EB-2 NIW — a Green Card for professionals without an employer
Get a Green Card through the National Interest Waiver program — no sponsor required, based on your professional achievements and the value your work brings to the US.
No employer sponsor
You file the petition yourself — no dependence on a company and no losing status when you change jobs.
95% approval rate
Licensed US attorneys build a 200–1,500 page case file. Every argument is backed by evidence.
Money-back guarantee in the contract
Approval or your money back. The terms are written into the contract, and the price is fixed — no extra charges.
Through national interest
We prove the value of your work to the US — no job offer and no PERM required.
What EB-2 NIW gives you and why it is one of the best paths to the US
EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) is an immigrant category that lets you obtain a Green Card based on your qualifications and the value you bring to the US economy. The key difference — you need no employer sponsor and no Labor Certification (PERM). You file the petition on your own behalf and get a Green Card for your whole family at once: your spouse and children under 21.
- You hold a master's degree or higher, or a bachelor's plus 5 years of experience in your field.
- You don't want to depend on an employer or a job offer — you file on your own.
- Your work brings value to the US economy, science, or technology.
- You are ready to prove the merit of your work (the Dhanasar test).
- You want a Green Card right away, skipping PERM (8–14 months).
- You are confident in your extraordinary achievements — 3 of the 10 strict USCIS criteria.
- You want faster processing (no per-country backlog).
- You hold national or international awards and enjoy broad recognition.
- You have a large pool of publications, patents, and citations.
- You are ready for a stronger evidence portfolio and a higher bar.
We help professionals from many fields around the world move to the US legally
Do you have a university degree and significant professional achievements? Find out which visa type is right for you.
Don't see your profession here? We work with professionals from many different fields.
Check if I qualifyThree Dhanasar prongs + the EB-2 qualification — what you need to prove
- 01
Advanced degree (master's+) or bachelor's + 5 years of experience
The baseline EB-2 requirement: a master's degree or its equivalent (a bachelor's plus 5 years of progressive experience in your field). Non-US degrees are assessed through a credential evaluation.
- 02
Exceptional ability (the alternative path)
If you don't have a master's, you can prove exceptional ability instead: 3 of the 6 USCIS criteria (a degree, 10+ years of experience, a license, a high salary, membership in associations, recognition in your industry).
- 03
Prong 1: Substantial merit for the US
Your work benefits the US economy, science, technology, education, or healthcare. Significance within your specific field is enough — it does not have to be national in scale.
- 04
Prong 2: You are well positioned to advance the work
Education (master's+), experience, publications, patents, letters of recommendation, a history of success. A track record showing that you are the person who will deliver this value.
- 05
Prong 3: Waiving PERM is in the US interest
The attorney argues why tying you to an employer and a Labor Certification would limit the value you bring to the country. This is a legal argument written individually for each case.
- 06
Evidence portfolio: what counts
Peer-reviewed publications, patents, awards, a high salary, letters of recommendation from independent experts, citations, membership in associations, grants, speaking engagements.
Not sure you qualify for EB-2 NIW?
An attorney will review your profile against the three Dhanasar prongs — for free. You will learn what is already strong, what needs strengthening, and how long preparation will take.
How to get a US visa in 7 steps — no chaos, no hunting down a dozen specialists
Free visa assessment
You fill out a questionnaire, and our specialists analyze your case in detail to assess your real chances of approval. At this stage you already see which path is the most promising for you. We then contact you to schedule an online meeting at a time that suits you.
Take the first step — get a free expert consultation and an eligibility checklist
Get startedThe average time to get EB-2 NIW is 6–24 months, depending on the processing option and the Green Card queue.
| Stage | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Profile assessment and contract | 1–2 days |
| Building the evidence portfolio | 2–4 months |
| Preparing the I-140 petition | 1–2 months |
| USCIS processing | 12–18 months / 45 days (Premium) |
| AOS or consular processing | 1–12 months |
The longest stage is building the evidence portfolio. The pace depends on how quickly you provide publications, letters of recommendation, and proof of income. Premium Processing for the I-140 cuts the USCIS part to 45 days.
At Migrator, every case goes through three rounds of document review by specialists at different levels — the final word and the filing always belong to a licensed US attorney.
95% approval rate for our attorneys — with a money-back guarantee in your contract
Every EB-2 NIW case is handled by a licensed US attorney. The company takes on the financial risk — it is written into the contract.
* The 95% approval rate is an approximate figure based on approved cases across different time periods and visa categories.
Licensed US attorneys
Every case is handled by a licensed US attorney or accredited representative specializing in immigration law. Hundreds of approved EB-2 NIW petitions.
Money-back guarantee in the contract
Approval or a full refund — the terms are written into the contract. Migrator takes on the financial risk — this is not a marketing gimmick.
Fixed price
The price is set before the contract is signed. RFE responses, additional consultations, case adjustments — all included. Government fees are not included.
Available 24/7
In your personal chat: department head, supervisor, paralegal, case manager, and an AI bot. Weekly progress updates.
Three rounds of document review
The coordinator checks completeness, the attorney checks legal strength, the senior partner checks case strategy. Your petition passes three filters before it reaches USCIS.
Support after approval
We help with AOS, consular processing, and settling in: choosing a state, banking, taxes, housing. We stay in touch after you get your Green Card.
Start your EB-2 NIW journey today — later it only gets harder and more expensive
Requirements keep tightening
US immigration policy is changing. The Dhanasar standards that pass today may be read more strictly a year from now. Cases approved in 2024 already require a stronger evidence portfolio in 2026.
Processing times are growing
Standard I-140 processing keeps getting longer. What used to take 8 months can now take 12–18. The sooner you file, the sooner you get a result — and your Green Card.
Achievements lose relevance
A 2022 publication carries more weight than the same publication in 2028. Citations take years to accumulate. The fresher and more active your track record, the stronger your prong 2 case.
The window for your family is closing
Children adapt more easily at 5 than at 12. It is easier for a spouse to start a career at 35 than at 45. Every year of waiting is a year your family could have spent in the US with a Green Card.
Submit a request and get a free visa assessment
Fill out the form — a licensed attorney will contact you within 15 minutes with a free assessment of your case.
Not sure you’d qualify? See real client cases — with USCIS approval letters.
View case studies