Advanced degree or exceptional ability requesting a National Interest Waiver (NIW) (I-140) Processing Time
USCIS reports 80% of Advanced degree or exceptional ability requesting a National Interest Waiver (NIW) cases (Service Center Operations (SCOPS)) are completed within 30 months, per USCIS's own processing-times data.
⚠ This figure may be out of date — check USCIS's official tool for the current number.
Processing office: Service Center Operations (SCOPS). Figure from USCIS's official processing times tool — check your own case's current estimate directly at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times, since USCIS updates these monthly and your specific receipt date affects where you fall in the range.
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW): lets a worker who otherwise qualifies for EB-2 skip the job offer and labor certification requirement by showing, under the Dhanasar framework, that their proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, they are well positioned to advance it, and it would benefit the U.S. to waive the job offer requirement. Can self-petition.
Other offices, same form
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