USCIS released updated guidance on January 15, 2025 for EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petitions, aiming to clarify eligibility and evidentiary standards. However, in practice the changes are minor and do not significantly improve the NIW process.
The new guidance largely reiterates existing criteria (substantial merit, national importance, well-positioned applicant) and emphasizes meeting the underlying EB-2 requirements. While it acknowledges STEM fields more explicitly, many practitioners find the update 'not impressive' because it restates prior policy without introducing substantive improvements or flexibility in NIW adjudications.
