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Expert and recommendation letters
What the Policy Manual says letters should contain, and how they are weighed.
Last reviewed against the USCIS Policy Manual on
“Submitted letters should specifically describe the beneficiary’s contribution and its significance to the field and should also set forth the basis of the writer’s knowledge and expertise.”
“Detailed letters from experts in the field explaining the nature and significance of the beneficiary’s contribution(s) may also provide valuable context for evaluating the claimed original contributions of major significance, particularly when the record includes documentation corroborating the claimed significance.”
“Detailed letters from persons with personal knowledge of the significance of the beneficiary’s role can be particularly helpful in analyzing this criterion.”
Note the pattern: letters explain and give context, and they are strongest when other documents corroborate them.
Quotes are word for word from the USCIS Policy Manual. Practitioner tips are common practice, not USCIS rules. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.