Data tool

NIW & EB-1A Approval Rates —
Every Fiscal Year

USCIS I-140 adjudication data, decided cases only (approved ÷ approved + denied). Updated quarterly as USCIS publishes new figures.

Category
What happened in FY2024

USCIS tightened NIW scrutiny — approval rates fell by half

In FY2024, USCIS began applying stricter "prong 2" scrutiny to National Interest Waiver petitions — requiring more concrete evidence that the benefit to the US is "substantial" and that waiving the job offer requirement is warranted. NIW approval rates among decided cases fell from 83% in FY2023 to 71% in FY2024, with Q4 hitting 61% — a level not seen since before the category became widely used.

Source: USCIS I-140 adjudication data · Approval rate = approved ÷ (approved + denied) · Pending cases excluded · Last updated:

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