Success Story: Civil Engineering Researcher from Vietnam Secures I-140 NIW Approval for Work Advancing Infrastructure Reliability
Client’s Testimonial:
"Thank you for the excellent outcome. I am very happy with the I-140 approval.”
On June 9th, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Senior Researcher in the Field of Civil Engineering (Approval Notice).
General Field: Civil Engineering
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Senior Researcher
Country of Origin: Vietnam
Country of Residence at the Time of Filing: Korea
Approval Notice Date: June 9th, 2026
Processing Time: 13 months, 7 days (Premium Processing Upgrade Requested)
Case Summary:
North America Immigration Law Group is pleased to share that we secured I-140 NIW approval for a civil engineering researcher from Vietnam. The petition was filed on May 2, 2025, and approved on June 9, 2026, following a Premium Processing upgrade. The client’s proposed endeavor focused on developing and applying deep learning techniques to asphalt pavement analysis in order to improve infrastructure reliability and optimize maintenance strategies in civil engineering applications.
The client’s general field is civil engineering, with research focused on deep learning-based pavement analysis, pavement distress detection, asphalt performance evaluation, and infrastructure maintenance. At the time of filing, the client planned to continue working in the field as a civil engineer or in a similar role, where the client would develop automated pavement assessment models and publish original research in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
To demonstrate the client’s significance, we explained how this research addresses the national need for safer, more reliable, and more efficiently maintained transportation infrastructure. The petition connected the client’s work to broad U.S. interests in public safety, economic growth, roadway durability, and the application of artificial intelligence to infrastructure management.
We also established that the client was well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor through a strong record of research productivity, peer recognition, and scientific influence, including:
- D.Eng. in civil and environmental engineering
- 8 peer-reviewed journal articles, including 2 first-authored articles
- 4 peer-reviewed conference articles, including 2 first-authored articles
- 2 abstracts
- 310 citations to the client’s published work
- At least 8 completed peer reviews
Several of the client’s papers ranked among the most-cited Engineering articles for their publication years, including papers in the top 1%, top 10%, and top 20%, helping show the client’s field-adjusted research influence.
The petition further highlighted the client’s peer review service as evidence of professional trust. By being invited to evaluate manuscripts for respected journals in civil engineering, artificial intelligence, imaging, and computational engineering, the client demonstrated recognized expertise in both infrastructure research and deep learning-based analytical methods.
USCIS approved the client’s I-140 NIW petition without RFE. We congratulate the client on this important achievement and look forward to the client’s continued contributions to civil engineering, intelligent pavement assessment, transportation infrastructure reliability, and safer roadway systems in the United States.