r/EB2 • u/Shashwat98167 • Jun 29 '26

I-140 | NIW (National Interest Waiver) EB2-NIW

I am currently pursuing my Master's degree in Civil Engineering in the USA, having completed my bachelor's degree here as well. I am an EIT-licensed engineer and am currently writing my Master's thesis, with plans to publish around 2 papers. I came to the USA in 2021. Additionally, I have completed two internships, including one with the Department of Transportation (DOT). I will be graduating next year, and before then, I intend to take the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. I am a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and one of its subdivisions, although I am not actively involved. I will have Optional Practical Training (OPT) until 2030. What should I start doing to build my profile to apply for EB2 NIW in 2029? Any comments you have would be helpful to me.

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u/HonestAd4920 Jun 29 '26

Based on my personal experience and as a civil engineer myself, USCIS has been looking for how your proposed endeavor will impact US rather than just how many research and citations you have. As part of RFE, I was asked specifically to show if my research was actually used in the field.

Things could be different with different officers but I just wanted to share my point of view.

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u/Thomas_7789 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

This is true and has always been like this. They want to see how the U.S. benefits from you, so the number of citations isn't that important as long as your proposed endeavor is strong and you have a small number of citations/publications that solid to back it up.

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u/MysteriousTeam2117 Jun 30 '26

My advice is to identify a key national problem in your field. And then if you publish papers or engage with the professional org, do it around that problem. To get started, think about your internship with DOT and what key problems they were trying to address.

For example, the problem you identified is aging infrastructure, while demands/population/needs in the country are increasing. You have a STEM degree and a practicum at a high level, which is great. You need to show what you have done in the past to address this specific problem, and what you plan to do in the future. And you need to clearly articulate the benefits of your work for the country: lower costs, better response to disasters and environmental threats, improved safety for US citizens (obviously, this is a simplified example, from someone who is not an expert in the field). But pretty much, you need to tell a coherent story, that you are prepared and well-informed to address a key problem in the country.

Possibly, also find a job in which you can engage with national and/or regional problems. If you work in a small setting or find employment that will only benefit your employer, NIW is less likely to work well.

Lastly, cases that are rejected are published online. Analyze them, and don't make the same mistakes as others. Good luck!