Everything you need to know about evaluating your EB-1A or EB-2 NIW profile and reviewing your petition.
Two employment-based green card pathways that don't require a job offer or labor certification: EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) and EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver). EB-1A requires sustained national or international acclaim demonstrated through at least 3 of 10 regulatory criteria under 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3). EB-2 NIW requires an advanced degree or exceptional ability plus a proposed endeavor that meets the three-prong Dhanasar test. Many applicants qualify for — and file — both concurrently.
That's exactly what our Profile Evaluation answers — for both EB-1A and EB-2 NIW. Many professionals underestimate their qualifications or overestimate them. The evaluation scores your profile against the same framework USCIS adjudicators use and tells you where you stand, what's strong, what's weak, and what to do next. If you're unsure which pathway suits you, the Dual Pathway Assessment evaluates both and recommends which to pursue (or whether to file both).
Free tools typically offer a simple checklist — you check boxes and get a generic score. Emeritas analyzes your actual evidence narrative, verifies claims against public data, identifies specific RFE risks, provides document checklists per criterion (EB-1A) or per Dhanasar prong (NIW), suggests specific evidence from your country and field, and delivers a downloadable report you can immediately start implementing.
No. Emeritas is an informational evaluation tool, not a law firm. No attorney-client relationship is created. You should consult a qualified immigration attorney before filing. Our reports are designed to help you make more informed decisions.
EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) is a US immigration category for professionals with an advanced degree or exceptional ability whose work serves the national interest. Unlike standard EB-2, it does not require a job offer or labor certification. You must demonstrate that your proposed endeavor meets the three-prong Dhanasar test: substantial merit and national importance, you are well positioned to advance it, and it would benefit the U.S. to waive the job offer requirement.
EB-1A requires extraordinary ability — sustained national or international acclaim and being among the small percentage at the very top of your field. EB-2 NIW requires exceptional ability (a lower threshold — 'significantly above that ordinarily encountered') plus a national interest argument for your proposed work. EB-1A focuses on past achievements; NIW focuses on your proposed future endeavor and its national importance. Many applicants file both concurrently.
Matter of Dhanasar (2016) established the current three-prong test for NIW: (1) your proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, (2) you are well positioned to advance the endeavor, and (3) on balance, it would benefit the U.S. to waive the job offer requirement. This replaced the older NYSDOT framework.
You need either an advanced degree (master's or higher, or a bachelor's plus 5 years of progressive experience in the same specialty) OR evidence of exceptional ability meeting 3 of 6 criteria under the regulation. The advanced degree route is more straightforward for most applicants.
Yes — filing both concurrently is common and accepted. The two categories use different standards and different evidence focus, so filing both maximizes your chances. Our Profile Evaluation covers each separately.
A comprehensive report for a single pathway (EB-1A or EB-2 NIW) including: overall score and assessment, per-criterion analysis (EB-1A) or per-Dhanasar-prong analysis (NIW), evidence assessment (what's strong, weak, and missing), document checklists, RFE preemption language, personalized evidence suggestions, a projected score with improvement roadmap, and your next steps. If you want both pathways scored side-by-side in one evaluation, the $99.99 Dual Pathway Assessment is the right choice.
About 15 minutes to fill out the form, plus 1-2 minutes for the evaluation to process. You can download your PDF report immediately.
Yes. On the last page before submission, you can optionally upload your CV. We cross-reference it against your responses to find qualifications you may have overlooked.
A low score doesn't mean you can't pursue your pathway (EB-1A or EB-2 NIW) — it means you need to build your profile before filing. Your report includes a specific action plan with immediate next steps, evidence suggestions, and a projected score showing what you could reach with improvements. If one pathway is weak, the report will often suggest whether the other pathway is a better fit for your profile today.
A single evaluation that scores your profile against BOTH EB-1A and EB-2 NIW frameworks side-by-side. You get side-by-side scores for both pathways, a summary of strengths and gaps for each, and a detailed criteria-by-criteria (or prong-by-prong) breakdown for the stronger pathway — the one we recommend you pursue first. Plus a clear recommendation on which to file, and when dual filing is viable.
A side-by-side score comparison for both pathways, a strength/gap summary for each, and a full detailed report (criteria or prongs, gaps, document checklists, filing readiness, next steps) for the recommended stronger pathway. Plus an explicit recommendation: which pathway to pursue, why, and whether dual filing makes sense given both scores. Cheaper than running two standalone Profile Evaluations ($139.98) with added strategic comparison the single-pathway evaluations don't include.
When you're genuinely unsure which pathway suits you, when your field straddles both (applied research, senior industry roles, founders), or when you want to make a data-backed decision about whether to file concurrently. If you're already confident about one pathway, the single $69.99 Profile Evaluation is sufficient.
An EB-1A or EB-2 NIW petition is the formal application (Form I-140) submitted to USCIS. It includes a petition letter arguing your case, supporting exhibits, expert recommendation letters, and evidence for each criterion you claim (EB-1A) or for each Dhanasar prong (NIW). Our Petition Review covers both pathways.
An attorney reviewing an EB-1A or NIW petition before filing charges $1,000-$3,000+. Our review identifies the same issues — RFE vulnerabilities, evidence gaps, weak arguments, exhibit problems — for $147. Think of it as a second opinion before you file.
A detailed audit covering: per-criterion assessment, exact RFE language USCIS would likely issue, missing evidence and documents to add, expert letter quality review, final merits narrative assessment, exhibit gap analysis, priority fixes ranked by impact, and a filing readiness assessment with estimated timeline.
Upload it as a text-based PDF. Scanned or image-based PDFs cannot be processed.
A Request for Evidence (RFE) is a notice from USCIS asking for additional evidence to support your petition. It is not a denial — it is an opportunity to strengthen your case. You typically have 84 days to respond.
You upload three documents: your original petition, the RFE letter from USCIS, and your draft response. We cross-reference all three to check whether every concern raised in the RFE is addressed in your response, identify gaps, and flag red flags before you submit.
Yes — the RFE letter from USCIS can be a scanned PDF. However, your original petition and draft response must be text-based PDFs (not scanned).
A concern-by-concern review showing which RFE issues are fully addressed, partially addressed, or not addressed. Plus: red flags, consistency check (does the response contradict the original petition?), priority fixes, and a submission readiness assessment.
Reports are generated and delivered immediately, so refunds are generally not available after an evaluation is complete. Two exceptions: (1) Money-back guarantee on Petition Review and RFE Response Review — if the review does not identify at least one actionable improvement, email hello@emeritas.pro within 7 days of purchase for a full refund. (2) Technical failure — if the service fails to produce a result, contact us for a re-run or full refund. We acknowledge refund requests within 24 business hours and aim to resolve them within 72 business hours. Full details in our Terms of Service.
Yes — when 3 people apply together using a shared group code, everyone gets 20% off the Profile Evaluation.
Yes. All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS). Payment is processed by Stripe — we never see your card details. Uploaded documents are processed in memory and not stored after the evaluation is complete.
Still have questions? Use the feedback button on our site or contact us at hello@emeritas.pro