Immigration Site

Hello there, Im glad to have found this forum.

Can someone help me with my EB1 EA self-petition? Im a postdoctoral fellow in theoretical physics.

Im looking for sample reference letters, cover letters etc from people who have successfully petitioned. You dont have to be a physicist...I just need to get some idea of how to write.

I am ready to pay for them if desired. You dont have to give me any personal details at all.

Please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thank you.

I have self-petitioned my EB-1 EA but in a music field. Therefore I cant help you with sample reference letters, but I can share with you the basic principles my cover letter was written on.

A. The actual cover letter (1st page) lists:
- the NSC address youre filing to
- date
- title (Re: I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, ORIGINAL SUBMISSION; Petitioner/Beneficiary: [Your Name])
- text (something like "Dear Sir or Madam, Please find enclosed an I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) by me as self-petitioner/beneficiary. The petition is on the basis that I am an alien of extraordinary ability in [your field] under § 203(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The initial petitioning documents are submitted as following:
1. This cover letter.
2. Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) executed by [Your Name].
3. Supporting documentation, exhibits 1 – [N].
4. Filing fee in the amount of $195.00 for Form I-140.")

B. The following pages of the cover letter (or what attorneys might refer to as "memorandum in support of a petition") have to prove that you are eligible in EB-1 EA category. This may include:
- citation of the law ("Pursuant to § 204.5(h)(3) of the 8 CFR, a petition for an alien of extraordinary ability must be accompanied by evidence that the alien has sustained national or international acclaim and that his or her achievements have been recognized in the field of expertise. Such evidence shall include evidence of a one-time achievement (that is, a major, internationally recognized award), or at least three of the following: (i) Documentation of the aliens receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor; (ii) Documentation of the aliens membership in associations in the field for which classification is sought, which require outstanding achievements of their members, as judged by recognized national or international experts in their disciplines or fields; (iii) Published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media, relating to the aliens work in the field for which classification is sought. Such evidence shall include the title, date, and author of the material, and any necessary translation; (iv) Evidence of the aliens participation, either individually or on a panel, as a judge of the work of others in the same or an allied field of specialization for which classification is sought; (v) Evidence of the aliens original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field; (vi) Evidence of the aliens authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional or major trade publications or other major media; (vii) Evidence of the display of the aliens work in the field at artistic exhibitions or showcases; (viii) Evidence that the alien has performed in a leading or critical role for organizations or establishments that have a distinguished reputation; (ix) Evidence that the alien has commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services, in relation to others in the field; or (x) Evidence of commercial successes in the performing arts, as shown by box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales".)
- you have to pick at least 3 out of those criteria, clearly state them (I did it in separate paragraphs) and explain how each of them applies to your case; give details, underline (or "bolden" or both) the key points that you want to draw attention to, provide plenty of references to exhibits.

C. You might also want to put in a separate paragraph a statement confirming your current lawful status in the US (and include a copy of the proof of status).

D. In the end, you might want to write a summary, making a conclusion from all the facts you presented. It would also be a good place to list (and, of course, further attach copies of) pre-arranged commitments / contracts that demonstrate your intent to continue working in your field (important!), as that is required for EB-1 EA category more so than being employed (actually, you dont have to have an employment offer at all).

E. Its not a bad idea to insert page numbers as well as tabs that make it easier to get to exhibits.

This is my input. Hope it helps. If in doubt, please seek more information as well as professional advice. Also, here are a few links you might find useful:

- http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/eligibility.htm
- http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/fieldo...onal/index.htm
- http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/servic...inal110303.pdf
- http://www.twmlaw.com/resources/immi...rant11cont.htm
- http://www.americanlaw.com/extraord.html

Good luck!!!

Hi civ2ru, thanks for your detailed reply. The links are very helpful too.

I was wondering if I can use my full membership of Sigma Xi as evidence of membership of international associations. Full membership is an election based on whether you have first author papers or not. Anybody did that?

Concerning awards, I received a very competitive prize from my graduate school for research. Only 6 prizes are given in a total grad student body of 11,000. Will this pass muster??

[QUOTE=energydude]Hi civ2ru, thanks for your detailed reply. The links are very helpful too.

I was wondering if I can use my full membership of Sigma Xi as evidence of membership of international associations. Full membership is an election based on whether you have first author papers or not. Anybody did that?

Yes, you should be. Sigma Xi provides a certificate and a letter stating the fact that you have been selected by a group of experts to be a full member based on your contribution in the field of research. You should submit copies of that.

Concerning awards, I received a very competitive prize from my graduate school for research. Only 6 prizes are given in a total grad student body of 11,000. Will this pass muster??

Yes, that should be considered as well as long as you have documents to prove that.