#approve
#апрув
#EB1
#одобрение
#IT
Hello everyone!
I decided to share some good news for me: last week, on the second attempt, I received an approval without an RFE (Request for Evidence) on day 14 of adjudication — the case was filed on March 18, 2026. It sounds mundane, but a LOT of time and nerves were spent. The first filing was denied on March 2, and by March 18 we were printing the case anew. So, we spent just over two weeks on reconsideration and strengthening (understandably, these reinforcement measures were not fundamental).
Field: IT, SOC: 15-1211, 7 out of 9 criteria (Critical role, Judging, Research, Media, Awards, Associations, Salary), Memorandum (Index format) of 60 pages, Final Merits — 47 pages, Exhibits — 2227 pages.
Here is how it looked before submission:
At first there was a long preparation phase; the process from “we need to start today” to “sent” took just over a year. The process was standard for many: developing strategy/positioning, collecting documents for the criteria, letters, searching for letters of intent, final checks, etc.
The filing was from the U.S. while on student status; the documents went to Nebraska because we used Yegor’s mailing address in Wisconsin, but… like many others, the RFE arrived from Texas. For some reason the case was transferred there; the officer was 1642 and credited only one criterion — salary. Despite a full and substantive response to the RFE, he ultimately issued a denial.
I’ll skip the flood of negative emotions, mostly directed at the officer’s comments (like, “the journal doesn’t seem scientific to me…” or “you didn’t show successes in application development,” and I’m not even a developer…). At first came feelings of disappointment and thoughts that the goal was unattainable, but we discussed with the team, decided what exactly to add, and a few weeks later we resubmitted the case.
And then — the long-awaited letter: “…Service Center has approved…“. 
It wasn’t easy, like for everyone, but I always felt the support of Yegor and his whole super team; they have been with me from the very beginning.
To everyone who is on this path (at any point of it), I wish patience and success! Never despair and never give up, and now I have the next steps ahead: filing forms and changing status — I hope this won’t drag on for years.
Nikolai.