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Industrial Designer
Colombo & Hurd secured approval of an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition for an industrial designer from Colombia who specializes in orthopedic and physical rehabilitation product design. The petition was approved after the team responded to a Request for Evidence (RFE) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Millions of Americans with musculoskeletal conditions, mobility limitations, or permanent disabilities depend on orthopedic and rehabilitation devices every day. Meeting that need requires design that starts with the user, and the United States has a growing demand for professionals who can do both.
This client brings a user-centered approach to orthopedic and rehabilitation product design that connects clinical standards to real patient outcomes. Attorney Verónica Virgen filed the initial EB-2 NIW petition, and Attorney Jason Qiu led the successful RFE response.
Client Profile
A Career Built on Inclusive Design and Rehabilitation Innovation
Our client holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial design and has more than 15 years of experience in product design, development, and rehabilitation innovation. His work has focused on orthopedic and rehabilitation devices, with an emphasis on creating solutions for users with diverse physical needs.
His work covers product design, ergonomic research, and manufacturing improvement, with a focus on building devices that work for the person using them. He has applied established medical criteria to orthopedic and rehabilitation device design, working alongside healthcare and engineering professionals to develop products that balance clinical functionality, comfort, and accessibility. Notable projects include an outdoor gym for individuals with reduced mobility, built around ergonomic research and inclusive design principles, and a line of footwear with interchangeable components designed for adaptability and user comfort.
In the U.S., he proposes to design orthopedic and rehabilitation products that meet established medical criteria and improve functionality, comfort, and autonomy for individuals with disabilities. His plans include collaborating with healthcare and engineering professionals and promoting locally manufactured solutions.
The Challenge
Responding to an RFE Questioning National Importance and the Client’s Positioning
After reviewing the initial petition, USCIS accepted that the client qualifies as an advanced degree professional and that his proposed endeavor has substantial merit. The RFE asked for additional documentation on two remaining questions: whether the client’s proposed endeavor in the U.S. has national importance and whether the client was positioned to advance the endeavor.
For the legal team, the RFE was an opportunity to build on an already strong foundation. Attorney Jason Qiu and the legal team responded directly to each point raised, providing targeted evidence that addressed exactly what USCIS needed to fully evaluate the petition.
Strategic Response
Grounding the Endeavor in Federal Priorities and Documented National Need
Most orthopedic products are designed to meet clinical standards. His approach goes further: creating devices that work for the person wearing them, not just on paper.
The legal team focused on describing in clear terms the downstream economic effects of his work, as more accessible orthopedic products reduce healthcare costs for individuals and families, support domestic manufacturing, and contribute to a growing U.S. orthopedic devices market. The response showed how these outcomes align directly with federal priorities and programs, including the FDA Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Devices Committee, the Orthopaedic Research Program, and the Make America Healthy Again Commission.
Moreover, the legal team helped the client to develop updated letters of recommendation, a detailed plan for his proposed work in the United States, and evidence of financial support demonstrating he was well positioned to move the endeavor forward.
The Result
EB-2 NIW Approval After Comprehensive RFE Response
USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition following the RFE response. Our client can now move forward toward permanent residency and continue his work designing orthopedic and rehabilitation products for people with disabilities in the United States.
Why This Case Succeeded
Precision Over Volume in the RFE Response
The client’s education, his work in orthopedic and rehabilitation product design, and his U.S. plans all pointed to the same conclusion: his work addresses a national need and he has the background to deliver on it.
In responding to the RFE, the legal team’s approach emphasized evidentiary precision and quality over volume. As Attorney Qiu noted: “There was ample evidence supporting both the national importance of the client’s proposed work and the client’s record of success. However, rather than overwhelming the officer by submitting hundreds of pages, we focused on very discrete, specific, and targeted pieces of evidence that most persuasively responded to the officer’s concerns. Everything provided was intentional and went to strengthening a particular part of the response.”
