FAQs

• One or all my degrees are from outside the US. Can I apply?  Yes but you may have to do a credential evaluation for your degrees. However, if you have a masters or Phd from the US while other degrees are from outside the US, then USCIS  may waive the credential evaluation.
• Do I have have to be in the US to apply? No , one can apply from any part of the world. However, you must  pay your  EB2NIW  I-140 fees from a US bank or credit card .
• Will the green card cover my entire family if approved? Yes approval extend to your spouse, children and and any adopted children/child
• What if I cannot meet the advance  degree requirment? In that case one must meet the threshold for exceptional ability criteria.
• What is the difference between a dependent and independent recommendation letter?  Most of the time USCIS will prefer a mix of both for the avoidance of bias in recommendation letters. A dependent recommendation letter is a letter coming from  someone you have had a working relationship with. Eg Your boss at work, your  thesis supervisor , your thesis committee members , people you have collaborated with on a project or research etc.  Independent letter comes from a person whom you have never had such a working relationship with but knows your skills in the field. Note:  IT IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMEONE WHO NEVER KNEW YOU. For instance ,  Dr. Frank knows the applicant through linkedIn but has never supervised nor worked on a project with him . Therefore a letter coming from Dr. Frank is an independent letter.  Sylvia met an expert called  Dr. Rose in her field at a conference, therefore a letter coming from Dr. Rose is an independent recommendation.
• Do I need a lawyer to file EB2NIW? Although many have filed on their own and achieved success, you may want to have a guide or coach along the way to ensure that you are covering all your tracks to cross your Ts and dot your (I)s . We at Charisma Immigration has variety of services that will meet your needs. For instance , our finished petition review services will review your drafted petition for honest assessment and help me you to do final tweaking to your file.
• What is a priority date?  This is the date USCIS has stated in your receipt letter indicating when they received your petition.
• Do I need publications with citations to qualify for NIW? Whereas having these adds to your exceptional ability, it does not hurt you if you do not have  published work and citations. Moreover Charisma Immigration have gotten approvals for professionals and students not having citations nor publication.
• will I lose my student status if I file NIW ? We understand that these are sensitive issues to many students . Outcomes depend on each person's circumstance. Contact us to have a more personal discussion with us
• I am on J1 visa, do I qualify? Yes J1 visa holders are eligible for NIW provided they are able to obtain a waiver for the mandtory home country  residence conditionality.