CASE: I-140 / National Interest Waiver
CLIENT: Korean
LOCATION: Covington, WA
Our client contacted us about the possibility of pursuing a National Interest Waiver (NIW) self-petition. She is working as an engineer in Seattle, WA, and holds a Master’s Degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from a U.S. university. She is an exceptional researcher and engineer in the field of water quality analysis and modeling.
Upon review of her credentials and qualifications, our office determined that she was definitely qualified for the National Interest Waiver category. We concluded that our client’s research is of substantial merit and her field is of national importance and beneficial, given the significance of clean water quality for the public.
Our office prepared a 21-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained five letters of recommendation from her colleagues and managers at state water bureaus. We included records of her publications, work experience, presentations, and conference materials in the NIW application. We demonstrated that our client is one of the few engineers who have made significant contributions to her field of endeavor, and it would be beneficial to the United States to waive the requirements of a job offer and, thus, a labor certification for our client. We also argued that her exceptional ability to conduct water quality analyses and modeling is highly valued, as it will provide crucial support for a wide range of research-based projects being implemented across the drinking water industry.
Our office filed her I-140 petition with the USCIS Nebraska Service Center on May 1, 2023. On September 30, 2024, USCIS approved her I-140 petition. Once the I-140 was approved, our client retained our office again for her I-485 application. Her visa number became available in October 2024. Our office filed an I-485 application for our client on October 23, 2024. On April 19, 2025, USCIS approved our client and her husband’s adjustment of status.