NIW Business / Endeavor Plan

A structured plan following the template format for your proposed endeavor.

Video Guidance

Presented by Nicole Gunara, Principal Immigration Attorney at Manifest Law

Task Guidance

Your plan should follow a structured format similar to the attached template. Here's what USCIS expects to see:

  • Introduction: A clear, concise statement of your proposed endeavor in 1–2 sentences. Who you are, where you work, and exactly what you plan to do.
  • The Core Challenge You Address: What specific problem exists in your field that needs solving? Why does this problem matter to the United States? Connect it to national priorities like technological advancement, economic competitiveness, public health, or safety.
  • Your Proposed Objectives: Break your endeavor into 2–3 concrete, interconnected objectives. For each one, describe exactly what you will build, create, or implement and who benefits. Be specific: not "I will advance AI" but "I will develop X system that does Y for Z users."
  • Your Current Work & Track Record: Describe your major projects with specific metrics (number of users, volume processed, revenue generated, adoption rates). This proves you can actually deliver on your plan.
  • Your Background & Qualifications: Your technical expertise, domain knowledge, and track record of impact. Why are YOU the right person for this work?

  • Phase 1: What you will do in the near term
  • Phase 2: How you will expand (partnerships, collaborations, scaling)
  • Phase 3: Broader dissemination and long-term impact

  • U.S. competitiveness (reference government policies, White House/OSTP guidance, or agency priorities if possible)
  • Economic impact (cost savings, efficiency gains, market opportunities—cite credible sources)
  • Public trust and safety
  • Equitable access for all Americans, not just well-resourced institutions

  • Every section must center on YOUR personal contribution, not your company's mission or your industry generally.
  • Include real numbers and metrics wherever possible. "I built a system serving 50,000 users" is far stronger than "I built a widely-used system."
  • Name specific collaborators, institutions, or partners you plan to work with if available.
  • Reference concrete government documents, executive orders, or agency strategic priorities that align with your work.
  • The conclusion should restate your endeavor, summarize your key achievements with metrics, and articulate what's at stake if your work is not continued.

Your attorney will revise and edit this to make it clear to USCIS what your day-to-day work looks like, what your specific plan is to accomplish your proposal and how it impacts US national priorities (in a concrete way).