Case Summary:  

We are pleased to share another successful EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) outcome achieved through North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG)’s extensive experience and proven strategy. Our team recently secured NIW approval for a highly accomplished mechanical engineering expert with a Ph.D. whose work advances sustainable energy integration in agriculture. By carefully aligning the evidence with the Dhanasar framework, we demonstrated both the national importance of the client’s proposed endeavor and the client’s strong ability to advance it in the United States.

Research with Substantial Merit & National Importance

In preparing this case, NAILG emphasized that the client’s proposed endeavor focuses on developing computational models and working prototypes that integrate photovoltaic systems into greenhouses and open-field agriculture. This research supports agrivoltaic and solar-powered food production systems that can deliver clean energy while preserving or improving crop yields. The client’s modeling frameworks help optimize how sunlight is shared between energy generation and plant growth, enabling more sustainable farming under real-world climate and land constraints.

NAILG connected this work to pressing U.S. priorities in renewable energy expansion, climate-resilient agriculture, and efficient land use. Agriculture occupies a major share of U.S. land resources and contributes significantly to emissions, and the client’s technologies offer scalable pathways to reduce the carbon footprint of farming without sacrificing productivity. Because these solutions strengthen U.S. food security while accelerating clean-energy adoption, USCIS agreed that the proposed endeavor has clear, substantial merit and national importance.

Academic Excellence and Demonstrated Influence

To establish that the client is well-positioned to advance this nationally important endeavor, NAILG documented a strong record of research achievement, including:

• 6 peer-reviewed journal articles (3 first-authored)
• 1 accepted peer-reviewed conference article (first-authored)
• 1 preprint
• 322 citations to the client’s published work
• At least 22 completed peer reviews for respected journals in energy, sustainability, and agricultural engineering

NAILG also presented evidence that the client’s research has attracted competitive U.S. funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). These awards provided strong third-party validation that the endeavor addresses nationally prioritized needs in clean energy and sustainable agriculture.

Support from Recognized Experts

To reinforce the petition, NAILG submitted four letters of recommendation from leading authorities, including independent experts. These endorsements confirmed that the client’s solar-integrated agriculture models resolve foundational barriers to achieving net-zero, land-efficient food production and that continued work in the United States will bring broad national benefit.

“As such, it is abundantly clear that his research has contributed immensely to not only our research at the USDA, but also to the field at large.”

NIW Approval and Outlook

USCIS approved the NIW petition after NAILG demonstrated that the client’s proposed endeavor advances critical U.S. goals in renewable energy, climate resilience, and sustainable food systems, and that the client has already shown the capacity to drive this work forward through impactful publications, citations, and expert peer recognition.

NAILG is proud to have represented the client in this successful NIW case. The client’s continued research on photovoltaic integration in agriculture will support cleaner energy generation, more resilient crop production, and improved land-use efficiency, delivering lasting value to the United States and reinforcing NAILG’s commitment to helping outstanding researchers achieve their immigration goals.