Success Story: I-140 NIW Approved for a Computer Science Researcher Advancing Reliable and Trustworthy AI
Client’s Testimonial:
"Thank you very much for your help throughout the application process. The firm’s structured and thorough review process helped document a strong application.”
On April 13th, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a PhD Student in the Field of Computer Science (Approval Notice).
General Field: Computer Science
Position at the Time of Case Filing: PhD Student
Country of Origin: South Korea
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Massachusetts
Approval Notice Date: April 13th, 2026
Processing Time: 5 months, 14 days (Premium Processing Upgrade Requested)
Case Summary:
The client’s I-140 NIW petition was approved based on a carefully developed case showing the national importance of his work in computer science. Because the client holds an M.S. in computer science (specializing in computational perception and robotics), the petition demonstrated that his work has clear value for improving the efficiency, reliability, and trustworthiness of AI in critical U.S. applications across industry, scientific research, and national security.
Research Leadership and National Impact
In this case, we did not rely on credentials alone. Instead, we explained why the client’s record would matter to an adjudicator evaluating whether he was well-positioned to advance a nationally important endeavor. The client had authored 3 peer-reviewed conference articles, including 1 first-authored article, along with 1 peer-reviewed journal article and 1 first-authored preprint. Because publication norms in computer science differ from many other fields, the petition also clarified that peer-reviewed conference publications are often among the most respected research outputs in the discipline.
The client’s published body of work had received 240 citations. Rather than treating that figure as automatically persuasive, the petition framed it as evidence of independent reliance by other researchers. It further showed that his work had achieved field-adjusted influence: one paper ranked among the top 1% most-cited Computer Science articles for its publication year, and two others ranked among the top 10% for their respective years. That kind of normalized citation evidence helped show that the client’s contributions were not merely visible but meaningfully used by others in the field.
The petition further highlighted open-source contributions that extended the practical reach of his research beyond a single institution. In addition, the client had completed at least 5 peer reviews, supporting the conclusion that others in the field trusted his technical judgment. His work had also received support from the National Science Foundation, which helped show that a major federal funding body had already recognized the broader importance of this research direction.
NIW Approval and Outlook
This approval reflects the strength of a strategy that connected the client’s advanced training, current U.S.-based research, publication record, citation evidence, peer review service, and open-source contributions into a clear NIW narrative. By showing both the national importance of the proposed endeavor and the client’s strong positioning to continue advancing it, the petition established why waiving the job offer requirement would benefit the United States. We are delighted that the client’s I-140 NIW petition was approved, and we look forward to his continued contributions in the United States.