Success Story: Health Systems Researcher from Vietnam Secures I-140 NIW Approval Without RFE
Client’s Testimonial:
"I deeply appreciate all your patience, guidance, and professional support throughout my case.”
On August 13th, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant in the Field of Health Systems (Approval Notice).
General Field: Health Systems
Position at the Time of Case Filing: PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant
Country of Origin: Vietnam
Country of Residence at the Time of Filing: Oklahoma
Approval Notice Date: August 13th, 2026
Processing Time: 3 months, 24 days (Premium Processing Upgrade Requested)
Case Summary:
North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) successfully secured approval of an I-140 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition for a Vietnamese researcher whose work focuses on using biostatistical and epidemiological frameworks to answer important questions in healthcare and public health. The client holds a Ph.D. in international business management and an M.S. in applied mathematics and science-statistics. At the time of filing, he was conducting research at a U.S. university as a PhD student and graduate research assistant.
His proposed work centers on analyzing complex clinical and health datasets to better understand health risks, disease progression, clinical outcomes, and public health challenges. This research includes studying health behaviors and mental health conditions, evaluating clinical indicators related to disease severity, and assessing patterns in healthcare decision-making that may affect patient care.
Improving Evidence-Based Healthcare and Public Health
A key part of our strategy was demonstrating how the client’s research could contribute to more reliable, data-driven healthcare decisions in the United States. We explained that robust biostatistical and epidemiological methods can help identify high-risk patient groups, improve clinical monitoring, strengthen disease prevention strategies, and support more efficient use of healthcare resources.
We also connected the client’s work to broader U.S. priorities in public health, health system resilience, data analysis, and healthcare innovation. By showing how his research can inform clinical practice and public health policy, the petition demonstrated that his proposed endeavor had substantial merit and national importance.
Demonstrating Research Influence
At the time of filing, the client had established a focused research record that included 2 peer-reviewed journal articles, 1 first-authored conference abstract, and 26 citations. Two of his papers were also ranked among the top 10% most-cited Clinical Medicine articles for their respective publication years. The petition highlighted these accomplishments, along with the context of the citations, independent scholarly reliance on his work, statistical expertise, and ongoing research activity.
Rather than relying on citation numbers alone, we demonstrated how the client’s published work had been used by independent researchers. His findings were cited in studies addressing a range of significant healthcare and public health topics. These examples helped show that his research contributed to later investigations addressing complex patient populations and important healthcare challenges.
NIW Approval and Outlook
Throughout the process, NAILG brought together the client’s academic background, statistical training, publication record, citation impact, research influence, current U.S.-based research, and future plans to demonstrate both the national importance of the proposed work and the client’s ability to advance it.
The petition was filed on April 20th, 2026, later upgraded to premium processing, and approved on August 13th, 2026, without a Request for Evidence. This approval allows the client to continue advancing research that may support evidence-based care, public health policy, and stronger health systems in the United States.