EB2 NIW approval rate is no longer a background statistic buried in immigration reports. For African professionals, founders, researchers, and high-net-worth individuals, the EB-2 NIW approval rate now decides something far more serious: when you file, how aggressively USCIS will question your value, and whether EB-2 NIW is still worth pursuing at all.

In the last two years, approvals have tightened, denials have risen, and many African applicants have learned, often too late, that the strength of their profile alone is no longer enough. People with advanced degrees, global recognition, and real impact have still received RFEs or denials, while others with less obvious credentials have secured approvals. That contrast has created fear, confusion, and misinformation around what the numbers actually mean.

This article exists to remove that confusion.

Not marketing talk.
Not recycled optimism.
Not promises.

Instead, you will see verified USCIS data, clear trends from 2022 to 2025, and a direct explanation of how approval patterns specifically affect African applicants, especially those filing under EB-2 NIW, while also considering O-1 as a backup. You will understand why approval rates fell, what USCIS is now rewarding, what mistakes quietly hurt African petitions, and how timing, framing, and evidence now matter more than raw credentials.

If you are serious about filing EB-2 NIW from Africa, or advising someone who is, this is the context you need before you submit anything to USCIS.

Read Also: EB2 NIW Approval Rate 2025

What “EB2 NIW approval rate” actually means (and what it does not)

Before we go into numbers, let’s clear something up.

When people talk about EB2 NIW approval rate, they usually mean:

• The percentage of EB2 NIW I-140 petitions approved by USCIS
  
• Out of all adjudicated cases in a given period
  

What it does not mean:

• Your personal chance of approval
  
• A guarantee that filing now leads to a green card
  
• That all professions or nationalities are treated the same
  

USCIS publishes approval and denial data through its Form I-140 Reports and Analysis by Preference Category. These reports combine applicants from all countries, fields, and petition quality levels.

That matters, especially for African applicants.

The current EB2 NIW approval rate: verified USCIS data

Based on USCIS Form I-140 adjudication summaries:

EB-2 NIW approval trend (all applicants combined)

• FY 2022: ~95% approval
  
• FY 2023: ~79–80% approval
  
• FY 2024: ~70–71% approval
  
• FY 2025 (Q1–Q3 average): ~60–62% approval
  

By Q3 of FY 2025, approvals dropped closer to 54%, while denials rose to about 46%.

These figures come directly from USCIS I-140 RAPD summaries and have been widely referenced by immigration law firms tracking NIW trends.

So yes, the eb2 niw approval rate has fallen sharply since 2022.

But that headline alone misses the real story.

Why the EB2 NIW approval rate dropped (the real reasons)

1. 2022 was an exception, not the norm

In early 2022, USCIS issued policy guidance following “Executive Order 14012”, which encouraged a broader interpretation of “national interest.”

That led to:

• Easier approvals
  
• Looser evidence standards
  
• A surge in filings
  

Approval rates above 90% were never sustainable.

2. Application volume exploded

Between FY 2022 and FY 2024:

• EB-2 NIW filings more than tripled
  
• Many petitions were rushed, generic, or poorly structured
  
• Approval statistics dropped as weak cases entered the pool
  

Approval rate statistics include every case—strong and weak alike.

3. Dhanasar is now applied strictly

USCIS now enforces the “Matter of Dhanasar” standard as written, not loosely.

Applicants must prove:

1. The work has national importance to the U.S.
   
2. You are positioned to advance that work
   
3. Waiving labor certification benefits the U.S.
   

Many petitions fail on prong 1 or 3, not credentials.

Why do African applicants feel the impact more

The EB2 NIW approval rate affects everyone, but African applicants face specific challenges that rarely get discussed.

A. Evidence mismatch, not lack of talent

Many African professionals:

• Work on impactful projects
  
• Lead companies or research locally
  
• Solve real problems
  

But their work is often:

• Not documented in U.S.-recognised formats
  
• Not tied clearly to the U.S. national benefit
  
• Explained in regional terms, not U.S. policy language
  

USCIS does not deny potential.
It denies poor framing.

B. Over-reliance on degrees

A common mistake:

“I have a PhD / Master’s / strong resume, so NIW should be fine.”

Degrees alone do not move the EB-2 NIW approval rate.
USCIS approves impact, not education.

C. Generic recommendation letters

Many African petitions use:

• Template letters
  
• Academic praise without outcomes
  
• No U.S. relevance
  

These letters carry little weight.

EB-2 NIW approval rate by strength of petition (what USCIS does not publish)

USCIS does not publish approval rates by petition quality, but experienced practitioners consistently observe:

• Strong, targeted petitions still approve at high rates
  
• Generic petitions now fail fast
  

In other words:

The real EB2 NIW approval rate for well-built cases is much higher than the headline number.

What USCIS officers are actually looking for in 2025

Based on RFEs, denials, and approvals from FY 2024–2025, USCIS focuses on:

• Clear U.S. relevance
  
• Specific outcomes, not future promises
  
• Proof that your work affects U.S. systems, not only global good
  

They ask questions like:

• Who in the U.S. benefits from this work?
  
• What problem does it solve for the U.S.?
  
• Why does the U.S. need you and not just someone local later?
  

If your petition does not answer these clearly, approval rates do not matter.

EB-2 NIW vs O-1 approval rates (brief comparison)

For context only:

• O-1 approval rates remain high (often above 85%)
  
• But O-1:
  
  • Is temporary
    
  • Requires ongoing sponsorship or agent structure
    
  • Does not directly lead to a green card
    

EB-2 NIW approval rate is lower, but:

• It leads directly to permanent residence
  
• Allows self-petition
  
• Fits founders, researchers, and senior professionals
  

For most African applicants planning long-term U.S. residence, EB-2 NIW remains the strategic option.

What the EB2 NIW approval rate means for filing timing

Filing earlier matters more now

Because of visa retrogression:

• You cannot move forward without an approved I-140
  
• Your priority date starts only after filing
  

Even if approval rates fluctuate, earlier filing locks your place in line.

Waiting for “better numbers” often backfires.

What strong EB-2 NIW cases do differently

Petitions that still succeed despite the lower EB-2 NIW approval rate share clear traits:

They show U.S. impact first, credentials second

• Industry benefit
  
• Economic value
  
• Security, health, infrastructure, or innovation relevance
  

They quantify results

• Revenue influenced
  
• Systems improved
  
• Adoption, deployment, or measurable use
  

They avoid global vagueness

“Helping Africa” alone is not enough.

You must show why the U.S. benefits directly or indirectly.

Common myths hurting approval rates

Myth 1: Approval rates are falling because USCIS dislikes NIW
→ False. USCIS dislikes weak petitions.

Myth 2: Africans are denied more
→ No published data support nationality bias.

Myth 3: More publications guarantee approval
→ Many denied applicants have strong academic records.

The EB2 NIW approval rate is not your ceiling

Approval rates reflect averages, not outcomes.

Think of the EB-2 NIW approval rate as traffic data, not destiny.

• Bad drivers skew accident stats
  
• Good drivers still arrive safely
  

Your petition quality matters more than the headline number.

Final note for African professionals considering EB-2 NIW

If you are:

• A founder
  
• A researcher
  
• A senior professional
  
• A specialist with real-world impact
  

EB-2 NIW is still open to you.

But it now demands:

• Precision
  
• Strategy
  
• U.S. framing
  

At the end of the process, many applicants choose to review their positioning, documentation, and U.S. relevance with structured platforms that understand cross-border cases. Some, for example, attend educational webinars and consultations offered through Veripass, which focuses on helping African professionals understand how U.S. immigration officers interpret evidence, timelines, and national interest framing before filing.

If you decide to explore that route, the next step is usually simple:
Watch the webinar and book a consultation, not to rush a filing, but to understand how your profile fits the current EB-2 NIW approval rate reality.

That clarity alone often makes the difference.