Success Story: NIW Approval Without RFE for a Mechanical Engineering Researcher Advancing Brain Injury and Neurodegenerative Disease Research
Client’s Testimonial:
“Thank you so much!”
On September 1st, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Ph.D. Student in the Field of Mechanical Engineering (Approval Notice).
General Field: Mechanical Engineering
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Ph.D. Student
Country of Origin: Iran
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: California
Approval Notice Date: September 1st, 2026
Processing Time: 27 months, 10 days (Premium Processing Upgrade Requested)
Case Summary:
This I-140 National Interest Waiver petition was approved for a client in the field of mechanical engineering. The client holds an M.S. in mechanical engineering and is currently conducting research in a U.S.-based academic setting. The client’s work focuses on applying engineering principles, computational methods, and scientific research to address important challenges in biomedical and health-related fields.
The Proposed Endeavor
The client’s proposed endeavor was to continue conducting research in mechanical engineering and related biomedical applications, with a focus on developing advanced models and analytical methods to better understand complex biological and physical systems. The petition explained that this work is intended to advance scientific knowledge, support the development of improved research and prevention strategies, and contribute to better outcomes in areas of national importance.
We positioned the endeavor as important because it connects mechanical engineering research with practical applications in healthcare and biomedical innovation. The petition emphasized that the client’s planned work involving computational modeling, fluid dynamics, numerical simulations, and the analysis of biological systems could support continued progress in engineering research and the development of improved approaches to significant health-related challenges.
The Evidence We Highlighted
The client’s publication record included 1 peer-reviewed journal article, 4 peer-reviewed conference articles, including 1 first-authored conference article, and 2 first-authored conference abstracts. The client’s publications had received 17 citations.
Rather than presenting the citations as automatically sufficient, the petition explained how an adjudicator could understand them in context. One of the client’s papers was cited at a high rate for its publication year in Engineering and ranked among the top 1% most-cited articles in that field. This comparison helped show that other researchers had meaningfully relied on the client’s work.
Expert Support
The case was supported by 2 recommendation letters from experts in the field, including 1 independent advisory opinion. These letters helped explain the practical importance of the client’s research and supported the petition’s broader argument that the client’s work has value beyond a single institution or employer. One expert noted:
“The United States is reliant on this high-caliber research to address pressing health issues in the country and maintain its leadership in healthcare and engineering research. As such, the United States must support [Client’s] ongoing work to continue reaping its benefits.”
Why the Case Was Strong
The petition presented the client as a mechanical engineering researcher with a clear and nationally important proposed endeavor, a documented publication record, citation impact, expert support, and current research aligned with the future work. By connecting the client’s background and achievements to the proposed area of research, we demonstrated that the client was well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor.
To demonstrate the client’s significance, we showed that independent researchers had relied on the client’s work in subsequent studies. These examples helped establish that the client’s research had practical value beyond publication and had contributed to continued developments in mechanical engineering and related fields.
USCIS approved the client’s I-140 NIW petition without a Request for Evidence. This approval supports the client’s continued contributions to mechanical engineering, biofluid modeling, traumatic brain injury research, neurodegenerative disease research, and patient-centered biomedical innovation in the United States.