EB-2 NIW Approval for an Indian AI and Cybersecurity Engineer: Turning an RFE into a Case of National Impact 

The case took a turn when United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an RFE. The officer questioned the specificity of our client’s proposed endeavor, suggesting that it was too vague to determine its national importance.  

Adding to the difficulty, the case was assigned to a new USCIS officer, making it unclear what level of detail or evidence would be sufficient. Attorney Vazhel explained that the team had to strike a balance while drafting the response. “You want to defend the initial filing, but you also want to meet all the officer’s concerns, and the ones you can anticipate. Because you don’t know what’s going to happen after you submit the response.”  

It became careful exercise in precision. Every word in response had to be counted. The team needed to strengthen the petition without overwhelming the officer, ensuring the purpose of our client’s impact was clear. That balance between defense and foresight became the turning point that led this case toward success. 

To overcome the challenge, Attorney Vazhel knew the key was precision. He described his strategy as “a delicate balance.”  

The first step was to refine the proposed endeavor. Attorney Vazhel and our legal team rewrote it with crystal-clear specificity, outlining the exact actions the client would take to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity and AI systems. Next, they supported it with new evidence from the client’s employer, affirming that his work extended far beyond company walls. The letter demonstrated that his innovations were being shared across industries and advancing federal goals in cybersecurity and emerging technologies. 

Finally, the response was structured to educate the officer rather than argue with them.  That care of balancing firmness with thoroughness became the cornerstone of this winning response. 

The strategy worked exactly as planned. Attorney Vazhel’s response reframed our client’s work in a way that made its national significance unmistakable. By clearly connecting his AI and cybersecurity expertise to benefits for U.S. businesses, particularly SMEs, our team turned a vague RFE into an approval. 

Our client’s professionalism and collaboration made a difficult process far smoother. Attorney Vazhel described him as “extremely helpful, very collaborative,” adding that “he worked with us perfectly throughout the entire process.” The quick turnaround on documents, clarity in communication, and dedication to the process helped our legal team craft a strong, cohesive response under tight time constraints. In the end, the approval recognized years of work devoted to building technology that safeguards the nation’s digital backbone.  

This case succeeded because the response didn’t overwhelm the officer with volume. It guided them through evidence that spoke to each prong of the EB-2 NIW test. By refining the proposed endeavor, tying it to national initiatives in AI and cybersecurity, and showing that the work reached far beyond a single employer, our team demonstrated national importance. 

Attorney Vazhel’s balanced approach of defending the initial filing but meeting every concern kept the response comprehensive and precise. Backed by a proactive client, the petition read as clear, targeted, and ready for decision. 

Crucially, the evidence connected the endeavor to recognized federal priorities: the CHIPS and Science Act, National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines, the Small Business Act’s mandate to strengthen SMEs, and White House actions encouraging AI adoption. It also aligned with the USCIS Policy Manual on emerging technologies. Together, these touchpoints showed why the endeavor matters to the United States and why approval made sense.