Success Story: A Data Scientist from South Korea Secure NIW Success Without RFE
Client’s Testimonial:
“Thank you for your help along the way!”
On September 11th, 2025, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Data Scientist in the Field of Artificial Intelligence (Approval Notice).
General Field: Artificial Intelligence
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Data Scientist
Country of Origin: South Korea
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Washington
Approval Notice Date: September 11th, 2025
Processing Time: 19 months, 26 days
Case Summary:
We are pleased to announce the approval of an I-140 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition for our client, an accomplished researcher in the field of artificial intelligence. With a Ph.D. in linguistics, the Client has leveraged their expertise to pursue the development of state-of-the-art language models that mirror human language competencies, a critical endeavor that directly enhances the performance of modern AI systems.
Advancing Artificial Intelligence Through Language Models
The Client’s proposed endeavor focuses on bridging the gap between human and machine communication. By advancing computational models that better capture the nuances of natural language, their research contributes to making AI-driven technologies more accurate, reliable, and accessible in everyday applications. This work aligns with national priorities, as AI has been identified by the National Science and Technology Council as a “critical and emerging technology” central to U.S. leadership in innovation and competitiveness.
Scholarly Record and Research Impact
The petition highlighted the Client’s strong academic and professional record, including:
- 1 peer-reviewed first-authored journal article
- 4 peer-reviewed conference papers (3 of them first-authored)
- 2 peer-reviewed conference abstracts (1 of them first-authored)
Their publications have been cited 18 times to date, reflecting their growing influence in the fields of computational linguistics and AI. Beyond publications, the Client has completed at least 2 peer reviews for scholarly venues, demonstrating their role as a trusted authority capable of shaping the direction of research in their domain.
Recognition and Support
The strength of the petition was further supported by four letters of recommendation from established experts in the field. These letters attested to the originality of the Client’s research, its adoption by peers, and its potential to advance AI applications in both academic and industrial contexts.
“[Client] has established themselves as an innovative researcher, as evidenced by the originality of their work and the citations that their work has earned.”
A Successful Outcome
USCIS agreed that the Client’s work satisfies the Dhanasar framework by demonstrating substantial merit, national importance, and their strong positioning to advance their proposed endeavor. The approval of this NIW petition not only recognizes their achievements but also affirms the national significance of their ongoing research.
At NAILG, we are proud to have assisted the Client in preparing a strong and well-documented petition. Their success is a testament to both their exceptional qualifications and the firm’s expertise in navigating the NIW process. We look forward to seeing their future contributions strengthen the United States’ leadership in artificial intelligence and natural language processing.