Help Us Help You!

Our law firm is excited to begin working on your case. To help our legal writers produce the strongest possible petition, we’ve found that certain practices make the process smoother and the final product more effective. Here’s how you can best support our team:

📄 GETTING STARTED

• Write your personal statement early. This serves as a roadmap for your case and helps guide the direction of the petition.

  
  

• Use plain language. Remember that USCIS officers are not trained in your field and may not understand technical terms. If you must use technical language, include a short explanation in parentheses to clarify complex ideas.

  
  

• Provide a detailed description of your field and niche early in the process. Be sure to include:

  • The field of endeavor and why it is important to the United States

  • Your top contributions to the field

  • The scope and impact of your work

  • Evidence of your sustained national or international recognition of achievements in the field

    
    

• Review the USCIS Policy Manual, Chapter 2. This resource offers valuable insight into what officers look for and can significantly strengthen your petition. It really does make a difference.

  
  

✉️ LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (LORs)

• Personal statement and field of endeavor come first. Once you’ve written these, our team can begin drafting your letters of recommendation (LORs), which form a critical part of the evidence in your case. We prepare drafts for you to share with your chosen letter writers for their review, modification, and signature.

  
  

• Confirm your letter writers early. Please ask each letter writer beforehand if they are willing to review, edit, and sign a letter. Assure them that they are free to make any modifications they believe are appropriate. It is their letter and should reflect their opinions. Because we tailor each draft to the specific letter writer, it is essential to know in advance that they will participate in this process.

  
  

• Provide detailed information about your letter writers. The more we know, the stronger and more personalized the LORs will be. Helpful details include:

  • LinkedIn profiles, resumes, or media coverage about the letter writer

  • How you know them and the context of your relationship

  • Which criteria they can credibly attest to

  • Specific projects they can discuss, why those projects mattered, how they impacted the field, and how they demonstrate your expertise

    
    

• Keep the explanations clear. We understand that most of our clients work in highly technical fields, but please avoid giving us “ChatGPT-style” jargon-heavy write-ups. Instead, focus on providing context and painting a picture of why your skills are extraordinary, while minimizing overly technical language that only other specialists would understand.

  
  

• Include full contact information. Each LOR must contain the letter writer’s full name, title, company, full street address, email, and phone number under the signature line. The letter must also be dated and signed. Unsigned emails without full contact information cannot be used as LORs.

  
  

• Submit letter writer verification, such as resumes or LinkedIn profiles. Each letter writer’s professional background must be documented. If a letter writer has only a brief or undeveloped LinkedIn profile, we will need their resume or CV to corroborate their expertise.

  
  

📂 EVIDENCE

Once we begin your case, we will create a Google Drive folder for you and your evidence. Completeness, timeliness, and organization are essential to a smooth process. Please keep the following in mind:

• Upload evidence early. Provide as much evidence as possible at the start of your case. This reduces the need for repeated revisions and back-and-forth emails.
  

• Flag new evidence. If you add documents later, please notify your legal writer. Otherwise, important evidence may be overlooked. Consider adding a separate file labeled with the date to collect any new materials.
  

• Organize evidence by EB-1A criteria. Create separate folders for each criterion, and further subdivide them by project, journal, or organization as needed.
  

• Avoid duplicates. Upload each piece of evidence in only one folder to keep the file system clear and efficient.
  

• Submit web-based evidence as PDFs. Media articles and online materials must include a time/date stamp and URL in the PDF so they can be properly cited and included in your exhibit packet.
  

• Use PDF format only. Your petition and exhibits are assembled entirely in PDF. Other formats may delay the process.
  

• Label evidence clearly. Identify both the source of the evidence and what it is intended to demonstrate. Screenshots without context or meaning can be difficult to use effectively.
  

• Understand what qualifies as evidence. We may ask you for more evidence of extraordinary ability and acclaim. Being skilled in your profession is not always enough to meet the leading and critical role criterion for EB-1A standards. The goal is to show that you have risen to the very top of your field, achieved sustained national or international recognition, and that your contributions are widely acknowledged by experts in your discipline. This is what we are truly trying to establish in a client's petition.  
  

🏆 A word on FINAL MERITS

Final Merits is the section of your petition where we demonstrate that you have risen to the top of your field, achieved sustained national or international acclaim, and that your contributions are recognized by experts in your discipline. It is important to note that your impact cannot be limited to your employer alone—your accomplishments must have significance within the broader field and be acknowledged nationally or internationally.

By the conclusion of your petition, we aim to clearly address the following questions:

• What is your defined field of extraordinary ability?

• Do you plan to continue working in this field, and through which avenues?

• How does your work substantially benefit the United States?

• How have you demonstrated sustained national or international acclaim?

• What evidence shows that you are among the very top of your field?
  

This section ties together your achievements and evidence to make a compelling case that you meet the EB-1A standard of extraordinary ability.

✅ FINALLY

If you have any questions about your case, please don’t hesitate to email your legal writer. We’re here not only to guide you through the process but also to offer support and encouragement, and to make sure your petition reflects your achievements in the strongest possible way.

If you are interested in our support with an EB-1A petition, we encourage you to book a consultation with our firm: Book a Consultation | Lisonbee Immigration

This post is part 12 of a new 17-week series published every Wednesday. Each post is written by a different employee of Lisonbee Immigration Law about a immigration topic of their choosing. This post was written by legal writer Christine Jepsen.