Success Story: Strategic RFE Response Leads to NIW Approval for a Romanian Cancer Immunologist
Client’s Testimonial:
"My sincere gratitude for your outstanding support throughout this entire process!”
February 27th, 2026, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) for a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Field of Cancer Immunology (Approval Notice).
General Field: Cancer Immunology
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Fellow
Country of Origin: Romania
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: New York
Approval Notice Date: February 27th, 2026
Processing Time: 24 months, 29 days
Case Summary:
North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) recently guided a Postdoctoral Fellow from Romania to a successful EB-2 NIW approval. Our client specializes in the critical field of cancer immunology. Despite facing a Request for Evidence (RFE) during the adjudication process, our meticulous legal strategy secured the case approval on February 27th, 2026.
The Proposed Endeavor: Revolutionizing Cancer Immunotherapy
Equipped with a Ph.D. in molecular biology, the petitioner’s proposed endeavor focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy. Her overarching goal is to contribute to the development of novel cancer treatments and "off-the-shelf" vaccines that improve patient outcomes, particularly for aggressive, poorly differentiated tumors like acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
By identifying unmutated tumor antigens that can be targeted effectively by the immune system, her work bypasses the need for resource-intensive, individualized patient data. The profound national importance of this research was corroborated by an independent expert, who stated:
"In totality, her research shapes targeted treatments for AML and revolutionizes cancer therapy strategies, reducing mortality rates and lessening the financial burden of cancer in the United States."
Establishing a Strong Record of Success
To prove that our client was well-positioned to advance this endeavor, we initially detailed her highly specialized publication and citation record. At the time of filing, she had documented her research in 8 peer-reviewed journal articles. These papers were published in some of the most discerning journals in her field.
Due to its applicability in the field, her research had been cited a total of 178 times at the time of filing. These citations came from leading researchers across the globe, reflecting her status as a key driver of progress in identifying non-canonical peptides and advancing cancer vaccine design.
Navigating the RFE
On November 21, 2025, USCIS issued an RFE questioning whether the client’s prior research truly rendered her well-positioned to advance her proposed endeavor. To directly address these concerns, we provided an in-depth, data-driven bibliometric analysis demonstrating that her citation impact and research productivity placed her in the very top percentiles of her field.
Furthermore, we highlighted the real-world clinical implementation of her discoveries. Specifically, we showed that her approach to identifying therapeutic targets was being utilized in an independent clinical trial. We also supplied evidence of her receipt of highly selective funding.
By providing this authoritative evidence, we successfully overcame the RFE. USCIS agreed that waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements would be immensely beneficial to the United States. We are honored to have represented this distinguished scientist, ensuring her life-saving cancer research continues uninterrupted in the U.S.