EB-2 NIWCivil and environmental engineeringIndividualDecided March 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
MAR032026_02B5203
Merit and national importanceNot metWell positionedNot reached / not discussedBalance favors a waiverNot reached / not discussed
Our summary
Ph.D. civil engineering student sought EB-2 with national interest waiver for railway safety and cybersecurity work. AAO dismissed, finding the proposed endeavor insufficiently defined through multiple inconsistent characterizations; petitioner's actual employment plans contradicted stated endeavor, preventing assessment of national importance.
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
- Merit and national importance · Proposed endeavor unclear and inconsistently described; petitioner presented competing implementation pathways making prospective impact indeterminable.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Merit and national importance | Not met | Proposed endeavor unclear and inconsistently described; petitioner presented competing implementation pathways making prospective impact indeterminable. |
 Well positioned | Not reached / not discussed | Not reached because first prong failed; decision reserved judgment on remaining prongs. |
 Balance favors a waiver | Not reached / not discussed | Not reached because first prong failed; decision reserved judgment on remaining prongs. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.