Case Summary:

Our client, a postdoctoral researcher based in Iowa, contacted North America Immigration Law Group to file an I-140 NIW (National Interest Waiver) petition on his behalf.

We noted that his credentials included the 58 citations gathered from the 17 peer-reviewed journal articles (6 of them first-authored) and 4 books (3 of them first-authored) he published in some of the top journals in the field of conservation science. Therefore, we were intrigued with his academic and research interests, and we decided to help him prepare a customized petition packet including all the required information to persuade USCIS to grant our client the NIW petition approval.

Most importantly, we detailed his research brief, which focuses on integrating theories from social and natural sciences and using large datasets and fieldwork with complex modeling approaches to produce comprehensive research on environmental sustainability to solve conservation issues. We also noted that his research is relevant to protecting nature and improving forest and agricultural sustainability, as well as assisting policymakers in making informed decisions on conservation issues, including elucidating the relationship between deforestation, ecosystem services, and human well-being.

In further evidence of his acknowledged expertise in the field, we observed that he is also active in the scientific community as a peer reviewer for highly acclaimed journals, and he has already conducted at least 13 reviews for the most remarkable journals in the field. Also, only the foremost experts in their field are encouraged to complete this important review work, hence our client’s participation in this review activity demonstrates his great position in the field.

Moreover, his research has been supported by funding from leading agencies, proving the recognized value and importance of his work. This funding includes grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Daniel Boone National Forest, part of the USDA’s Forest Service. These grants are reserved for research directly addressing critical problems in conservation science and the larger society. The backing of these agencies, which seek to promote the economic and environmental welfare of the United States, confirms the significance of his intended project here in the United States.

Besides, we added 5 recommendation letters obtained by our client from his fellow researchers, confirming that his research is important to combating climate change and applies to many countries, including the United States. Because of the reach of his research and its positive benefit to helping the United States combat climate change, it is crucial that he be able to continue his research efforts. One such excerpt from one of the letters:

“[Client]is one of the first researchers to extensively study the phenomenon of deforestation in developed countries, particularly the United States… His research uniquely contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the overall sustainability of conserved lands and agroecosystems by assessing ecosystem services of timber plantations, deforested lands planted in berry-producing shrubs, natural forests, and introduced exotic vegetation. The understanding of land-use change dynamics allows for informed policymaking across multifunctional landscapes that affect our nation’s private and governmental landholdings. These significant impacts of his research on the fields of agriculture and conservation science demonstrate the importance of his continuing his work in the United States.”

We are delighted since we have been able to prove to the USCIS that climate change and deforestation are some of the most pressing environmental and national security threats facing the nation today, it is vital that our client be able to continue this research in the United States. Without any further request for evidence, he achieved the EB-2 NIW petition approval within 8 months. We gladly congratulate him on this milestone and wish him well in his future endeavors.