Visto n' Visa

What precautions should I take when citing confidential data in my petition?

When citing confidential data in your EB-2 NIW petition, show results and relevance without exposing protected information. Learn how to balance proof of your impact with the protection of intellectual property.

Written by

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Updated on July 16, 2026
1 min read
Share

When citing confidential data in your EB-2 NIW petition, the goal is to demonstrate the relevance and impact of your work without exposing protected information. Handling this carefully shows professionalism and preserves the credibility of your evidence.

The first step is to identify what is genuinely confidential: unpublished research results, proprietary methods, information covered by a pending patent, or data subject to non-disclosure agreements. Before referencing any of these points, review the terms of any contracts or confidentiality agreements that may restrict disclosure.

  • Prefer describing overall results and impact, without reproducing raw data, tables, or replicable details.
  • Reference the existence of the work and its significance, rather than exposing sensitive content.
  • When possible, use already-public or aggregated versions of the information.

This approach lets you balance the protection of intellectual property with the evidentiary strength of your case. If you have doubts about what may or may not be included, consulting a specialist and reviewing the official guidance from the competent authority (USCIS) is strongly recommended.

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.

Victoria's tips

What precautions should I take when citing confidential data in my petition?

When citing confidential data in your EB-2 NIW petition, show results and relevance without exposing protected information. Learn how to balance proof of your impact with the protection of intellectual property.

Recommended reading about EB-2 NIW

More content about EB-2 NIW