As one of the few pathways to offer a self-petitioning green card, the EB-2 NIW green card is one of the most sought-after immigrant visas. The number of NIW petitions filed in Fiscal Year 2025 (66,000+) has grown threefold relative to the number of petitions in 2022 (~22,000). With that, an increase in interest has also invited an increase in scrutiny, clearly demonstrated by the fourth quarter of FY 2025, with an NIW denial rate of 64.3%
Many of these petitions face a quick RFE or denial because of vague or generalized arguments of contribution to the tech field. In this highly competitive climate, one of the most effective strategies to clear the Matter of Dhanasar national importance hurdle is to align your petition directly with the nation’s top technological mandate: global dominance in Artificial Intelligence. Fortunately, the key priorities related to AI are posted directly on the White House website.
Top AI Priorities For EB-2 NIW Cases
The top priorities published by the White House are an excellent source for developing a strong NIW petition, particularly for the first prong of the Matter of Dhanasar standard: “substantial merit and national importance.”
Sitting in first place on the national priorities on the white house website is AI, specifically, “leading the world in AI.” In July 2025, the administration released AMERICA’S AI ACTION PLAN, highlighting that unquestioned and unchallenged global technological dominance in AI is a “national security imperative.”
The plan specifically mentions fields and endeavors in:
Life Sciences & Healthcare
- AI-enabled drug discovery and chemical synthesis.
- Whole-genome sequencing and protein structure modeling.
- Biosecurity and screening for harmful pathogens.
Next-Generation Manufacturing
- Robotics and autonomous systems (drones, self-driving vehicles).
- Foundational and translational manufacturing technologies.
- Supply chain resilience for technical hardware.
Energy & Power Infrastructure
- Nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, and enhanced geothermal energy.
- Advanced grid management and stabilization technologies.
- Energy-efficient data center power solutions.
Hardware & Semiconductors
- On-shoring and restoring semiconductor manufacturing.
- Advanced AI computing and semiconductor chip design.
- Manufacturing sub-systems and hardware security.
Cybersecurity & AI Safety
- AI interpretability, control systems, and robustness.
- Protection against adversarial attacks (data poisoning/deepfakes).
- Critical infrastructure cybersecurity and incident response.
Foundational AI & Data Science
- Theoretical, computational, and experimental AI research.
- Creation of large-scale, high-quality scientific datasets.
- AI workforce training and specialized talent recruitment.
Proposed Endeavor in the AI Field
When aligning your proposed endeavor in the field of AI, it’s critical to outline AI’s role. For example, for a drug discovery project, demonstrating how AI is expected to significantly reduce the drug discovery timeline for rare diseases or support the design of drug candidates in future trials.
Next Steps After Aligning With an AI Priority
Aligning with a national priority in the field of AI is only a third of the battle. For EB-2 NIW petitions, you must clearly demonstrate your expertise related to your proposed endeavor. USCIS adjudicators want to see how your past work experience and education set you up for success when it comes to implementing your proposed endeavor.
USCIS adjudicators are looking for tangible evidence, such as an advanced degree with specialization in AI, scientific papers in which AI was utilized in your methodology, and an industry track record. Your reputation in the field should ideally be bolstered by tailored letters of recommendation who are also experts in the field.
Lastly, your petition must effectively convince USCIS adjudicators that the U.S. cannot afford to wait for a lengthy PERM process. Your evidence and arguments should clearly show that undergoing the PERM process would harm the national interest. By pausing your AI advancement for roughly two years, this significant delay would put the United States at a disadvantage, allowing other countries to progress at a faster rate.