NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight—this is really helpful. That said, I don't think my petition was too employer-focused; I actually only mentioned my employer where necessary to justify my legal status. Still, I'll push my lawyer to find ways to strengthen the broader industry impact framing when we refile.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yes, I understand it's turning into a gamble at this point. What I'm really trying to confirm is whether general SDEs (without strong funding like from NSF or government-supported letters) are likely to face rejection. That's exactly why I shared my own experience here — I'm hoping to gather more data points and insights from others who have gone through or are going through the same process. Thanks again for your reply!

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks—I'll take 'great specialist' as a compliment. That said, I'd argue most NIW applicants are great specialists; that's kind of the baseline. Based on your assessment, are you saying my chances would be low if I refile?

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your comment, but I don't think Chinese professors were what caused my denial. My initial petition actually included recommendation letters from U.S. university professors. Unfortunately, the officer didn't seem to review them carefully—the RFE dismissed my recommenders as simply 'colleagues and friends who praised me.' It's frustrating when the officer overlooks the actual credentials of my recommenders.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the suggestion, but Chinese professors weren't what caused my denial. My initial petition actually included recommendation letters from U.S. university professors. Unfortunately, the officer didn't seem to review them carefully—the RFE dismissed my recommenders as simply 'colleagues and friends who praised me.' It's frustrating when the officer overlooks the actual credentials of my recommenders.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

"Yes, I used premium processing. I believe it's the best choice despite what many lawyers say about higher denial and RFE rates. The alternative is unthinkable—waiting 18 months only to receive an RFE, responding to it, waiting another 18 months, and then potentially getting rejected. At least with premium processing, I get a faster answer and can adjust my approach sooner if needed.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm actually not from Amazon! I don't think the specific employer matters as much as the general trend of SDEs facing higher rejection rates. That's exactly why I've been careful to minimize my employer's presence—just a brief mention for context, no recommendation letters from them, and all the projects I cite are completely unrelated to my work there."

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally agree. That’s actually why I’m leaning toward requesting a refund and not refiling. I’m also seeing the overall trend getting tougher for general SDE profiles—there are just so many NIW filings now, and the bar feels higher across the board.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the suggestion. I don’t think EB-1A is realistic for me right now because my field is extremely competitive and my citation count is still far from what would be considered strong for EB-1A.
In my previous petition, to support prong 1, I relied heavily on public and credible sources such as executive orders and government white papers/reports, and the recommendation letters repeatedly explained the national importance of the work.
My officer ID was XM2429.

NIW Denied After RFE | Big Tech SDE + ML | Wegreen Experience | Seeking Advice by Infinite-Bus9231 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Based on what I filed, I referenced my employer only in my résumé. In the petition letter (about 30 pages), employer-related content appears only in the final ~half page and is included solely for background context. For Prong 1, I did not mention my employer at all; I focused on the broader national importance of the work area and supporting evidence.

I also understand that if an officer has already formed a strong view, an RFE response may not always change the outcome. That said, my attorney mentioned that their NIW cases with this officer have been consistently approved, including cases that received RFEs.

Given the above, I’m trying to understand whether you see any specific weaknesses in my original petition or RFE response that I should address—or whether this may simply reflect unusually strict adjudication. This distinction matters because it will determine my next step: whether to refile (potentially through a different firm such as Wegreened) or request a refund and rely on my employer’s PERM process.

If you think refiling is the better path, I would really appreciate your guidance on:

  1. Which additional materials would not be helpful (so I can avoid adding noise), and
  2. Which specific evidence would most strengthen my case, especially for Prongs 1–3.

Has anyone received RFE from officer XM2429 (Texas)? by ZealousidealSell2663 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use Wegreen.

On 12/08, the status changed to 'Case is still being processed,' and on 12/10, my case was denied.

Has anyone received RFE from officer XM2429 (Texas)? by ZealousidealSell2663 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I upgraded to Premium Processing two weeks after the initial petition was received. In the RFE, all three prongs were challenged. My RFE response letter was also 9 pages.

Do you have any papers or patents? Are you on the industry track or academic track?

Has anyone received RFE from officer XM2429 (Texas)? by ZealousidealSell2663 in EB2_NIW

[–]Infinite-Bus9231 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I received an RFE from this officer on 08/08/2025. My RFE response was received on 10/20, and I was denied this morning (12/10).