Expert Opinion Letters
The USCIS routinely requests Expert Opinion Letters as part of the evidence provided within employment-based visa petitions. An Expert Opinion Letter (EOL) represents an expert's opinion related to the credentials of a beneficiary or petitioner based upon the visa they are applying for.
​
If you are curious why an EOL is needed, consider that a USCIS agent's career is different than yours. Before becoming a USCIS agent, they may have earned a degree in an area unrelated to your background. Some agents have a JD. Some are military veterans while others worked in the Peace Corp. In all cases, their job is to assess your background and endeavor to determine if you qualify for the benefits you are applying for.
​
It can be challenging for someone who is unfamiliar with your background or industry to understand your qualifications or their importance. An Expert Opinion Letter from ExpertOpinionLetter.com can provide an objective assessment of your background and endeavor in ways that are easy to understand.​
​
In this regard, not all EOLs are equal. Better EOLs are customized based upon your specific credentials and their relation to the visa that you or your employer has applied for. That's why our Expert Opinion Letters are highly customized and written by qualified experts.
Customized Letters by Accomplished Experts
At a holistic level, an effective Expert Opinion Letter should be authored by an authoritative individual within a discipline relevant to your or your employers' endeavor.
Because such an author is referred to as an "expert", this letter is called an Expert Opinion Letter. In writing your Expert Opinion Letter, the expert will provide an in-depth evaluation of a position, beneficiary, and/or petitioner based on the requirements of the visa you are applying for.
Expert Qualifications
Unless specifically stated otherwise, the experts we work with meet at least one of the following requirements:
​
-
Doctoral Degree & faculty position at a U.S. college or university
-
Leadership role at the VP, Director, or C-Suite
Common Types of Expert Opinion Letters
Provides evidence of a petitioner's extraordinary ability as it relates to the planned endeavor.
Because each type of employment-based visa has different requirements, the format and content of your Expert Opinion Letter depends on the category of visa that you are or your employer is applying for.
Addresses a petitioner's credentials based on exceptional ability or advanced degree. This assessment is then connected to the National Importance Waiver components of the EB-2 NIW, as guided by the prongs of Dhanasar
Address specialty occupation requirements.
EB-1 Expert Opinion Letter
An EB-1 Expert provides evidence of a petitioner's extraordinary ability as it relates to their planned endeavor. An EB-1 Expert Opinion Letter from ExpertOpinionLetter.com is a 10+ page document written by a discipline expert. While the format and organization can vary, the sections included are:
​
-
An overview of the letter
-
The expert's background and why she/he is qualified to write the letter for the specific petitioner.
-
A description of the petitioner's credential and his/her endeavor
-
An integrative discussion of why the petitioner's combined credentials position him/her as a person of extraordinary ability who is positioned to succeed
EB-2 NIW Expert Opinion Letter
An EB-2 NIW Expert Opinion Letter from ExpertOpinionLetter.com provides evidence of a petitioner's exceptional ability as it relates to their planned endeavor. It also addresses the importance of their endeavor, as this is important for the National Importance Waiver (NIW) component of the EB-2 NIW. The sections included are:
​
-
An overview of the letter
-
The expert's background and why she/he is qualified to write the letter for the specific petitioner.
-
A description of the endeavor, based on an in-depth description of the industry, why it has substantial merit, national importance, and some discussion of why the petitioner will make a difference
-
The petitioner's credentials and why they qualify the petitioner to advance the endeavor
-
An integrative analysis that combines NIW elements of the industry with the petitioner's qualifications
H-1B Expert Opinion Letter
An H-1B Expert Opinion Letter is typically used to address specialty occupation requirements. A specialty occupation Request For Evidence (RFE) typically relates to one of two criteria: whether the position requires the equivalent of specialized a U.S. bachelor's degree and whether the beneficiary meets this requirement (learn more about this on H1Bexpert.com)
​
In a H-1B Expert Opinion Letter, also called a Specialty Occupation Expert Opinion Letter, ExpertOpinionLetter.com's professional evaluators will examine the position duties with relation to best practices within an academic and/or professional setting and offer an expert opinion indicating whether the position requires at least a bachelor’s degree.
​
Our clients have included:
​
-
Fortune 500 companies
-
U.S. Colleges and Universities
-
Small businesses with under 50 employees