Can I get a green card without an employer sponsoring me?
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver allows a qualified professional to seek a green card without employer sponsorship where their work benefits the United States at a national level. It waives the job offer and labor certification that an ordinary EB-2 requires, which is why it appeals to founders, researchers and independent professionals. The burden shifts onto you to evidence the national-level benefit, and that is where these cases are won or lost.
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It can. Policy guidance has identified U.S. competitiveness in STEM fields as a factor weighing in favour of a national interest waiver, and the same guidance broadened how O-1A evidence is assessed for STEM professionals. It is a factor rather than a qualification — the petition still has to establish your own record and the national-level benefit of your specific work.
AI-generated · Not attorney-reviewed