NIW (EB-2) translation: documents for the three Dhanasar prongs
EB-2 National Interest Waiver petitions are judged under the Matter of Dhanasar framework, so what matters is which documents you choose and how consistently they are translated. Here is what Chinese applicants typically submit and how we translate it.
USCIS requirement: Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), every foreign-language document submitted to USCIS needs a full English translation with the translator's certification of completeness, accuracy and competence. For government letters, document numbers, issuing authorities and dates must be preserved in place.
Seven core document categories mapped to the Dhanasar prongs
Degree certificates and CHSI verification reports
Advanced-degree eligibility and Dhanasar prong 2 (well positioned to advance the endeavor). If you have CHSI's official English report it can be used as is; the school's English name must match that report rather than a different rendering from the school website.
Employment letters and duty descriptions
Prong 2. Duties are translated sentence by sentence with the original action verbs (led, developed, presided over, drafted) rather than reduced to job titles.
Professional licenses and title certificates
Prong 2 and exceptional-ability evidence: medical and legal licenses, registered engineer or architect certificates, senior professional titles. Less familiar credentials are accompanied by an explanation of the issuing body.
Papers and patents
Prongs 1 and 2. NIW focuses on the merit and national importance of the endeavor rather than academic rank, so attorneys typically combine abstracts or full papers, journal background, patent certificates and claims, and adoption evidence.
Government recognition and industry support letters
Prongs 1 and 3 — the category where NIW differs most from EB-1A. Document numbers, issuing authorities and dates are legal information and stay in their original position in the translation.
Project documents and business plans
For entrepreneur NIW cases. Business plans contain forecasts; tense is kept as in the original, and currency is not converted inside the certified translation.
Media coverage (supporting evidence)
Unlike EB-1A, media coverage is usually supporting rather than central in NIW, though it can help show national importance in culture, arts or public policy.
FAQ
What does USCIS evaluate in an NIW petition?
Under Matter of Dhanasar, 26 I&N Dec. 884 (AAO 2016): (1) the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance; (2) the applicant is well positioned to advance it; (3) on balance, waiving the job offer and labor certification benefits the United States. Each translated document matters for the prong it supports.
Are NIW documents the same as EB-1A documents?
Not entirely. EB-1A centers on awards, media, letters and papers; NIW leans more on degree verification, employment evidence and government or industry support letters — and almost every NIW case includes a degree verification report.
Do I need a business plan for NIW?
Generally only entrepreneur NIW cases, to show a concrete path for the endeavor. Most academic and technical applicants do not submit one.
How is NIW translation priced?
Certified translation is $16 per page, counted from the real pages of your upload; minimum order $25. The quote is itemized per file and is the final price.
Upload your NIW documents and get a quote
One price per page includes the translation, translator's declaration and bilingual seal; government documents keep their original layout.