Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
Quick Answer
What is an EB-2 National Interest Waiver?
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) lets a person self-petition for an employment-based green card without a job offer or PERM labor certification, by showing that their proposed work is in the national interest. It is filed on Form I-140. Clear Path prepares the forms and the exhibit packet; the petition letter that argues the case comes from you or your immigration attorney.
The three prongs USCIS applies
USCIS evaluates national interest waiver requests using the framework from Matter of Dhanasar, described in the USCIS Policy Manual. Your evidence has to speak to all three:
- 1
Substantial merit and national importance
The proposed endeavor itself — not just your field — must have substantial merit and importance that reaches beyond a single employer or local area.
- 2
Well positioned to advance it
Your education, record of success, skills, plan, and interest from others show you are the person likely to move that endeavor forward.
- 3
On balance, beneficial to waive the requirements
It benefits the United States to waive the job offer and labor certification, considering things like impracticality of a labor certification and the urgency of your contributions.
Whether your situation meets that standard is a legal judgment. We do not make it, and nobody can promise an approval.
What we prepare
USCIS form preparation
Form I-140 completed from the information you provide, plus Form I-907 if you are requesting premium processing, and Form ETA-9089 confirmation that labor certification is being waived.
Organized exhibit packet
Your evidence assembled into a clean, numbered exhibit set with a table of contents and exhibit index so the officer can find every document referenced in your petition letter.
Recommendation letter formatting
Letters you and your recommenders write are formatted consistently, checked for signature, date, letterhead, and contact details, and indexed as exhibits. We do not write the letters for you.
Translation and certification checklist
A list of which documents need a certified English translation and what the translator certification has to say, so nothing gets rejected on a technicality.
Filing instructions
Where the packet goes, what the current fees are, how to assemble and ship it, what a receipt notice looks like, and how to track your case.
One correction round
After you review the draft packet, we make one round of corrections before you file.
What we do not do
- Writing your petition letter or the legal argument that you meet the three prongs
- Deciding whether you qualify for a national interest waiver
- Legal strategy, eligibility opinions, or advice about your immigration history
- Representing you before USCIS — we are not attorneys and not BIA-accredited representatives
- Responding to a Request for Evidence with legal argument
- Any promise or prediction about approval
How it works
1. Tell us about your filing
Send the intake form. We look at what you already have — draft petition letter, CV, publications, letters, degree evaluations — and what is still missing.
2. Written quote
We review the matter and send a flat quote and turnaround time. Nothing is purchased online and no work starts until you approve it.
3. Packet build
Forms completed, exhibits numbered and indexed, letters formatted, translations flagged. You get a draft to review.
4. Corrections and filing instructions
One correction round, then a final packet with assembly, fee, and mailing instructions. You sign and file — the petition stays yours.
When you should talk to an immigration attorney first
Some situations need legal judgment before any paperwork is worth preparing. If any of these apply, speak with a licensed immigration attorney — and we are happy to prepare the packet afterward alongside them.
- You have a prior visa denial, overstay, removal proceeding, or misrepresentation finding
- You are unsure whether your work meets the national-importance standard
- You received an RFE or a Notice of Intent to Deny
- Your status is about to lapse or your timing depends on maintaining status
- You want someone to write and sign the petition letter
Current USCIS fees and timing
USCIS sets these amounts independently of our preparation fee, and they change. Confirm them on uscis.gov before you file; we include the current figures in your filing instructions.
Form I-140 filing fee
$715 by mail / $665 online
Asylum Program Fee (self-petitioner)
$300
Premium processing (Form I-907)
$2,965 as of March 1, 2026
Premium processing window (I-140)
45 business days
An approved I-140 is not a green card. Whether you can file Form I-485 (or consular process) depends on your priority date and country of birth in the monthly Visa Bulletin.
- Flat quote after we review your materials
- Most packets in 7–10 business days
- USCIS-style exhibit index and tabs
- Step-by-step filing instructions
EB-2 NIW questions, answered
EB-2 NIW — resumen en español
Preparamos los formularios del I-140 para la exención por interés nacional (EB-2 NIW) junto con el paquete de evidencia: exhibientes numerados con índice, formato para las cartas de recomendación, lista de traducciones certificadas e instrucciones para presentar. Usted o su abogado de inmigración proveen la carta de petición. Trabajamos a distancia en todo Estados Unidos y revisamos su caso antes de dar un precio por escrito. No somos abogados ni notarios y no damos asesoría legal. Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al (833) 777-3453.
Ready to get your packet organized?
Send us what you have. We review every matter before quoting, so you will get a written price and timeline — never a checkout page.
Important: Clear Path Document Services is a document preparation and filing-assistance service — not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice, attorney representation, or create attorney-client relationships. All documents are prepared based on information you provide for educational and administrative purposes.Read full disclaimer.