VISA2US Blog

Since the program was implemented by the US Congress in 1990, the EB-2 National Interest Waiver visa has consistently remained one of the most sought-after but challenging ways for foreign nationals to enter the country. This document is solely for those with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities who can demonstrate that giving them the waiver in exchange for their abilities and knowledge would be in the “national interest” of the US. What qualifies as “of interest” to the country doesn’t always stay the same, though, and with so many changes on the horizon, the trends and predictions of the future of National Interest Waivers are possibly changing, as we’ll discuss here.

October is a big deal for the government, particularly in the immigration sector. October 1 is the start of the new fiscal year, and a new round of H-1B workers have begun the jobs they worked so hard to obtain. But October is also when the Diversity Visa (Green Card) lottery opens. This year, the window started on October 4. What is this lottery, and could it help you? Keep reading to find out.

As a highly skilled professional wishing to work in the US and obtain a green card, you have various options available to you. While most people use the general route of an H-1B visa, there are limitations to this that may not be suitable for you. When you have an advanced degree or an exceptional ability in your field, an EB-2 National Interest Waiver can let you skip the strict requirements of a job offer and other hurdles involved in those visa petitions and propel you to the front line for a green card. We’ll explain how this works in this short blog.

National Interest Waivers are an ideal way for individuals to skip the job sponsor requirement of a foreign work visa. However, qualifying for these coveted documents can be challenging as you must meet rigorous criteria.

In early 2022, news hit the aviation world that foreign pilots could qualify for the United States National Interest Waivers. That information prompted hundreds of thousands of commercial pilots to petition for waivers, spending large amounts of money on legal fees and hoping their time and financial expenses would pay off. But many of these cases were rejected. What’s the truth behind NIW visas and commercial pilots? We explain the difference between successful and rejected petitions here.

Foreign nationals who plan to head to the United States for employment can do so if they receive a job offer from an approved business. The initial steps include filing evidence of eligibility that they qualify for an employment-based preference petition via a PERM labor certification, an exemption of the labor certification as a National Interest Waiver (NIW) beneficiary, or a Schedule A. We’ll explain the difference in these forms and when they apply in this blog.

The EB-2 visa is part of a category of work-based documents offered to eligible foreign nationals with a valid job offer from a US employer. Underneath the EB-2 heading is the National Interest Waiver. Unlike the basic EB-2, the NIW doesn’t require a job offer for the individual to receive the visa. They must have an advanced degree or exceptional ability in their field and be involved in work or research that is of national interest to the US. What does that mean in 2023? Read on to find out.

Foreign nationals with the right skills and experience are often in demand in other countries. If you have the talent and education, you can take a job anywhere in the world as long as you and your potential employer meet the requirements set by the government. In the United States, the first essential step is to ensure your potential employer is offering you a legitimate job and they are eligible to sponsor your H-1B visa. Before you get excited about a job offer and invest time and resources into the new position, read this short blog to see how you can find out if your potential employer is allowed to extend the offer to you as your sponsor.

The National Interest Waiver program benefits those wishing to enter the United States without a sponsored job offer. Once there, they can take the Green Card path to permanent residency — provided it’s in the nation’s best interest to approve this waiver. However, recent changes make this challenging process a little more accessible to certain categories of people. What are these adaptations, and will they benefit you? Read on to find out.

The demand for US Citizenship and Immigration Services to deplete its backlog of applications has reached the ears of the government, and a solution may be at hand. Recently, USCIS began staffing a new virtual service center where humanitarian immigration applications will be processed. These applications include visas for individuals and families of domestic violence and crimes, and removing them from the general caseload will speed up urgent applications and reduce wait time for others.