EB-2 NIWElectrical and electronic engineeringIndividualDecided December 2025Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
DEC182025_06B5203
Merit and national importanceNot reached / not discussedWell positionedNot metBalance favors a waiverNot reached / not discussed
Our summary
Self-petitioner, electrical engineer with Ph.D., seeks national interest waiver for EB-2 to develop computer-aided design tools for IC packaging design. Petitioner holds advanced STEM degree but failed to establish being well-positioned to advance proposed research; lacked specificity linking past work to endeavor and did not demonstrate field impact or funding generation comparable to precedent.
Official PDF
Official PDF ↗Published by USCIS. The summary is ours, in our own words; the decision text is on uscis.gov.
No criterion in the table was found met in this decision.
What was missing
- Well positioned · Electrical engineer with Ph.D. failed to demonstrate well-positioning; lacked specificity regarding how past research relates to proposed endeavor, no evidence of substantial funding generation, and lack of demonstrated field progress from publications.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Merit and national importance | Not reached / not discussed | SCOPS determined first prong not satisfied but AAO did not independently address whether endeavor in advanced IC packaging design tools has national importance; focus shifted to second prong. |
 Well positioned | Not met | Electrical engineer with Ph.D. failed to demonstrate well-positioning; lacked specificity regarding how past research relates to proposed endeavor, no evidence of substantial funding generation, and lack of demonstrated field progress from publications. |
 Balance favors a waiver | Not reached / not discussed | Not reached; decision dismissed based on failure to establish second prong, rendering further analysis unnecessary. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.