How to Secure Powerful EB-1A Recommendation Letters

Choose the right mix of recommenders, draft letters yourself, and make them concrete, independent, and persuasive.

If your evidence is the skeleton of your case, recommendation letters are the heart. They provide human voice and expert validation that transform documents into a compelling story of extraordinary ability. Strong letters are strategic, not favors.

Choose the right champions

Aim for 5–8 letters from two camps:

Inner circle: Mentors, supervisors, or close collaborators—valuable but not fully impartial.
Outer circle (independent): Experts who know you by reputation, citations, or use of your work. Independent letters carry the most weight.

The unspoken rule: you draft the letters

Draft the initial version of every letter yourself. Busy experts are more likely to sign and personalize a strong draft than to write from scratch. This ensures critical details and impact statements are captured.

Anatomy of a powerful letter

Recommender credentials: Establish why the writer is authoritative.
Nature of relationship: How they know you (directly or by reputation).
Specific praise in plain English: Describe contributions and impact in terms an adjudicator can understand.
Unambiguous endorsement: Clear statements like “one of the very top experts” or “a leader in the field.”

Provide accurate drafts, let experts edit, and avoid generic praise. Great letters offer objective, detailed endorsements that withstand scrutiny.