Green card · Self-petition
A green card for work that matters to the US.
The National Interest Waiver lets you petition for yourself — no employer, no job offer, no labor certification. We define your endeavor precisely, build the evidence that it serves the national interest, and show why you're the person to advance it.
EB-2 NIW · Case board
Illustrative3 / 4
requirements met
all four needed
- EB-2: advanced degreeMaster's · verified
- Merit and national importance11 exhibits
- Well positioned to advance it8 exhibits
- On balance, waive the job offerArgument in progress
- Flat fee
- $15,000
- Time to filing
- ~6 weeks
- Job offer
- Not needed
- Premium processing
- 45 business days
- Signed and filed by a licensed attorney
- One fixed fee — no hourly billing
- RFE responses included
- A candid assessment before you pay
Fit
Is the NIW right for you?
It rewards a clear plan and evidence that it matters — and is often within reach earlier in a career than the EB-1A.
A strong fit
- Founders building in health, energy, AI, security or other fields of national interest
- Engineers and scientists with a defined project and a track record
- People with a master's degree, or a bachelor's plus five years of experience
- Founders who employ themselves, where a job offer isn't practical
- O-1 and H-1B holders planning a green card without an employer
Probably not yet, if
- Your plan is broad — “build a startup” rather than a defined endeavor
- The case rests on job creation or economic growth alone
- There's little independent evidence behind your plan yet
That's not a no. Many founders sharpen the endeavor first — or, with a strong record, look at the EB-1A.
Criteria
Four things to show.
First, you qualify for EB-2. Then the three-part test from Matter of Dhanasar — USCIS needs all three.
Quick self-check: tap each one you think you can show.
0 / 4
Tap the requirements that fit your plans.
Exceptional ability is shown by meeting at least three of six criteria, such as a degree, ten years of experience, a license, high salary, memberships or recognition.
A quick self-check, not a legal assessment. Only an attorney can judge whether your evidence meets a criterion.
How we work
From first call to filed petition.
About six weeks, most of it spent on evidence and the argument — not paperwork.
- 1
Week 1
Candid assessment
An attorney reviews your eligibility, your plans and your evidence, and tells you whether to file now, sharpen the endeavor first, or look at another visa.
- 2
Weeks 1–2
Endeavor and evidence plan
We define the proposed endeavor precisely. AI maps every document to the prong it supports and flags gaps.
- 3
Weeks 2–5
Letters and argument
We draft independent expert letters and the legal brief that ties your endeavor and evidence to each prong of the test.
- 4
Week 6
Attorney files the I-140
Your attorney reviews, signs and files. If USCIS asks for more evidence, the response is included in your fee.
Accountability
AI prepares the petition. Your attorney signs it.
Every EB-2 NIW petition is reviewed, signed and filed by a licensed immigration attorney who answers for it — and for the response if USCIS asks for more.
- AIOrganizes evidence and drafts. It doesn't give legal advice.
- AttorneySets the strategy, writes the argument, signs and files.
- YouReview and approve everything before it's filed.
What you'll need
Evidence, gathered once.
Start with what you have. We'll tell you what each document proves — and what's missing.
01
About you
- Résumé or CV
- Degrees and transcripts — evaluated if earned abroad
- Passport and current immigration status
02
Your endeavor
- A short description of the work you'll do in the US
- Business plan or research plan
- Reports that show why the field matters nationally
03
Proof of progress
- Funding, revenue, contracts or pilots
- Patents, publications and citations
- Letters of interest from customers, partners or government
04
People
- 4–6 experts who know your work
- Ideally some who have never worked with you
- We draft the letters for their review
Don’t send passports or documents through the website — we set up a secure channel once you start.
Fees
One fixed fee. Government fees shown separately.
Milestone · EB-2 NIW
$15,000
flat fee per petition
- Eligibility and strategy review by an attorney
- Endeavor definition and national-interest argument
- Expert and support letters drafted
- Complete I-140 petition, filed by your attorney
- Request for Evidence (RFE) responses
Paid to the government
- Form I-140 filing fee
- $715
- Asylum Program FeeSelf-petitioners · paid separately from the I-140 fee
- $300
- Premium processingOptional · USCIS acts within 45 business days
- $2,965
- Green card step (I-485 or consular)Quoted when you're ready
- Separate
Total to file
$15,000 Milestone + $1,015 USCIS
$16,015
Government fees are paid to USCIS, not to Milestone, and change from time to time. Figures as of October 2026.
After approval
After the I-140 is approved.
Approval of the petition locks in your place in line. The green card itself comes when your priority date is current.
Step 1
I-140 approved
Inside the US
Form I-485
When your priority date is current, you apply to adjust status — sometimes filed together with the I-140.
Outside the US
Consular processing
Your case moves to the National Visa Center and an immigrant visa interview at a US consulate.
Step 2
Green card
The wait, by country
EB-2 has a queue for most countries, and it's longer for applicants born in China or India. Your priority date is the day USCIS receives your I-140 — see the latest Visa Bulletin.
Your family
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can receive green cards with you.
Questions
EB-2 NIW, plainly.
Do I need a job offer or an employer?
No. The waiver removes the job-offer and labor-certification requirements, so you can petition for yourself — including as the founder of your own company.
Do I need a PhD?
No. A US master's degree or a foreign equivalent qualifies, as does a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience. Without an advanced degree, you can qualify through exceptional ability.
Can founders and entrepreneurs qualify?
Yes. USCIS guidance addresses entrepreneurs directly. What matters is a specific endeavor with national importance and evidence that you're well positioned to advance it — not a general claim that the company will create jobs.
NIW or EB-1A — which should I file?
They ask different questions. EB-1A looks at whether you're already at the top of your field and usually has a shorter queue. The NIW looks at your forward-looking work. Some people file both, so the stronger case leads. Your attorney will tell you which fits.
How long does it take?
We typically prepare and file within about six weeks. With premium processing, USCIS acts on the I-140 within 45 business days — an approval, a denial or a request for more evidence. The green card step depends on the Visa Bulletin for your country of birth.
What if USCIS asks for more evidence?
Your attorney prepares the response, and it's included in your flat fee.
Start your EB-2 NIW.
Tell us about your background. An attorney will tell you how strong the case is today — before you pay for a petition.