dismissed EB-2 NIW

dismissed EB-2 NIW Case: Unknown

๐Ÿ“… Date unknown ๐Ÿ‘ค Individual ๐Ÿ“‚ Unknown

Decision Summary

The appeal was dismissed because the Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal, was improperly filed. The AAO determined that the petitioner's signature on the form was generated by a word processor, which is not a valid signature under 8 C.F.R. ยง 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(A). This procedural defect resulted in the dismissal of the appeal.

Criteria Discussed

Valid Signature On Appeal

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View Full Decision Text
U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration 
Services 
Non-Precedent Decision of the
Administrative Appeals Office 
Date: NOV. 16, 2023 In Re: 29045059 
Appeal of Texas Service Center Decision 
Form 1-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers (National Interest Waiver) 
The Petitioner seeks employment-based second preference (EB-2) immigrant classification as a 
member of the professions holding an advanced degree, as well as a national interest waiver of the job 
offer requirement attached to this classification. See Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act) 
section 203(b )(2), 8 U.S.C. ยง 1l 53(b )(2). 
The Director of the Texas Service Center denied the petition, concluding that while the record 
established that he qualifies for the EB-2 classification as a member of the professions holding an 
advanced degree, it did not establish that he merits, as a matter of discretion, a national interest waiver. 
The matter is now before us on appeal. 8 C.F.R. ยง 103.3. 
The Petitioner bears the burden of proof to demonstrate eligibility by a preponderance of the evidence. 
Matter ofChawathe, 25 I&N Dec. 369, 375-76 (AAO 2010). We review the questions in this matter 
de novo. Matter of Christo 's, Inc., 26 l&N Dec. 537, 537 n.2 (AAO 2015). Upon de novo review, 
we will dismiss the appeal. 
I. LAW 
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. ยง 103.2(a)(2) provides that "[u]nless otherwise specified 
in this chapter, an 
acceptable signature on a benefit request that is being filed with the USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services] is one that is either handwritten or, for benefit request filed electronically as 
permitted by the instructions to the form, in electronic format." A valid signature signifies that: 
โ€ข The person knows of the content of the request and any supporting documents; 
โ€ข The person has reviewed and approves of any information contained in such request and any 
supporting documents; and 
โ€ข The person certifies under penalty of perjury that the request and any other supporting 
documents are true and correct. 
See generally 1 USCIS Policy Manual B.2(B), www.uscis.gov/policy-manual. A valid signature 
consists of any handwritten mark or sign made by a person "that is consistent with how the person 
signing normally signs his or her name." Id. Such an original signature that is photocopied, scanned, 
faxed, or similarly reproduced is valid. However, a signature is invalid if it is a typed name on a 
signature line, or any signature created by a typewriter, word processor, stamp, auto-pen, or similar 
device. These regulations and policies are implemented "to maintain the integrity of the immigration 
benefit system and validate the identity of benefit requestors." Id. 
II. ANALYSIS 
The Petitioner submitted Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, with a "signature" produced by a 
word processor in line 6.a of Part 4. The font used for this "signature" is of a type and variety 
commonly used for word processor produced "signatures," and we note that it consists of all capital 
letters which are uniform in appearance. Further, it does not match the Petitioner's handwritten 
signature found on Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, or on Form ETA-750B, 
Application for Alien Employment Certification. Based upon the totality of these observations, we 
conclude that the "signature" on the Form r-290B was generated by a word processor and is therefore 
not valid as required by regulation. 8 C.F.R. ยง 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(A). 
The Petitioner's "signature" on Form r-290B is deficient, and we will dismiss this appeal as improperly 
filed. Per 8 C.F.R. ยง 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(A), users will reject a request that does not bear a valid signature 
when it receives the request. Likewise, it stands that a request without a valid signature that users 
does not discover until a later date also will not be considered as properly filed. See generally 1 USCIS 
Policy Manual B.2(A), https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual. Once users initially accepts a benefit 
request and subsequently discovers a deficient signature, the matter is denied or dismissed rather than 
rejected. See generalZv 1 USCIS Policy Manual, supra, at B.2(A). 
ORDER: The appeal is dismissed. 
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