EB-2 National Interest Waiver Green Card
A green card for work that matters to America.
The National Interest Waiver lets you skip employer sponsorship and labor certification by showing your work has substantial merit and national importance. It's the most accessible self-petitioned green card, and the one most qualified professionals have never heard of.
Built for people like you.
STEM professionals
Engineers, data scientists, and technologists whose work touches critical technologies, infrastructure, or health.
Founders & entrepreneurs
Building companies with U.S. economic impact, job creation, investment, and innovation all support the national-interest argument.
Researchers & clinicians
Advanced-degree holders whose research or practice advances fields the U.S. government has called important.
Professionals without 'extraordinary' records, yet
NIW's standard is meaningfully lower than EB-1A. A strong career and an important field can be enough.
What USCIS actually looks for.
NIW cases are decided under the three-prong Dhanasar framework. You must also hold an advanced degree (or show exceptional ability). Unlike O-1 and EB-1A, this is an argument about your work's importance, not just your acclaim.
You must satisfy all 3 prongs of the Dhanasar test
Prong 1, Substantial merit & national importance
Your proposed work has substantial merit and national importance, technology, health, energy, economic development, and education all qualify when argued well.
Prong 2, Well positioned to advance it
Your education, track record, funding, and progress show you are well positioned to advance that work.
Prong 3, Waiver benefits the U.S.
On balance, it benefits the United States to waive the job-offer and labor-certification requirements in your case.
Which of these sound like you?
Tick every one you could show real evidence for. It's private, instant, and not legal advice, just a fast read on whether a EB-2 NIW case is worth a conversation.
The Silverpoint Guarantee
Approved, or your attorney fees back.*
If we accept your case and USCIS does not approve your petition, we refund 100% of the attorney fees you paid us. This is a refund promise about our fees, not a guarantee of any government decision, which rests solely with USCIS. Government filing fees and third-party costs are excluded. Read the full terms.
Why we can offer it
- We assess your case in writing before you pay us anything.
- We only take cases we believe USCIS should approve.
- RFE and NOID responses are included in every flat fee. We finish what we file.
A clear process, on a clock.
- 01 Day 0
Free strategy session
A 30-minute call where we test your background against the Dhanasar prongs and identify the strongest framing of your work's national importance.
- 02 Within 48 hours
Written eligibility assessment
Within 48 hours, a written prong-by-prong analysis and evidence plan, including whether EB-1A is also (or later) on the table.
- 03 4-7 weeks
Case building
We draft the petition, define your proposed endeavor, assemble evidence, and prepare expert letters. You review everything before filing.
- 04 45 business days
Filing & decision
We file the I-140 with premium processing for a decision within 45 business days, then guide the green-card stage.
One flat fee, quoted after your free assessment.
One flat attorney fee covering the I-140 petition with national interest waiver, RFE and NOID responses included. Adjustment of status or consular processing quoted separately. Government fees paid directly to USCIS.
Payment plans available. See how our pricing works.
- Free strategy session + written assessment before you engage us
- Senior strategist and licensed attorneys, start to finish
- RFE and NOID responses included, never an add-on
- 100% attorney-fee refund if your petition isn’t approved*
- *See full guarantee terms.
EB-2 NIW questions, answered.
Do I need a job offer or employer?
No. The entire point of the waiver is that the job-offer and labor-certification requirements are waived. You self-petition on the strength of your work.
What counts as 'national importance'?
It's broader than most people think: semiconductor engineering, AI safety, public health, clean energy, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and economically significant entrepreneurship have all supported successful cases. The framing matters as much as the field, that's our job.
NIW or EB-1A, which should I file?
NIW has the lower evidentiary bar; EB-1A has the faster queue (especially if you were born in India or China, where EB-2 is backlogged). Many clients file NIW as the reliable base case and EB-1A when their record matures. The strategy session settles this with a direct recommendation.
I was born in India or China. Is NIW still worth it?
Often yes, filing locks in your priority date, which is an asset that only appreciates. But the backlog is real, so we'll be straight with you about timelines and whether an EB-1A strategy deserves priority.
What if my petition is denied?
If we take your case and USCIS doesn't approve it, we refund 100% of our attorney fees. We only take cases we believe in, the free written assessment is where we earn that confidence.
Find out if the EB-2 NIW is your path.
Click the button below to see if you qualify to work with Silverpoint. It takes just 3 minutes.
Completing the form does not create an attorney-client relationship, and your details stay confidential.