Weekly immigration insights and plain-language updates to make the system clearer, simpler, and easier to navigate.

Today’s memo is brought to you by Ana Gabriela Urizar, an immigration lawyer with almost a decade of experience and over 15,000 cases filed.

For many professionals, the EB-2 National Interest Waiver offers something rare: the ability to move towards a Green Card without waiting on an employer. The NIW allows you to self-petition and waive the employer sponsorship and PERM requirements by showing that your work serves the national interest of the United States.

That phrase can feel vague at first. Serving the “national interest” doesn’t mean solving a once-in-a-generation problem or working in government. What USCIS is really asking is whether your work creates value that extends beyond a single company and contributes to broader economic, technological, or societal priorities.

One useful way to think about it is impact at the field or system level, rather than just individual job performance. Strong NIW cases often show how work can be applied, scaled, or relied on across an industry. For example, your work might:

The range of qualifying work is broader than many people expect. You could be a transplant surgeon improving patient outcomes nationwide, or a tech founder building more efficient data centers. 

Want to explore if your work is in the “national interest” of the U.S.? Sign up for our live NIW webinar on Thursday, Jan. 29, with immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar. She’ll break down how USCIS applies the NIW criteria and help you assess whether your background aligns with what officers are actually looking for.

Today’s memo is brought to you by Evan Law, a senior U.S. immigration lawyer with over 17 years of experience, including seven as an appeals officer at the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office.

When an EB-1 or EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition doesn’t succeed, it’s not always because the petitioner is unqualified to meet the EB-1 criteria or to advance the proposed endeavor in the NIW context. It might be because the evidence feels thin, rushed, or out of context.

For high-evidence categories, like EB-1A, for example, where the standard is “sustained national or international acclaim,” it’s not enough to check the boxes of eligibility criteria. You need to tell your story of sustained recognition and expertise with sufficient supporting documentation.

Immigration officers are trained to look beyond surface-level evidence. They have to determine whether the evidence in a petition reflects true achievements. It may raise questions if you submit evidence that was built over a short period of time.

This isn’t just an EB-1A extraordinary ability issue. The same dynamic shows up in other Green Card pathways with a high bar for eligibility. For example, EB-1B petitions for outstanding professors and researchers and EB-2 NIW petitions requiring evidence that the petitioner is well-positioned to advance a proposed endeavor of national importance (both for those with an advanced degree and those who must demonstrate exceptional ability).

One of the most useful ways to think about this process is through two complementary approaches: collecting evidence of past achievements and securing new achievements.

Both strategies can strengthen a case that requires evidence of outstanding abilities or achievements, but they serve different purposes. When combined, they create the kind of authentic, well-rounded petition that USCIS looks for. 

To learn more about these two approaches and how you can avoid common pitfalls, check out my full deep dive on the topic below.

Join Immigration Attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar on January 29 at 1 p.m. EST for a deep dive into National Interest. Learn what it means and how to know if you’re qualified for an EB-2 NIW.

If you’re an innovator in your field, you’re probably always on the lookout for new opportunities to connect with others or get the word out about your work. This week, we’re highlighting two opportunities that could be right for you.

Remember that awards, competitions, recognition, or conference planning could be used as evidence of your expertise. EB-1 and EB-2 visas both require proof of acclaim, impact, or excellence in your field. 

Help Organize an AI Conference, NeurIPS 2026

NeurIPS, the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, is one of the largest events for AI and machine learning, and it brings thousands of engineers, researchers, and academics together from all over the world. The conference is looking for experts to join their team of organizers planning the 2026 conference and the deadline to submit your application is January 28!

This is one of the premier conferences in the in-demand field of AI. Industry leaders from Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta sit on the NeurIPS board, so working on this conference is an opportunity to show your expertise in this very competitive area.

Pitch your Startup in Madrid at South Summit

South Summit is looking for the most disruptive startups to feature in its competition in Madrid this year. One hundred startups will be selected to pitch to a jury of corporations and investors. Applicants can be from any country and must submit their application by February 15th to be considered.

Thousands of startups enter this competition each year, and only 100 finalists are chosen. Being a finalist demonstrates outstanding or exceptional abilities in your area of expertise.

Peer recognition through conferences such as NeurIPS or South Summit can be strong evidence for an immigration petition. Awards received or press coverage of events are also valuable additions to a petition package. Manifest Law’s evidence support coaching can help clients who have the right profile and need guidance in specific experiences.