500+
successful client cases
EB-2 NIW
for Scientists
for Scientists
I help researchers and holders of Candidate of Sciences and Doctor of Sciences degrees obtain a green card through the National Interest Waiver. No affiliation with a specific university, no lottery, and no PERM labor certification required. A self-petitioned I-140 under the Matter of Dhanasar framework.
Full-cycle support for scientists — from profile evaluation to receipt of the physical green card: formulating a proposed endeavor around your field of research; developing arguments under the three Dhanasar prongs; establishing an advanced degree; documenting articles indexed by Scopus and Web of Science, citations, and grants; preparing recommendation letters; and completing the I-140 petition on a turnkey basis.
Comprehensive support at every stage of EB-2 NIW
NIW Strategy & National Interest Argument
I formulate the proposed endeavor around your research topic and its importance to the United States. Media coverage in Forbes, TASS, and more than 50 international publications, articles in journals indexed by Scopus and Web of Science, and evidence of the impact of your work through citations. Every publication comes with a lifetime placement guarantee.
I-140 Petition Preparation
I prepare the EB-2 NIW I-140 petition, draft five to seven recommendation letters from professors and recognized researchers, and assemble a complete USCIS evidence package. I analyze your publications, h-index, citations, and grants and develop arguments for each Dhanasar prong.
Document Translation & Case Management
I translate all documents into English for USCIS with a certified translator statement. I manage a working chat, provide weekly updates, answer questions, and support you until your physical green card arrives by mail — through consular processing or Adjustment of Status.
I only work with those who have real chances. I assess the profile honestly, build the strategy on strong criteria, and see every case through to approval.
An attorney practice built on results — every case succeeds
500+
Clients who received
an EB-2 NIW green card
an EB-2 NIW green card
13+
Years in immigration law
95%
Average I-140 EB-2 NIW approval rate
Lifetime guarantee on publications
An attorney trusted with your U.S. journey
Expert with Academic Status
PhD, professor, immigration attorney. I know immigration law from the inside and build NIW cases under Matter of Dhanasar standards that persuade USCIS officers.
Evidence package for every prong
National-interest argument, proof that you are well positioned to advance the endeavor, and the balance of U.S. interests. Media publications, scholarly articles, awards, and recommendation letters — documents aligned with Dhanasar requirements.
Support until you receive the card
I do not stop after the I-140 filing — I guide clients through DS-260 or I-485 until the physical green card is delivered by mail. Transparency at every stage.
Favorable terms for every client
Popular Package
Lifetime Guarantee
We cover the 3 Dhanasar prongs and 6 EB-2 NIW criteria
For EB-2 NIW, you must prove both: (1) eligibility for the EB-2 category (an advanced degree or 3 of 6 exceptional ability criteria) and (2) the three national-interest prongs under Matter of Dhanasar (2016).
01
Substantial Merit and National Importance
Evidence that your field of research has national importance for the United States in areas such as biotechnology, medicine, energy, climate, materials science, and artificial intelligence. I connect your research topic with the priorities of federal programs and agencies and formulate the proposed endeavor under the Dhanasar standards.
02
Well Positioned to Advance the Endeavor
This is a central prong for scientists. Supporting evidence may include publications, citations, h-index, grants, peer-review activity, presentations at international conferences, invitations from U.S. laboratories, and recommendation letters from independent experts.
03
Balance of U.S. Interests
Arguments explaining why waiving PERM would benefit the United States, including the uniqueness of your specialization, the difficulty of replacing a researcher with your expertise through the general labor market, and the need to accelerate scientific results. I demonstrate that your contribution exceeds ordinary labor-market interests.
04
Education or Exceptional Ability
For scientists, the advanced-degree path is almost always used and may be established through a PhD, Candidate of Sciences degree, or master’s degree. The alternative is the exceptional-ability path, which requires satisfaction of at least three of the six applicable criteria. I arrange an evaluation of your foreign diploma under U.S. educational standards.
05
Scholarly Publications
A key form of evidence for scientists: articles in journals indexed by Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CrossRef, including journals recognized by the Higher Attestation Commission. Citations directly strengthen Prong 2. Both Russian and international publications may be used. Publication timelines range from approximately two weeks to three months.
06
Media Publications About You
Coverage of your research in leading national and international publications, including Forbes Russia, TASS with an audience of 21 million, RBC, Izvestia, International Business Times, TheStreet, and more than 25 additional platforms. This evidence demonstrates that your work has extended beyond the academic community and provides a strong argument for its national importance.
07
Awards and Recognition
National and international scientific awards, grants, and research competitions, as well as invitations to serve as a peer reviewer or member of an expert council. This evidence strengthens the well-positioned argument under Prong 2.
08
Recommendation Letters
A package of five to seven letters from professors and recognized researchers. Independent letters from experts with no affiliation to you are particularly important in NIW cases. Dependent letters may come from academic supervisors and co-authors. Each letter is structured to support the relevant Dhanasar prongs.
Cases & Reviews
Real results, confirmed proof
“The I-140 NIW petition was approved in 5 months with no RFE. I sponsored myself, with no PERM and no employer. I am now going through DS-260 consular processing in Warsaw.”
Maxim Lebedev — Senior Software Engineer, Moscow → Austin
“I filed through the exceptional ability path — I had a Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience. Sergey built the argument across all three prongs. My EB-2 NIW green card arrived 11 months after filing.”
Roman Zakharov — Founder & CEO, Russia → Miami
“We filed EB-1A and EB-2 NIW in parallel. NIW was approved first — I had already received my green card while EB-1A was still being processed. Premium Processing for NIW saved about six months.”
Nikita Pavlov — Technology Expert, Russia → Los Angeles
“Professional, reliable, and knows every step of the process. Sergey built the evidence package so thoroughly that the USCIS officer found no grounds for refusal.”
Confidential Client - Engineering Manager, Russia → USA
There is no fixed threshold. USCIS evaluates the totality of the evidence under all three Dhanasar prongs. Citations are important in NIW cases as evidence under Prong 2 — the well-positioned requirement. However, even a moderate h-index may be supplemented by grants, peer-review activity, letters from independent experts, and media publications. I will review your profile and explain honestly which evidence still needs to be strengthened.
No. EB-2 NIW is a self-petition. You do not need an employer, and you do not need PERM labor certification. You file Form I-140 in your own name. This is the key advantage of NIW compared with regular EB-2, where an employer and PERM are required.
NIW is a waiver of the standard EB-2 requirements: a job offer from an employer and PERM labor certification. Matter of Dhanasar (AAO, 2016) is the precedent decision that established the current three-prong test: (1) the endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, (2) you are well positioned to advance it, and (3) on balance, it benefits the United States to waive the employer requirement. All current NIW petitions are evaluated under this standard.
There are two paths: (A) Advanced Degree path — Master’s degree, PhD, or Bachelor’s degree + 5 years of progressive experience in the specialty. (B) Exceptional Ability path — evidence of exceptional ability under 3 of 6 USCIS criteria (degree, 10+ years of experience, license, high salary, membership, recognition). We choose the best path for your profile during the consultation.
If your profile is already complete, preparation and filing take 1–1.5 months. If the evidence package needs to be strengthened (PR package + prong argumentation), the timeline is 2–3 months. After filing, USCIS usually reviews I-140 NIW petitions in 6–12 months, or in 45 days with Premium Processing (available since 2022).
Yes. Parallel filing is a common strategy. EB-2 NIW + EB-1A means two I-140 petitions for the same person, reviewed independently; you proceed to the green card through whichever is approved first. EB-2 NIW + O-1 means O-1 can provide a faster way to enter the United States, while NIW supports the long-term green card strategy, often through Adjustment of Status from O-1.
Book a Consultation
Leave your contact details — I will get back to you within a few hours, evaluate your profile, and honestly assess your chances of EB-2 NIW approval.
Address & Working Hours
Moscow,
Maly Palashevsky Lane,
3, Bldg. 1, Structure 4
(Russia office)
Maly Palashevsky Lane,
3, Bldg. 1, Structure 4
(Russia office)
Mon–Fri: 9:00-19:00
Saturday: 10:00-16:00
Saturday: 10:00-16:00
Phone
+7 (495) 085-00-00 (office in Russia)
© 2026 Immigration Attorney · PhD · Professor
Book a Consultation
Fill in the form — I'll contact you within a few hours to discuss the details and assess your profile.