If my country is uncommon in immigration, does that help my case?

In the EB-2 NIW, coming from a country that is uncommon in immigration does not make approval easier or guaranteed. The evaluation does not treat your nationality as a shortcut: it focuses on the merit of your work and on a clear demonstration that your contributions benefit the national interest of the United States.

Each petition is assessed individually, based on factors such as the quality of the documentation, the relevance of the proposed endeavor, and your professional achievements. These are what support the case, not your country of origin.

It is worth distinguishing two separate stages of the process:

• Eligibility and merit, which depend on your profile and your work.
• Green card availability, the stage at which country of birth may affect wait times, according to the Visa Bulletin.

In other words, your origin may influence queue wait times, but it does not make qualification easier. To understand what applies to your situation, the safest course is to review updated information from the official source (USCIS / Visa Bulletin) or consult a specialist.

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.