How to prepare a response to an EB-2 NIW RFE involving academic and financial issues?

A RFE (Request for Evidence) is the request for additional information that USCIS issues when it wants to strengthen a point in your case. For the EB-2 NIW, the key to a strong response is straightforward: tie each document precisely to the point raised in the notice, without straying off topic.

Organize your response around what was questioned, typically on two fronts:

• Academic: degrees, transcripts, credential evaluations, and letters supporting your qualifications, with certified English translations when the originals are in another language.
• Merit and impact of your work: evidence that your work carries national importance, such as expert letters, adoption of your work by others, and concrete outcomes it has produced.

On the financial side, one important note: the EB-2 NIW is not decided by your income or personal assets. Financial documents only help when they relate to the impact of your work, such as funding your project has attracted or the economic relevance of your field, not your ability to support yourself.

Number your documents, include a table of contents, and write a cover letter that connects each piece of evidence to the specific item requested. Since every RFE is case-specific, verify exactly what was asked and, if possible, have a specialist review your response before filing.

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Victoria Harper

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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.