Many people think that only STEM-related endeavors stand a chance in obtaining a green card through the EB-2 NIW visa category. But I wanted to share with you a case that was approved yesterday that desmistifies much of those misconcepts. Yesterday, one of Gewählt Law's client, an architect who just finished his master's degree in the U.S., received an approval after upgrading his EB-2 NIW petition to premium processing. So, how did he do it? SPOILER: with guidance and dedication to obtain very compelling evidence. The petitioner had a master's degree in architecture in the U.S. and is currently on OPT (Optional Practical Training). The problem he proposed to tackle was simple: across the country, there is often little functional differentiation between the architectural approaches used for schools, prisons, and city halls, despite the vastly different behavioral, cognitive, and operational needs of their users. His endeavor: to use AI to change the way governmental buildings are designed to optimize both energy performance (sustainablity) and human well-being. This shows that even during the Trump administration, you can still propose endeavors that contain sustainability aspects to it, as long as you frame it correctly. But the applicant did not fall short when it came to documentation. With the right guidance, he was able to: a) Apply for a provisional patent related to the endeavor, providing USPTO-verifiable independent evidence b) Reach out to a sitting Congressman, who agreed to sign an endorsement letter on his endeavor's national importance. c) Obtain a letter from a quasi-official governmental official (NY DOT). In his petition, the January 2025 Executive Order on Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture was cited by URL, tying his AI schematic generation system to its language about dignity, permanence, and beauty in public structures. All of this is to show that, with the right guidance and dedication, even non-conventional profiles can obtain a green card through the EB-2 NIW visa category!

In my previous post, I broke down all of the governmental fees associated to the green card process, from start to finish. Now, let's talk about attorney fees. Based on current rates, you can expect to pay anywhere from $6,000 to $14,000 USD+. The difference between the lower, average, and higher end of this range is due to the type of firm you hire and the estimated amount of work based on your profile. High-volume firms usually charge less, but they tend to select customers based on their own niche. For example, some firms are specialized in working with scholars and researchers who have publications and citations, so if you ever get rejected by these types of firms, it does not necessarily mean you are not eligible or that you have a weaker case. It might be just that they have their own customer base niche. For these firms, you may not get the personalized attention you need, as they process high-volume applications. For the higher-end range, the fees are justified by a combination of highly personalized customer service and more challenging situations, where more work is needed in order to prepare a strong petition. But if you are an accomplished industry/corporate professional or an entrepreneur, who may not have academic publications, and you have a solid career in the industry, corporate, or an entrepreneurial environment, you can expect a reasonable range between $8,000 USD to $12,000 USD in legal fees, and you can still get the personalized service you need. If you are in that category, we recommend Gewählt Law (www.gewahlt.com/contact). In part 3, I will discuss all other expenses you can expect apart from governmental and attorney fees. Stay tuned!

I’d love to get your feedback on what our next course should be. We currently offer a free introductory course on EB-2 NIW (available in the “classroom” section above), and we’d like to know which topics you would find most helpful for us to cover next.

Last week, our team was analyzing recent cases where we turned an RFE (Request for Additional Evidence*) into an approval, both from cases that we originally prepared and cases from people who came to us with an RFE after preparing the petition by themselves (or using another firm). Because the EB-2 NIW visa has become more and more about nuance and perception, we compared these cases with others that did not end up being successful, even when the petition, the supporting documentation, and the person’s background would, at first, suggest otherwise. This is a very important exercise we do to almost daily to enhance our understanding of what officers are focusing on right now, how immigration trends are shifiting, and ultimately, maintain approvals at a high rate. What we noticed is that the perception of a clear endeavor implementation path versus a robust, but theoretical plan was the key difference between cases that got approved and cases that didn’t. Cases that, in theory, had lower chances of approval surpassed strong cases with conciseness, a clear implementation plan, and real interest from U.S. parties in adopting the proposed endeavor. One could argument that Matter of Dhanasar is all about “prospective potential” impact, and I agree. But the art of the game is playing by the officer’s rules and anticipating their attempt to shift the goalpost (which happens A LOT). The art of the game is also knowing which parts of Dhanasar officers have completely abandoned and how far in the RFE response they will actually read (and accept). Many people try (sometimes with a lot of reason) to fight officers in their RFE response. But between being right and getting an approval, the latter is cheaper, better, faster, and easier. ----------------------------- * Request for Additional Evidence, or "RFE", is when the immigration asks for additional information or documentation after you submitted your petition. These can be just administrative and smaller requests to dozens of pages of additional documentation. RFEs usually come with a 3-month deadline to respond, which can cause a lot of anxiety for people who are not familiar with this process.

That's one of the most asked questions among EB-2 NIW candidates. The short answer: it depends on your situation AND location. The amounts below are estimates as of April 1, 2026 and can vary. For precise data, you can access USCIS' fee schedule. 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑: - Single applicant (U.S.): from ~$2,655 + optional fees - Family of 4 (U.S.): from ~$6,595+ optional fees - Single applicant (abroad): from ~$1,795+ optional fees - Family of 4 (abroad): from ~$3,535+ optional fees - Attorney fees: typically $8K–$12K There are 3 main cost categories: - Government fees - Attorney fees (optional but common - will discuss in Part 2) - Supporting documents (will discuss in Part 3) Key Government Fees: $1,015 – Petition filing (required, one-time, not per person) $2,965 – Premium processing (optional, speeds decision to 45 business days vs 2+ years) After approval, costs depend on your location. If you are in the U.S. (Adjustment of Status): • $1,440 per adult / $950 per child (required) • ~$200+ medical exam per person (required) • $260 work permit per person (optional) • $630 travel permit per person (optional) If you are abroad (Consular Processing): • $365 visa fee per person (required) • ~$200+ medical exam per person (required) • $235 green card fee per person (required) The EB-2 NIW is a major investment, but understanding the structure of costs helps you plan strategically and avoid surprises. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 2: I will break down attorney fees and what you can expect from the lower, average, and higher end.