Success Story: NIW Approval for a Chinese Ph.D. Student in Materials Science Despite RFE

Client’s Testimonial:

“I am grateful to Chen Immigration Law Firm for their outstanding support during my EB-2 NIW application. Their team provided professional and highly detailed guidance throughout the entire process, and the response is always timely. Their letters were well-drafted. highly recommended.”

In March 2025, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Ph.D. Student in the Field of Materials Science (Approval Notice).

General Field: Materials Science

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Researcher

Country of Origin: China

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: California

Approval Notice Date: March 2025

Processing Time: 5 months, 23 days (Premium Processing Requested)

Case Summary:

We are pleased to share the success story of a Ph.D. student from China whose research is helping advance multifunctional materials for energy storage and wearable technologies. He got his EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval with us.

Research with Substantial Merit and National Importance

The client’s research focuses on developing advanced state-of-the-art materials to facilitate high-performance, durable, and flexible systems such as batteries, biosensors, and microprocessors. These efforts target widely impactful applications in wearable health devices and scalable energy storage, both of which are industries central to U.S. technological competitiveness.

The significance of this work is underscored by its alignment with federal priorities, including technologies identified as “critical and emerging” by the National Science and Technology Council. His innovations also support health and military applications, areas of high national relevance. The client’s work has been directly funded by prestigious U.S. agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and many others.

Well Positioned to Advance the Proposed Endeavor

With a master’s degree in materials science and engineering from a leading U.S. institution and extensive research experience, the client is well equipped to continue innovating in this highly specialized field. His Ph.D. research has already produced 17 peer-reviewed journal articles. These publications appear in elite journals such as Advanced Materials and Advanced Functional Materials.

The client has accumulated over 700 citations, which demonstrates substantial interest in and reliance on his work by independent researchers worldwide. Multiple of his papers rank in the top 1% and 10% most cited in materials science for their respective publication years. In addition to publishing, the client has contributed to the field through peer review services for scientific journals.

Overcoming the RFE

Despite receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE) during adjudication, NAILG swiftly prepared a detailed and well-supported response addressing the USCIS’s concerns. We reinforced the evidence of the client’s well-positioned status, the national relevance of his research, and its demonstrated impact across multiple areas of scientific and practical importance. This ultimately led to a favorable outcome and approval of the petition.

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).

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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.

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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.

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