Case Summary:

An expert in the field of environmental science, our client hailing from Libya, wanted our help in filing an NIW petition on her behalf. Following our set pattern, we did a background check followed by the retainer agreement signing. Then followed our standard case preparation phase which required us to collect any and all relevant data on her academic and professional career.

Given that her proposed endeavor was to continue her research on evaluating the impact of agricultural management systems on soil-carbon dynamics in order to develop strategies for improving agro-ecosystems and environmental quality related to soil processes, helped us let the USCIS know how important her work was for the United States of America.

It was clearly for this reason that she was able to collect 4 letters of recommendation, one of which was from an independent source, who knew her only through her work. A few excerpts from these letters are quoted below, which illustrate the value of her work to our country:

“[Client’s] work elucidates the environmental benefits of integrated crop-livestock management methods, helping to promote their wider use. Given that agriculture contributes as much as 17 percent of overall greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions from soils, establishing more sustainable agricultural practices is a key component in the effort to curb emissions and combat climate change. In light of the economic and environmental benefits offered by such methods, [client’s] work is clearly inherently valuable.”

“[Client’s] studies present valuable evidence that crop residue and cover crop management, as well as perennial legume intercropping, are powerful tools to accomplish the USDA’s goals. Since her work directly aids the efforts of the USDA to ensure the sustainability of U.S. agriculture, [client] is clearly well-positioned to continue advancing the interests of the United States in the near future.”

“Through her research, [client] has demonstrated the effectiveness of ICL systems for enhancing the environmental sustainability of agriculture in the Great Plains region. In consideration of the positive economic and environmental benefits of integrated crop-livestock systems to agriculture, it is clear that [client] has advanced the interests of the United States in a substantial way.”

In addition, her proposed endeavor has broad implications for the United States, focusing on the relationship between agricultural practices and surrounding ecosystems in order to foster more efficient and resilient strategies for food production. According to the Food Research & Action Center, food insecurity is associated with chronic diseases such as stroke, asthma, and arthritis. Thus it does not surprise us to know that her work has resulted in 11 peer-reviewed journal articles (6 of them first-authored). Not only this, but her work has also gone on to influence her peers, that is it has been cited a total of 44 times according to Google Scholar.

Furthermore, her study has received funding from the Agriculture Experiment Station of South Dakota State University in collaboration with the North Central Regional Sun Grant Initiative. Her study has also been supported by funding from the United States Department of Agriculture. This above all else showed how valuable an asset she is for the field and the country, which is truly what the NIW (National Interest Waiver) category visa demands.

We are glad to have been of aid to her on this journey and would also like to thank her for choosing our firm to represent her case.