EB-2 NIW Case Study: Approval for a Renewable Energy Engineer from Mexico Mexico Renewable Energy EngineerColombo & Hurd secured approval of an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition for a renewable energy engineer from Mexico who works on advancing renewable energy and rural electrification in the United States. USCIS approved the petition without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE). Many rural communities face higher energy costs and have fewer resources to improve their power systems. At the same time, parts of the U.S. electrical grid need upgrades to remain reliable during extreme weather. These challenges have increased the need for engineers who can plan and carry out energy projects in areas with limited infrastructure. Our client’s proposed work focuses on helping communities and organizations develop practical solar energy projects that improve access to electricity and strengthen local power systems. Colombo & Hurd Partner Salvatore Picataggio led the petition. Evaluate My Profile Client ProfileAn Engineer Who Brings Electricity to Communities the Grid Never Reached EB-2 NIW VisaOur client is a renewable energy engineer with more than 25 years of experience, and her work focuses on solar power and rural electrification. She specializes in photovoltaic systems, the technology that turns sunlight into electricity, and has spent her career bringing power to communities that the traditional grid does not reach. Early in her career, she studied and taught the science behind solar energy, and published research on solar water pumping and photovoltaic system design that other engineers cite in their own work. She then moved from the classroom into the field, where she designed and delivered solar projects across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She trained local technicians who went on to install more than 1,500 solar systems and led a market analysis that expanded electricity access for roughly 70,000 people in a refugee settlement and its surrounding community. On another project, she oversaw the construction of a solar system that brought power to a remote community for the first time, improving access to health care and education. Our client had already carried out renewable energy programs funded by U.S. development agencies and partnered with U.S. consulting firms on projects overseas. As Attorney Picataggio said, a current or prior U.S. relationship can be a strong asset: “I get excited when a client already has these ties. It lets us show USCIS that the endeavor not only can benefit the United States but already has.” The Challenge Showing National Importance for Work Delivered One Project at a Time Our client’s experience came from individual consulting projects, each one carried out for a specific firm in a specific country: a rural electrification program in one nation, an off-grid solar market study in another, a grid-access project in a third. One question in the case was whether her proposed work could have significance beyond the individual projects and organizations she would serve. The petition therefore needed to document the broader results of her past work and explain how she planned to apply that experience to renewable energy projects in the United States. See If You QualifyGet Your Free EB-2 NIW Visa Profile Evaluation Evaluate My Profile Strategic Approach Connecting a Project-Based Career to National Priorities Many rural American communities pay more for electricity and have fewer resources to upgrade their power systems, and much of the country’s electric grid is old and struggles during extreme weather. Her work had already brought electricity to tens of thousands of people, and the technicians she trained had installed more than 1,500 solar systems. The petition mentioned that our client is a consultant and that her firm would help U.S. companies plan and deliver solar energy projects. That work includes studying whether projects are feasible, designing systems, guiding construction, training local workers, and measuring each project’s results. She planned to open her firm in the U.S. and grow it over time by hiring engineers and other specialists. To show there was real demand for these services, the petition included her business plan along with a letter from a U.S. company interested in working with her. The Result EB-2 NIW Approved Without an RFE USCIS approved the client’s EB-2 NIW petition without issuing an RFE, meaning the agency approved the I-140 on the first submission without asking for more documentation. The approval clears the way for her to pursue lawful permanent residence and to expand access to clean, reliable electricity in rural communities at home and abroad. Case Overview Category Details Visa Classification EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) Country of Origin Mexico Professional Field Renewable energy engineering and rural electrification Education PhD; Master’s in Solar Energy; Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering Request for Evidence (RFE) No Outcome I-140 Petition Approved Attorney Partner Salvatore Picataggio Date of Approval February 21, 2026 Attorney Perspective Salvatore “Sal” PicataggioPartnerRead More “What made this case work was showing that our client’s endeavor was more than a series of separate projects for separate clients. Her work advances clean energy and rural electrification goals that are national in scope. The combination of her track record, her past work with U.S. organizations, and a clear plan for what comes next is what carried it.” Evaluate My Profile