Success Stories: NAILG Secured EB1A for R&D Engineer in Environmental Engineering – Second Approval Without RFE

Client’s Testimonial:

“Thank you for your professional help! It was a pleasure working with you!”

On November 15^th, 2023, and April 23^rd, 2025, we received another I-140 NIW (National Interest Waiver) and EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approvals for an R&D Engineer in the Field of Environmental Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Environmental Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: R&D Engineer

Country of Origin: China

Country of Residence at the Time of Filing: China

Approval Notice Date: November 15^th, 2023 (NIW), and April 23^rd, 2025 (EB1A)

Processing Time: 2 months, 28 days (NIW) (Premium Processing Requested), and 1 year, 2 months, 16 days (EB1A)

Case Summary:

With a long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability and engineering innovation, an engineer has emerged as a globally recognized leader in the field of environmental engineering. Her sophisticated investigations into bioaugmentation, membrane technology, and desalination have significantly advanced real-world solutions for clean water systems and energy-efficient waste treatment.

Following a prior National Interest Waiver (NIW) approval secured with the support of the North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG), our client once again partnered with us to file her EB1A petition. In both cases, approved without a Request for Evidence (RFE), NAILG’s in-depth understanding of her scientific profile and tailored petition strategy were crucial in demonstrating her extraordinary ability.

The client’s research has received substantial recognition and financial backing from leading institutions, including the International Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) and the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Her work is particularly well-known for improving the efficiency of anaerobic digestion processes by enhancing direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) through the use of semi-conductive iron oxides (CIOs).

Her contributions have led to:

18 peer-reviewed journal articles, including 7 first- and co-first-authored;
574 citations across 56 countries, placing her in the top 1% of most cited authors in environmental engineering over the past nine years;
11 completed peer reviews, a reflection of her status as a trusted scholar in the field.

She has also made original contributions of major significance, such as characterizing the effects and mechanisms of DIET on methanogenesis, exploring microbial coal-to-methane conversion, and optimizing membrane bioreactor (MBR) protocols for real-world applications.

As one recommender put it:

“In conclusion, [client] is conducting groundbreaking research with real-world impact in advancing membrane cleaning for RO systems. Furthermore, her exceptional capabilities and prolific background as an environmental engineer make it crystal clear that she is a leading expert in the field.”

With two successful approvals, NIW and now EB1A, our client’s immigration journey is a model of scientific excellence paired with NAILG’s proven legal strategy. Her continued research will contribute meaningfully to the U.S. and global efforts in water sustainability, waste treatment innovation, and environmental protection.

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North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

Our Ten Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With more than 58,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

We Have Helped Hundreds and Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to over 58,000 in 2025.