Two Green Cards in 106 Days: EB-2 NIW Adjustment of Status Approved for an AI Researcher and His Wife
By Clarvo Legal · March 23, 2026
An artificial intelligence researcher and his wife received their green cards on March 20, 2026, just 106 days after filing. His EB-2 National Interest Waiver had already been approved; this final step, adjustment of status, turned that approval into permanent residence for both of them, without leaving the United States. Here is what went into the application, why NIW self-petitioners don’t need Supplement J, and the full timeline from petition to green cards.
Approved · EB-2 NIW petition (I-140), Aug 7, 2025
Approved · Green card, principal (E26), Mar 20, 2026
Approved · Green card, spouse (E27), Mar 20, 2026On March 20, 2026, USCIS approved green cards for an artificial intelligence researcher and his wife, 106 days after their applications were filed. His path to permanent residence ran through the EB-2 National Interest Waiver, and this final step turned an approved petition into two green cards.
The client
He is a Ph.D. researcher in computer engineering at a U.S. university, working on computer vision: teaching machines to understand images using machine learning and deep learning. With more than seven years of research experience, he has contributed to three projects funded by the National Science Foundation, published in leading IEEE venues, and reviews for top journals and conferences in artificial intelligence.
His next step is postdoctoral research on vision-language models, systems that connect images and text, including a face recognition model guided by natural-language descriptions. It is exactly the kind of AI work the national interest waiver recognizes.
From an approved petition to a green card
An approved EB-2 NIW petition is a major milestone, but it is not a green card. For someone already in the United States, the final step is adjustment of status (Form I-485), filed once a visa number is available for the priority date. He and his wife were in the U.S. in student and dependent status, so they could complete the process here, together.
What went into the application
The timeline
- May 6, 2024EB-2 NIW petition filedHis Form I-140 self-petition sets the priority date.
- August 7, 2025NIW approvedUSCIS approves the I-140 under the national interest waiver.
- December 4, 2025Green card applications filedForm I-485 for him and for his wife, filed together once his priority date was current.
- March 20, 2026Both approvedUSCIS approves both applications on the same day, 106 days after filing.
What made the difference
- Filing as soon as the date was current. The applications went in once his priority date was current, without waiting.
- A clean status record. Both spouses had maintained their status throughout, which kept the case simple.
- Showing continued intent. A clear statement tied his ongoing and future research to the field his NIW was approved for.
- One family filing. His wife’s application was filed with his and approved the same day.
Have an approved NIW?
Once your EB-2 NIW is approved, the timing of your green card application depends on your priority date and the monthly visa bulletin. Planning ahead, keeping your status clean and having your documents ready means you can file the moment you are eligible.
Congratulations to our clients on their green cards.