CASE: I-140 / National Interest Waiver
CLIENT: Cape Verdean
LOCATION: Framingham, MA
Our client contacted us about the possibility of doing a National Interest Waiver self-petition. He is a civil / structural engineer from Cape Verde.
Our client is an exceptional researcher in the field of civil and structural engineering specialized in strengthening techniques of reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete design, structural steel design and assessment of LNG facilities components. His field of engineering is clearly of national interest and is beneficial to the United States. Because of his innovative research, our client’s research works were highly evaluated by the reviewers of various journals and by colleagues and experts in the field. Upon review of his credentials, our office determined that he was qualified for the National Interest Waiver category.
Our office prepared a 21-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained 7 letters of recommendation from internationally-recognized researchers. We also included his publication records, presentation records, and conference materials in the NIW. We demonstrated that our client is one of the few elite researchers who has made substantial contributions to his field of endeavor, that he is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor, and it would be beneficial to the United States to waive the requirements of a job offer and thus of a labor certification for our client.
Our office filed his I-140 petition to the USCIS on January 2, 2024. However, on May 31, 2024 the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence for our client and argued that his proposed endeavor doesn’t have national importance under the prongs of Dhanasar. Our client and our office prepared an extensive RFE response and filed the Response to RFE to the USCIS on August 20, 2024.
On November 27, 2024, the USCIS approved his I-140 petition. Once his priority date becomes current, he can then file his adjustment of status.