Success Stories: NIW Petition Approved Based on Matter of Dhanasar for Iranian Postdoctoral Associate in the Field of Geotechnical Engineering

Posted by wegreened on January 30, 2026 in Geological Engineering (Marine Technology, Geophysics, Geoscience), NIW

Client’s Testimonial:

“I just wanted to sincerely thank you for all of your help and support throughout my case submittal. Your firm is very professional and you are just awesome at what you are doing. Your timely work along with your professionalism in handling clients are absolutely phenomenal. I am happy that I listened to your judgment when I was in doubt about my case with low number of citations. Thank you very much again, you are simply awesome”

On May 31^st, 2017, we received another EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval for a Postdoctoral Associate in the Field of Geotechnical Engineering (Approval Notice).

General Field: Geotechnical Engineering

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoctoral Associate

Country of Origin: Iran

Service Center: Texas Service Center (TSC)

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: New Jersey

Approval Notice Date: May 31^st, 2017

Processing Time: 4 months, 8 days

Case Summary:

A little over 4 months after North America Immigration Law Group (WeGreened.com) filed an EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) petition on behalf of a postdoctoral associate from Iran, he received notification of case approval. As his petition was approved after December 27^th, 2016, it was adjudicated based on Matter of Dhanasar, the new framework for assessing NIW eligibility. In a nutshell, the USCIS paid attention to the following:

Substantial Merit and National Importance: Our client’s work on improving the characterization of soft sediments and foundation design addresses the increasing need for more robust transportation and urban infrastructures. His research efforts in ground improvement technology and beneficial upland reuse of contaminated dredged sediment are contributing to the United States’ infrastructure, environmental initiatives, and construction industry.
Well-Positioned to Advance the Proposed Endeavor: At the time of filing, our client’s 5 peer-reviewed journal articles and 5 peer-reviewed conference articles had gathered 17 citations. Furthermore, six of his peers contributed recommendation letters to support the approval of his NIW petition. According to one of these recommenders: “[Client] has a great deal of educational and research experience in the field of geotechnical engineering.” Another expert stated that “…other experts have recognized the importance of his work.”
Balance Test to Show National Interest: Overall, our client will serve the national interest to a significantly greater degree than others with minimal qualifications.

We are pleased that our meticulous efforts paved the way for NIW petition approval. We congratulate our client for overcoming this significant hurdle in the green card process, and we thank him for retaining our I-485 services.

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North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

Our Ten Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With nearly 64,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

We Have Helped Tens of Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to nearly 64,000 in 2025.

Track Record of Success EB-1 and NIW Approvals

(2020.01 - 2024.12)

Category	Approval or Refund^®		Approval or Refiling^TM
Category	Approved Sum	Success Rate	Approved Sum	Success Rate
NIW	28,946	99.52%	3,030	98.31%
EB1A	4,322	91.76%	2,870	88.91%
EB1B	793	98.51%	236	90.77%
Total	34,061	98.44%	6,136	93.39%