On April 11^th, 2017, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Ph.D. Researcher in the Field of Mechanical Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Mechanical Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Ph.D. Researcher

Country of Origin: Iran

Service Center: Nebraska Service Center (NSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Connecticut

Approval Notice Date: April 11^th, 2017

Processing Time: 11 months, 9 days

Case Summary:

When our client, a Ph.D. researcher from Iran, approached us to help him overcome the first hurdle in the green card process (filing an I-140 petition), we evaluated his credentials and asked him a number of questions regarding his research to determine which I-140 category would suit him best. Based on what we learned, we determined that he should file his I-140 petition under EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver). These are some of the reasons why he was a suitable NIW candidate:

1. His highest degrees were an M.Sc. in Structural Engineering and an M.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering. With two master’s degrees under his belt, it was clear that our client was equipped with the knowledge needed to continue progressing his field of mechanical engineering. Furthermore, we demonstrated that he was pursuing his doctorate at the time of filing.
2. Thanks to Google Scholar, we were able to determine that our client’s 7 publications had amassed 107 citations when we filed his case. These numbers proved that he is a respected researcher in the field.
3. We carefully reviewed our client’s work on applying the principles of mechanical engineering to the study of biological system behavior under various conditions. We then concluded that his findings are contributing to the United States’ electronics industry, which utilizes the flexible nanoscale materials that are susceptible to various types of deformities.

In preparing our client’s NIW case, we incorporated five recommendation letters into his petition dossier to strengthen it. These letters were signed by other prominent researchers in the field, all of whom were familiar with our client’s research. According to one of them: “Considering the great importance of his contribution to this project, and the unique combination of skills and education possessed by [Client], he has established himself as a vital member of the materials science and engineering field and the greater scientific community.”

Although our client waited longer than expected to receive notification of case approval (he waited over 11 months instead of the expected 4-9 months), we are nonetheless pleased that he secured the national interest waiver. We thank him for not only choosing us to represent his NIW case, but also his I-485 application. As the final step in the green card process, an approved I-485 signals American permanent residency. We join him as he waits for the USCIS to take action on his application, and we wish him the best as he continues to advance the field of mechanical engineering.