EB-2 NIWGreen Card through the National Interest Waiver
For highly qualified professionals whose work advances the interests of the United States. The EB-2 NIW allows the applicant to petition for a Green Card without an employer sponsor or a job offer, offering a strategic path for researchers, physicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, executives and other specialists with a distinguished record.
What the EB-2 NIW is
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver is an employment-based immigrant category for advanced-degree professionals whose work is positioned to deliver meaningful benefits to the United States.
Unlike other employment-based paths, the EB-2 NIW allows the professional to file the petition directly, without an employer sponsor. The category recognizes individuals whose work can contribute to the economic, scientific, technological, educational or social development of the country.
Who typically qualifies
- Physicians with clinical, academic or public health practice.
- Dentists with a consolidated technical record and qualified production.
- Psychologists with advanced training and clinical or academic practice.
- Engineers working in infrastructure, energy, manufacturing and technology.
- Executives with strategic responsibility in international organizations.
- Entrepreneurs and founders with a demonstrable-impact venture.
- Researchers with peer-recognized scientific production.
- Scientists in fields of strategic priority for the United States.
- Specialists in technology, cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence.
- Professionals with exceptional ability evidenced by record and merit.
Key benefits
- Green Card, permanent residence in the United States.
- Spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included.
- No job offer and no PERM labor certification required.
- Professional freedom to work as self-employed, founder or employee.
- Ability to keep international engagements throughout the process.
- Natural path to U.S. citizenship once statutory requirements are met.
Talk to our team about EB-2 NIW.
Assess with our attorneys whether EB-2 NIW is the most suitable strategy for your professional and family trajectory.
How we build an EB-2 NIW case
- 01
Strategic assessment of the professional, academic and family profile.
- 02
Legal design of the proposed endeavor and of the merits to be demonstrated.
- 03
Curation of documentary evidence, expert letters and technical dossier.
- 04
Preparation and filing of the I-140 petition with USCIS.
- 05
Case management through adjustment of status (I-485) or consular processing.
Representative trajectories.
Dentists
Linhares Law maintains an institutional partnership with ABO-US, offering a complementary framework for technical preparation and U.S. licensing for Brazilian dentists.
- Construction of the professional merit dossier and qualified production.
- Strategic support for U.S. licensing (NBDE / INBDE).
- ABO-US partnership for technical preparation and language.
Physicians
Medicine is closely aligned with the national interest standard, particularly in clinical research, public health and practice in areas of meaningful medical need.
- Practitioners with scientific production and academic activity.
- Physicians in U.S. residency or fellowship programs.
- Specialists in fields identified as national priorities.
Engineers
Engineers with experience in infrastructure, energy, advanced manufacturing and technology find strong ground to qualify on professional merit.
- Track record in projects of strategic relevance.
- Activity in international companies and research centers.
- Patents, publications and participation in technical standards work.
Technology Professionals
Recognition of contributions in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and software engineering.
- Technical leadership in digital products and scalable architectures.
- Work in security, data, cloud, AI and applied research.
- Peer recognition, conference presence and open-source contributions.
Entrepreneurs
Founders and entrepreneurs meet the national interest standard through the strategic nature of the venture, job creation and economic impact.
- Consolidated business track record and mature governance.
- Business plan with demonstrable merit and feasibility.
- Internationalization strategy and U.S. footprint.
Executives
Senior executives from multinational organizations qualify through strategic leadership, corporate governance and sector-level contribution.
- C-Level and directors with global responsibility.
- Leadership in transformation, international expansion or ESG.
- Sector recognition, board seats and publications.
“Immigration is a strategic decision. Every trajectory requires an individualized analysis and a legal structure built around the client's objectives.”
Clarifications on EB-2 NIW.
Other immigration strategies.
Green Card for professionals of international standing
One of the most distinguished employment-based immigrant categories, reserved for individuals who have achieved meaningful recognition in their fields.
Investment and business operation in the United States
The E-2 visa is available to investors from treaty countries, allowing them to direct and develop a U.S. business through a substantial investment.
Corporate expansion into the United States
The L-1 facilitates the transfer of executives, managers and specialized-knowledge professionals to the U.S. operations of international companies.
Schedule a strategic consultation.
Start an institutional conversation with our attorneys and assess whether EB-2 NIW is the right strategy for your objectives.