Success Stories: NIW Petition Approved in 3.5 Months for a Doctoral Student/Research Assistant from Iran in the Field of Materials Engineering

Client’s Testimonial:

“Thanks for letting me know about approval of I-140 petition. I do appreciate your support.”

On February 24^th, 2017, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Doctoral Candidate in the Field of Materials Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Materials Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Ph.D. Candidate & Research Assistant

Country of Origin: Iran

Service Center: Texas Service Center (TSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Texas

Approval Notice Date: February 24^th, 2017

Processing Time: 3 months, 16 days

Case Summary:

The USCIS undoubtedly saw merit in retaining an Iranian doctoral candidate in the US as his EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) petition was approved in merely 3 months and 16 days (4-9 months is the normal adjudication period). The speedy approval of this case highlights not just the strength of our client’s credentials, but the efficiency of North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG). Some interesting particulars of this case included:

Our client holds a master’s degree in physics and is pursuing his doctoral studies in materials engineering. He has an extensive background in physics and metallurgy and has made substantial contributions to the field of materials engineering. Our client’s research has mostly focused on the fabrication and characterization of thin films and high temperature superconductors (HTS). His contributions are significant in addressing the constant demand for high performance electronics in the United States. Furthermore, his research efforts in developing better fabrication techniques contribute to the United States’ abilities in superconducting magnetic energy storage. We proved that our client’s work directly impacts the communication and information technology sectors as well as the consumer electronics industries in the United States.
Our client had already published 11 peer-reviewed journal articles, including 5 first-authored articles. Additionally, he had to his credit 4 conference abstracts. Collectively, his published work had obtained 104 citations at the time of filing.
Apart from highlighting his credentials in the NIW dossier, we also urged our client to collect several letters of recommendation to further strengthen his case. The words contributed by one of his recommenders—an assistant professor—are worth mentioning here: “[Client] is conducting novel scientific and engineering research that is beneficial to both academic and industry-based communities. Few others in the field possess similar skillsets and level of prior contributions, making [Client] a distinctively valuable individual in materials engineering research”. The 5 recommendation letters volunteered by illustrious experts undoubtedly fortified our client’s case to a great extent.

We compiled all the relevant information and drafted a well-planned petition for our client. Not long after our client’s NIW petition was granted approval, we filed an I-485 application on his behalf. Once this is approved, our client will obtain American permanent residency. We join him as he awaits a decision from the USCIS, and in the meantime, we wish him well as he continues to conduct groundbreaking research.

North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

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With more than 47,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

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With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

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For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to over 47,000 in 2023.