best persuade a USCIS officer that our clients meet the requirements of the category they are applying under and therefore their petitions deserve to be approved. To provide the best EB-1 and EB-2 NIW services, our law firm only selects attorneys who have received their professional Juris Doctor degrees from the top law schools in the U.S. and who have garnered rigorous analytical skills through years of experience.