Success Story: NAILG Overcomes RFE to Secure NIW Approval for a Nuclear Engineering Researcher Advancing Nuclear Renewable Hybrid Systems
Client’s Testimonial:
"It was great for me to work with you, and thank you for your supportive actions until the final approval."
On February 19th, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Researcher in the Field of Nuclear Engineering (Approval Notice).
General Field: Nuclear Engineering
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Researcher
Country of Origin: South Korea
Country of Residence at the Time of Filing: South Korea
Approval Notice Date: February 19th, 2026
Processing Time: 24 months, 25 days
Case Summary:
Some NIW cases are approved on the initial record. For cases that face heightened scrutiny through a Request for Evidence (RFE), success depends on providing a tightened narrative and a clearer organization of independent validation. When this case received an RFE, North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) responded with exactly that.
The client is an expert with a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering. The proposed endeavor is to continue advancing next-generation nuclear system technologies with renewable energy sources to improve performance, efficiency, safety, and security in order to ensure energy sustainability. In the petition, we framed this work as practical energy infrastructure innovation: improving how advanced nuclear systems can operate safely and flexibly while integrating with renewables to meet evolving demand with lower environmental impact.
To align this technical work with NIW standards, we organized the record around three credibility anchors:
- A track record of peer-validated output: 20 peer-reviewed journal articles (9 first-authored), 19 peer-reviewed conference papers (13 first-authored), and 9 patents (including 2 patent applications). The petition presented this as sustained work in a consistent direction, not a one-off collection of unrelated projects.
- Independent reliance and trust signals: 107 citations and at least 9 completed peer reviews. We explained that citations function as evidence of independent researchers relying on the client’s methods and results, while peer-review invitations reflect professional trust because journals typically select reviewers regarded as technically authoritative.
How the RFE Was Addressed To successfully address the RFE, we provided a highly detailed and structured response:
- Defined the endeavor: We framed the work as a focused, feasible plan to improve advanced nuclear system performance and safety while enabling flexible integration with renewable energy, rather than a broad interest in nuclear engineering.
- Clarified national importance: We tied the endeavor to U.S. priorities in energy sustainability and emissions reduction, emphasizing that improved nuclear system durability, safety evaluation capability, and grid-relevant flexibility can support a cleaner and more resilient energy economy.
- Demonstrated momentum: We used the publication and patent record, citation reliance, and peer-review service to show that the client’s work is already being evaluated, selected, and used by the field. We also incorporated evidence that multiple papers achieved strong field- and year-normalized citation performance, helping the adjudicator interpret impact beyond raw counts alone.
“Thus, [Client’s] record of achievement to date more than evidences the indispensability of his research to the United States.”
Approval USCIS approved the I-140 EB-2 National Interest Waiver petition after the RFE response. The outcome reflects what many scrutinized NIW cases require: disciplined organization of the record, clear explanations connecting technical work to national-scale value, and objective evidence of independent reliance and professional trust.