Success Story: NIW Victory without RFE for a Petroleum Engineering Expert from Iraq

Posted by wegreened on June 11, 2026 in NIW, Energy Engineering (Mining Engineering, Petroleum Engineering)

Client’s Testimonial:

"I would like to sincerely thank you and your entire team for your outstanding support and guidance throughout my case. I truly appreciate your professionalism, responsiveness, and the effort you dedicated to achieving this successful outcome. It has been a pleasure working with you."

On April 10^th, 2026, we received an EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) Approval for a Researcher in the Field of Petroleum Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Petroleum Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Researcher

Country of Origin: Iraq

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Texas

Approval Notice Date: April 10^th, 2026

Processing Time: 1 month, 5 days (Premium Processing Requested)

Case Summary:

After refiling, an EB-2 NIW petition was approved in just 1 month, without an RFE, for a researcher holding a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering. This swift approval recognized pioneering work in well integrity, geomechanics, and AI-driven reservoir management that directly addresses some of the most urgent energy security and environmental challenges facing the United States.

Research Leadership and Global Recognition

With deep expertise in petroleum engineering, this researcher has built a distinguished career advancing well integrity, geomechanics, and AI-driven reservoir management in the U.S. oil and gas sector. The scholarly record reflects exceptional productivity and influence in the field:

21 peer-reviewed conference articles (12 first-authored) and 5 peer-reviewed first-authored journal articles, with a forthcoming book from a leading international academic publisher

178 citations across global scientific and engineering communities, with at least 6 papers ranking among the top 1%–20% most-cited articles

Invited to conduct at least 31 peer reviews for high-impact journals

Expert Endorsements

To strengthen the NIW filing, our firm submitted 6 expert recommendation letters. One expert noted:

"His distinctive array of skills set him apart from his peers, firmly solidifying [Client]’s standing at the top of the petroleum engineering field."

NIW Approval and Outlook

This NIW approval reflects USCIS's recognition of this researcher's exceptional contributions to petroleum engineering and their clear benefit to the United States. It has been an honor to support this talented professional throughout the petition process, and we extend our sincere best wishes for continued success in both professional and personal pursuits.

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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).

Our Sixty-four Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With nearly 64,000 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.

We Have Helped Tens of Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

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.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to nearly 64,000 in 2025.

Track Record of Success EB-1 and NIW Approvals

(2012.01 - 2025.12)

Category	Approval or Refund^®		Approval or Refiling^TM
	Approval or Refund^®
Category	Approved Sum	Success Rate	Approved Sum	Success Rate
NIW	42,047	99%	5,258	97%
EB1A	9,218	91%	4,534	86%
EB1B	1,488	98%	448	93%
Total	52,753	98%	10,240	92%