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How to respond to an RFE involving financial and academic evaluation issues?

An RFE about finances and academic evaluation in an EB-2 NIW petition is not a wealth test: respond point by point, with organized documents and a cover letter linking each piece of evidence to the request, within the stated deadline.

Written by

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Updated on July 17, 2026
1 min read
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An RFE (Request for Evidence) that touches on financial and academic evaluation points does not mean the EB-2 NIW has a wealth test or a minimum academic grade requirement. The request exists so USCIS can clarify specific questions about your case, and the best response is to address each point separately and with solid documentation.

On the financial side, the focus is typically on showing that you can sustain and advance the work that underpins the petition, not on proving personal wealth. Gather the documents cited in the RFE and link each one to the point raised.

  • Organize documents by topic, in the same order the RFE requests them.
  • For the academic evaluation, include diplomas, transcripts, and, where appropriate, a credential equivalency analysis.
  • Write a response cover letter explaining, point by point, how each piece of evidence addresses what was asked.

Respond within the deadline stated in the RFE itself and submit everything in a single, organized package. Since each case is assessed individually, it is worth reviewing the latest guidance on the USCIS website and, if possible, having a specialist review your response before submission.

Learn more about EB-2 NIW

Category
EB-2 NIW Green Card
Self-petition
Allowed (no sponsor needed)
PERM
Waived
Processing
12-36 months
All about EB-2 NIW

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

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.

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How to respond to an RFE involving financial and academic evaluation issues?

An RFE about finances and academic evaluation in an EB-2 NIW petition is not a wealth test: respond point by point, with organized documents and a cover letter linking each piece of evidence to the request, within the stated deadline.

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