How to argue the value of indirect costs in your EB-2 NIW case before USCIS?

You cannot “force” USCIS to assign value to indirect costs, and that is the right starting point. In the EB-2 NIW, what matters is the merit and national importance of your work, not the cost structure itself. These expenses only enter the picture when you can show they support an endeavor or project of impact.

The key is the argument: turning numbers into evidence of relevance. To do that, it helps to:

• Connect each cost to a concrete initiative and the outcome it pursues.
• Present reports and budgets that demonstrate consistency, without overstating.
• Use impact analyses and expert opinions that put those expenses in context.
• Organize everything into a clear narrative, with sections by type of cost and benefit.

The adjudicator tends to value what is explained, not merely listed. If you do not connect the indirect cost to the national interest of the project, it will rarely be read as part of the value of the case.

Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth checking the updated guidance from the official source (USCIS) and refining your strategy with a specialist.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.