NIW has been popular mean to apply for GC for most of scientists or researchers. It is, you have large chance to be approved. My experience is that you will get approved eventually if your visa will expire soon, then, the officer will show his kind to let you stay in US. When you have enough time for your visa, then, the qualification becomes important. In this case, some lucky applicants in TSC get approved even though their backgrounds are not good enough for NIW critera. A few also will get approved if he happens to meet a very nice and reasonable person in NSC. But, basically, you will have to have some publications or awards or some citations to show to the officer that you are good enough, ortherwise, RFE will send out to you. You know, it is so tough to find some good recommendation letters from good people, those guys are in his innner personality serious people, they will not easily write you a very good letter which is required to demonstrate you are good. So, the best way is to ask your boss to help you, this is sometimes not easy either because some bosses are shamed of asking famous people to do a favor for you, or some PIs don`t really want to help you out in such cases. Then, what should you do? You should change your PI if you still have some time, otherwise, if the good relationship can not be established, you will have to put your hope on someone else who can help you and write you a good letter.
One way is to ask your fellow friends, one of Postdoc in our lab, his former boss is the director of one center in a famous University, I talked my situation to the Postdoc, he nicely sent out a asking letter for his former boss, the result was OK, and I got one very important letter. Other method is to ask directly to the good person in your conference meeting, talk your situation to them. 50/50, you may get help from them.
It is 5:00PM, I will have to go earlier today, I will write more next time......
Thanks for reading,
A person whose NIW I-140 get approved recently by doing it myself after a denied done by my laywer.