What shows you are well positioned (Dhanasar prong 2)?

Education, skills, a record of success, a model or plan, and progress toward the endeavor. A plan with no past record, or a record with no plan, is a typical gap.

Do I need a U.S. job offer for prong 2?

No. NIW waives the job offer, but you still need documentary proof you can advance the work (publications, funding, users, prototypes, or a detailed prospective plan).

Visa Engine

Go to app Go to app

EB-2-NIW

Well Positioned to Advance the Endeavor

Dhanasar Prong 2 — education, skills, record of success, and plan

Last updated Apr 4, 2026

Educational only — not legal advice.

Evidence that supports this criterion

Citation Evidence
Publication
Recommendation Letter

Official Definition

Matter of Dhanasar, 26 I&N Dec. 884 (AAO 2016), requires that the petitioner demonstrate they are well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor. USCIS considers factors including but not limited to: the individual’s education, skills, knowledge, and record of success in related or relevant efforts; any model or plan for future activities related to the proposed endeavor; any progress toward achieving the proposed endeavor; and the interest of potential customers, users, investors, or other relevant entities or individuals.

Prong 2 is forward-looking but must be grounded in credible past performance and a plausible path—not aspiration alone.

What Adjudicators Look For

Officers weigh whether the totality of the record shows you can actually execute the endeavor. A STEM Ph.D. or other advanced credentials may be relevant under January 2022 USCIS guidance but are not alone dispositive. Adjudicators look for concrete proof: publications, citations, patents, products shipped, patients enrolled (where applicable), code or datasets adopted, leadership roles, funding won, media coverage tied to technical contribution, and letters from people who know the work firsthand.

For entrepreneurs, evidence of founder role, capital raised, revenue, strategic partnerships, hiring, and technology milestones supports positioning. For clinicians or researchers, appointments, grants, trial leadership, and peer recognition matter.

Evidence Strength

Strong Evidence

Timeline of achievements mapped to the same endeavor described in Prong 1
Independent proof of success: awards with criteria, grant IDs, patent numbers, download or usage stats, sales figures (redacted if needed)
Letters from experts who cite specific projects, outcomes, or collaborations—not generic praise
Concrete plan: milestones, resources, collaborators, and how you will continue in the U.S.
Stakeholder interest: customer contracts, pilot agreements, investor term sheets, collaboration MOUs, or admission to competitive accelerators

Weak Evidence

Resume without linkage to the proposed endeavor’s technical or business goals
Degrees listed with no record of applying skills to the endeavor
Self-authored success narrative with no third-party corroboration
Future plans that contradict past roles or expertise with no explanation
Form letters from distant acquaintances without field-specific detail

Common RFE Triggers

Prong 1 and Prong 2 misaligned: national importance claimed for one topic, résumé focused on another without bridging narrative.
Relying on employer title alone (e.g., “senior engineer”) without outcomes tied to the endeavor.
Student status with only coursework—insufficient independent research, employment, or entrepreneurial traction.
Confidentiality invoked for all specifics, leaving the record empty of verifiable facts.
Expert letters that repeat petitioner language without independent assessment.

Tips

Pro Tips

Create a one-page “positioning map”: skills → past wins → next milestones for the same endeavor.
Use before/after metrics where ethical and accurate (efficiency gains, error reduction, adoption growth).
For early-career petitioners, emphasize accelerated achievements, selective programs, and external validation—even if scale is modest.
Coordinate Prong 2 exhibits with EB-2 eligibility documents (degrees, experience) so the story feels unified.
Redact sensitively but leave enough non-secret detail for an officer to understand impact.

Relevant Document Types

CV, employment verification, publication and citation reports, patent office documents, grant award notices, media articles, conference acceptances, recommendation letters, customer or pilot agreements, pitch decks (summary slides + evidence), tax or revenue summaries where appropriate, licensure, and Other verifiable artifacts of progress.

Common questions