- Who it's for
- Advanced-degree professionals, researchers and founders
- Employer required
- No (self-petition)
- Labor certification
- Waived
- I-140 Government Processing Time
- 45 business days premium; 6–14 months regular
- Priority date wait
- Depends on country and the Visa Bulletin
- Gale fee
- $9,000 I-140 · $4,000 AOS
Who qualifies for the EB-2 NIW
- An advanced degree (master's, or bachelor's plus five years' progressive experience) or exceptional ability.
- Prong 1: the proposed work has substantial merit and national importance.
- Prong 2: you're well positioned to advance it (education, track record, plan, interest from others).
- Prong 3: on balance, waiving the job offer and labor certification benefits the U.S.
EB-2 NIW timeline
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Proposed-endeavor strategy and evidence plan | 1 week |
| Recommendation letters | 2 weeks |
| Petition drafting and attorney review | 1 week |
| I-140 adjudication | 45 business days (premium) or 6–14 months |
| Adjustment of status | 8–14 months when the priority date is current |
EB-2 NIW cost: Gale and government fees
Gale charges a flat fee (platform fee plus attorney legal fee) for the initial EB-2 NIW filing, and RFE responses are usually included. Government fees are paid directly to the agency at cost. See the full fee schedule or estimate your total with the visa cost calculator.
| Filing | Gale price (platform + legal fee) |
|---|---|
| I-140 petition | $9,000 |
| AOS | $4,000 |
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-140 | $715 | |
| Asylum Program Fee | $300 | Self-petitioned I-140 |
| Premium processing (optional) | $2,965 | 45-business-day decision for NIW |
| Form I-485 | $1,440 | Per applicant aged 14+ |
Documents you'll need
- Degree and experience evidence
- A clear proposed-endeavor statement
- Publications, citations, patents, funding or customer traction
- Recommendation letters, including from independent experts
- Evidence of national importance (policy reports, industry data)
How Gale handles the EB-2 NIW
Gale's software handles intake, document collection, drafting and tracking. An experienced network attorney owns strategy, legal judgment and final sign-off on every petition.
- Intake on the Gale platformHR starts the case in minutes; the employee completes a guided questionnaire and uploads documents to a checklist built for the visa type.
- Attorney strategy reviewA network attorney defines a proposed endeavor that is specific and nationally important, the most common point of failure.
- Petition preparationGale structures your proposed endeavor and evidence by Dhanasar prong and drafts letters for expert review.
- Attorney sign-off and filingThe attorney writes the legal brief, files the I-140 and handles any RFE.
- Tracking and responseGale tracks the USCIS receipt and status in one dashboard. If USCIS issues a Request for Evidence, the attorney prepares the response, usually included in the flat fee.
Related visa information pages
The EB-1A is a self-petitioned green card for people with extraordinary ability who have risen to the very top of their field.
Read more O-1AExtraordinary AbilityThe O-1A is a U.S.
Read more PERMLabor Certification (EB-2 / EB-3)PERM labor certification is the Department of Labor process most employer-sponsored EB-2 and EB-3 green cards require.
Read moreReady to start a EB-2 NIW case?
Talk with our team about timing, strategy and cost.
Frequently asked questions
Can founders qualify for an NIW?
Yes. Founders often qualify when their company's work has national importance (for example in AI, climate, health or manufacturing) and they can show traction, funding or expertise.
Is premium processing available for NIW?
Yes. USCIS offers premium processing for EB-2 NIW I-140s with a 45-business-day decision timeframe.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change frequently. Confirm current details with USCIS or a licensed immigration attorney.