EB-2 NIW Green Card Approval for Aerospace Engineer

Argentina

Aerospace Engineer

Colombo & Hurd secured an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) green card for an aerospace engineer from Argentina who focuses on thermal systems for satellites and aerospace vehicles. USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition without a Request for Evidence (RFE). After completing the immigrant visa process through a U.S. consulate, the client entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident.

Satellites operate under extreme temperature changes that can damage sensitive equipment and threaten an entire mission. Aerospace engineers use complex computer simulations to predict how heat will move through a satellite and determine how its components should be protected. Our client plans to use artificial intelligence to make that design process faster and give engineers clearer recommendations during satellite development. His proposed work centers on developing AI-based software for the thermal design of satellites and aerospace vehicles. After the I-140 approval, Immigration Attorney Michelle Villagran guided the client through the consular processing, resulting in his green card.

Evaluate My Profile

Client Profile

EB-2 NIW Visa

The client is an engineer with 15 years of experience, a PhD in engineering, and master’s degrees in computational mechanics and computing applied to science and engineering. This mix of degrees gave him a strong foundation across engineering, mathematics, and computer-based problem solving.

Over his career, the client has specialized in the modeling, simulation, and thermal design of nano- and micro-satellites. His work has covered thermal analysis for aerospace systems, satellite thermal subsystems, and complex simulation problems that require high-performance computing. He has also worked in nuclear thermal-hydraulic systems, chemical reactor modeling, and energy infrastructure. Alongside this technical work, the client has authored scholarly articles, taught in engineering and applied sciences, and earned several research fellowships.

In the United States, the client’s proposed work is to develop and sell AI-based software that supports thermal subsystem design for satellites and aerospace vehicles. The software draws on mission data, orbital parameters, and payload details to give engineers clear design recommendations. It combines his experience in thermal engineering with machine learning and data analysis to support faster, more informed design decisions His plan also includes building a U.S. team and hiring engineers, developers, and other specialists to bring the product to market.

The Challenge

Satellite thermal engineering is highly technical, so the main challenge for the legal team was to explain its importance in clear and practical terms. Satellites face extreme temperature swings in space, and sensitive equipment can fail if heat is not managed well. Thermal design therefore affects whether a satellite’s systems can operate reliably throughout a mission.

The case also needed to connect the client’s specialized knowledge to broader needs in the U.S. aerospace industry. His work was not limited to studying a technical problem. He planned to turn years of engineering experience into software that could help aerospace teams evaluate thermal designs, improve development processes, and support the growing use of artificial intelligence in engineering.

Strategic Approach

The client’s software addresses areas the U.S. government has already named as priorities. To show this, the legal team connected his work to major federal initiatives in artificial intelligence, space technology, and innovation. Each connection helped establish that the endeavor carried national importance, not just technical value.

Central to this was the federal push to bring AI into aerospace and scientific work. The petition tied the client’s software to NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems program, which uses machine learning to improve its data systems and operations. The CHIPS and Science Act added further support, given its focus on advancing technology, science, and STEM growth in the United States.

The petition paired this policy alignment with strong proof of the client’s ability to deliver. His years of hands-on thermal design work, across satellites and other complex systems, showed he had already solved the kinds of problems his software would address. His publications and his work reviewing other researchers’ papers added independent proof that his methods held up to outside scrutiny. Letters of recommendation from senior professionals in computational mechanics and mathematics reinforced this depth.

The client also presented a concrete plan to build the endeavor in the United States. He intended to establish a company, lead its operations, and hire across software development, engineering, mathematics, and data science.

Evaluate My Profile

The Result

USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition without issuing a Request for Evidence.

After the petition was approved, the client completed consular processing and entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident. With his green card, he can now move forward with building and launching his AI-based software, growing a U.S. team, and advancing his work in the American aerospace industry.

Case Overview

Category	Details
Visa Classification	EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver)
Nationality	Argentina
Professional Field	Aerospace Engineering, Thermal Systems
Education	PhD in Engineering; Master’s in Computational Mechanics; Master’s in Computing Applied to Science and Engineering; Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering; Bachelor’s in Applied Mathematics
Request for Evidence (RFE)	No
Final Outcome	Green card approved (lawful permanent residency granted through Consular Processing)
Green Card Approval Date	7/15/2026

This case was handled by Attorney Michelle Villagran of Colombo & Hurd, a U.S. immigration law firm specializing in employment-based visas including EB-2 NIW and EB-1A petitions. The firm has secured over 10,000 successful visa and green card approvals for clients from more than 100 countries, including more than 2,500 approvals in EB-2 NIW and EB-1A categories since 2023.