EB-2 NIW Green Card Case Study: Approval for Environmental Engineer from Mexico Mexico Environmental EngineerColombo & Hurd secured an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) green card for an environmental engineer from Mexico whose work focuses on treating industrial wastewater and protecting drinking water sources. USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE). After completing consular processing, the client received her green card and became a permanent resident of the United States. Manufacturing in the United States depends on clean water. Factories use large amounts of water to produce food, medicines, metals, paper, and textiles. These processes can leave wastewater contaminated with chemicals and other pollutants that must be treated before discharge. If it is not treated properly, it can contaminate rivers, lakes, and underground water sources that communities rely on for drinking. Federal regulations under the Clean Water Act establish standards for industrial wastewater discharge. As the U.S. manufacturing sector grows, so does the demand for engineers who can keep its wastewater from reaching the clean water supply. Our client plans to establish an engineering consulting company that helps U.S. manufacturers improve water management and wastewater treatment. Senior Attorney Vivian Daher led the EB-2 NIW petition. After the approval, Attorney Michelle Villagran guided the client through consular processing. Evaluate My Profile Client ProfileAn Engineer Who Combines Factory Experience with Water Treatment Research EB-2 NIW VisaOur client holds a Ph.D. in engineering science, a master’s degree in materials science and engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in electromechanical engineering. She began her career as a process engineer at a manufacturing subsidiary of a global industrial company, where she spent four years improving production processes and the reliability of industrial safety systems. She later taught engineering, physics, and mathematics at universities in Mexico for approximately a decade, building nearly 19 years of combined experience in engineering, research, and education. Her research focuses on removing stubborn pollutants from water. For her doctoral work, she used advanced electrochemical oxidation methods to break down herbicides in wastewater. These contaminants persist in the environment, and pose risks to people and animals. During a two-year postdoctoral stay at a U.S. university, she developed light-activated nanomaterials that remove dyes and antibiotics from contaminated water. The client has published her findings in international scientific journals and presented her work at national engineering and chemistry conferences. In the United States, she will open an engineering consulting company that advises manufacturers in sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, paper, and metals on managing their water use and treating production wastewater before discharge, applying the same methods she developed in the lab. As the business grows, she plans to hire water treatment technicians and expand her services across her state and the rest of the country. The Challenge Showing that a Water Treatment Business Serves a National Need The petition needed to show that a company serving individual manufacturers would benefit the country, not just the factories that hire her. It also had to connect the treatment of industrial wastewater to the health of the water supply that communities depend on, and to the federal government’s own priorities for clean water. The petition also needed to show that she could carry this plan forward. Much of her experience comes from research and teaching, so the record had to make clear how her lab results and her years in manufacturing translate into practical solutions for industry. Finally, the petition had to explain why the United States benefits from letting her build her company on her own terms, without a job offer from an employer. Strategic Approach Linking Her Work to the Agencies Responsible for Clean Water The petition connected her proposed work to federal water management priorities, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Reuse Action Plan and industrial wastewater discharge standards under the Clean Water Act. The Department of Homeland Security lists water supply and wastewater management as national critical functions, meaning a failure in either would harm public health and the economy. The record explained how her consulting work supports each of these programs by helping manufacturers meet federal standards and keep pollutants out of the water supply. Employment letters also confirmed her years as a process engineer and university professor, and conference records showed her ongoing participation in the scientific community. A detailed business plan laid out the company’s services, target industries, and hiring goals, and a letter of interest from a U.S. engineering firm confirmed demand for her services. The petition also explained that the client plans to run her own company and serve many manufacturers at once, so no single employer could capture the full value of her work. The Result EB-2 NIW Green Card Approved After Consular Processing USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition without issuing an RFE. The case then moved to consular processing, with Attorney Michelle Villagran guiding the client through the process. She entered the United States and is now a permanent resident. With her green card, she can establish her consulting company and begin working with manufacturers on water management and wastewater treatment. She can also hire the technicians her business plan calls for and expand her services across the country as demand grows. Case Overview Category Details Visa Classification EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) Nationality Mexico Professional Field Environmental Engineering (Water and Wastewater Treatment) Education Ph.D. in Engineering Science, Master’s in Materials Science and Engineering, Bachelor’s in Electromechanical Engineering Request for Evidence (RFE) No Processing Time (I-140) Under 6 months Attorneys Senior Attorney Vivian Daher and Attorney Michelle Villagran Final Outcome Green card approved (lawful permanent residency granted) Green Card Approval Date February 27, 2026 Attorney Perspective Vivian DaherSenior AttorneyRead More “What made this case especially compelling was how the client’s research in advanced water treatment technologies complemented her hands-on manufacturing experience. Together, these strengths allowed us to present a clear, practical plan that addresses an important need in the United States: protecting water resources while helping manufacturers manage and treat their wastewater more effectively” Evaluate My Profile This case was represented by Senior Attorney Vivian Daher (I-140) and Attorney Michelle Villagran (Consular Processing) 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 2,500 approvals in EB-2 NIW and EB-1A categories since 2023.