If my spouse also has a master’s degree, does that help my petition?

In an EB-2 NIW petition, the case is evaluated based on the principal applicant’s own merit. This means that your spouse’s education, even a master’s degree, is not added to your qualifications and does not compensate for what only you need to demonstrate. The analysis focuses on your profile and the national importance of your work.

What matters is your own trajectory: your qualifications, the impact of your work, and the relevance of what you propose to do in the United States. A family member’s qualifications do not factor into the eligibility assessment.

It is worth noting that your spouse can normally be included in the process as a dependent, accompanying your petition, but that is different from strengthening the merit of the principal application. They are distinct aspects of the process.

Since each case is analyzed individually, it is important to verify updated requirements with USCIS and consult a specialist to determine the best way to demonstrate your own merit.

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.