WeGreened Approval Statistics: Week of August 11, 2025
During the week of August 11 to August 17, 2025, WeGreened received a total of 104 approval notices from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) category continued to lead in volume, representing almost 70% of approvals, while the EB-1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) category maintained a strong presence among accomplished researchers and professionals.
Approval Distribution by Category and Service Center
Of the 104 approvals, 73 were for NIW, 22 for EB1A, 5 for EB1B (Outstanding Professors or Researchers), and 4 for O1A (Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement).
The Nebraska Service Center processed 12 EB1A and 32 NIW approvals, while the Texas Service Center handled 10 EB1A and 38 NIW approvals. Additionally, three NIW cases were transferred from NSC to TSC.
EB1A and NIW Credential Analysis
EB1A petitioners demonstrated solid academic productivity, with publications ranging from 2 to 67 articles (median 12) and citations between 119 and 3,944 (median 389). This profile reflects significant scholarly achievement and global influence.
NIW petitioners showed a wider distribution of academic records, from 1 to 329 publications (median 8) and citations between 11 and 16,524 (median 114). This diversity highlights USCIS’s continued openness to applicants with practical, policy-relevant, or industry-driven contributions, even without extremely high citation metrics.
Insights on Petitioner Backgrounds and Fields
EB1A approvals spanned precision cardiology, molecular neuroscience, artificial intelligence, human molecular genetics, and biomedical engineering. Many petitioners were affiliated with universities, research institutes, or medical centers in postdoctoral or senior research roles.
NIW cases covered environmental engineering, renewable energy, public health, mechanical engineering, agricultural sciences, and other applied sciences. Many petitioners were industry engineers, policy researchers, or technical specialists whose work aligns with U.S. economic, environmental, and technological priorities.
Highlighted NIW Case: Approval with the Lowest Citation Record
One NIW petitioner approved this week worked in the field of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Therapeutics. The petitioner had 3 publications and 11 citations, and their petition was adjudicated at the Nebraska Service Center.
While their citation record was modest, our legal team emphasized the public health significance of their work, particularly its applications to infectious disease treatment strategies and epidemic preparedness. We demonstrated that the petitioner’s expertise directly contributes to U.S. healthcare and biomedical priorities, underscoring the national importance of their contributions.
This case illustrates that USCIS continues to recognize the practical and policy-driven impact of research, even when traditional academic metrics such as citation counts are limited.
Adjudication Trends and Policy Observations
EB1A: USCIS continues to focus on documented international acclaim, sustained scholarly excellence, and leadership in the field.
NIW: Adjudicators maintain flexibility and approve petitions across a wide range of academic and industry backgrounds, provided the petition shows substantial merit and national importance.
This week’s highlighted case reinforces that impact matters more than numbers. Applicants with fewer citations can still succeed if their work advances critical U.S. interests in healthcare, technology, or infrastructure.