Do i need to send original reco letters to USCIS?

E

EB1-2007

Registered Users (C)
I plan to submit my EB1-EA through electronic filing. My attorney wants the original recommendation letters and plans to submit the originals to USCIS.

Is it required to submit originals to USCIS? I am confused.

Please let me know what are the original documents that you guys have mailed to USCIS

Thanks
 
EB1-2007 said:
I plan to submit my EB1-EA through electronic filing. My attorney wants the original recommendation letters and plans to submit the originals to USCIS.

Is it required to submit originals to USCIS? I am confused.

Please let me know what are the original documents that you guys have mailed to USCIS

Thanks
Click to expand...

My attorney submitted one set of original reco letters in each petition .. so asked 2 copies of reco letters ... but I saw forum people used good color photo copy of the originals for the next petition ... you have to have at least one hard copy of them anyway .. good luck
 
EB1-2007 said:
I plan to submit my EB1-EA through electronic filing. My attorney wants the original recommendation letters and plans to submit the originals to USCIS.

Is it required to submit originals to USCIS? I am confused.

Please let me know what are the original documents that you guys have mailed to USCIS

Thanks
Click to expand...

FYI, I just sent copies and it was approved.
 
Some immi attorneys are ignorant about the immigration process (as u can see good and bad everywhere) -
I have seen lot of approvals by using the letter copies, and many have used NIW letters for EA. so there is nothing about original or duplicate. The content of the letter is very important. go ahead and use copies, it is hard to get another copy from the authors.
 
EB1-2007 said:
I plan to submit my EB1-EA through electronic filing. My attorney wants the original recommendation letters and plans to submit the originals to USCIS.

Is it required to submit originals to USCIS? I am confused.

Please let me know what are the original documents that you guys have mailed to USCIS

Thanks
Click to expand...

Getting an additional copy when you request letters is an excellent idea. I did some of my letters that way, after learning from this forum. However, I also used just photocopies of majority of the letters (that I previously used for my NSC petition) for my new TSC petition. So, copies are fine........ GOOD LUCK.
 
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=4f719c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

or type in "USCIS originals" in google and go to the 3rd link

It leads to a document which claims to be from Regulations: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(4); 8 CFR 204.1(f).

"How Do I Know If I Need Original Documents?"

It is mentioned that you need originals for

"Attestations, formal consultations and advisory opinions (e.g., a letter from a recognized expert attesting to someone’s extraordinary professional skills)"

Nevertheless, the document also says

"NOTE: If the applicant or petitioner has already submitted the original document to the USCIS in connection with another matter, he or she may submit a photocopy along with an explanation of when and why the original was previously sent to the USCIS."

Conclusion: If you have used up the original then you may use the copy of the letter.

Best of Luck
Pradeep
 
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EB1-2007 said:
I plan to submit my EB1-EA through electronic filing. My attorney wants the original recommendation letters and plans to submit the originals to USCIS.

Is it required to submit originals to USCIS? I am confused.

Please let me know what are the original documents that you guys have mailed to USCIS

Thanks
Click to expand...

Original Copies are not required. I used the phot copies. I also used the photcopy of the faxed letters to expedite the process. In my EB1Ea there was no original letter and it was approved.
 
Works for some and not for others, so try to get 2 originals from you referees, send one keep one. I did that way for my NIW. But when visa #s got retrogressed and when I had to file my second I-140 EB-1A I color scanned high resulution and produced as copy as good as original it worked too. I think both should work depending upon what u have and what u r left with.
 
NIW or EA mentioned in reference letters?

When someone files a second I140 under EB1 EA (in addition to the earlier EB2 NIW), how can you submit a copy of same recommendation letter? Doesn't the reference letter mention somewhere that the applicant has applied for NIW and that the case be approved? Many of the sample letters I have seen mention that the applicant is filing in NIW category (or EA category).

Thanks.
 
In general, the letters should be casted differently, to address differnet issues. But some people have tried to use the same letters they used for NIW and probably got approved. I am sure there are people on this forum who knows better about that.
 
I asked my lawyer abt the same issue in this thread. She said she likes to submit originals. I have photocopies only. I should have asked for 2 copies of the original...now to think in retrospect! The main sub in my letters state : Re: XXXXXX :NIW category. So I thought I will ask for another set from the experts when time comes to apply for EB1. ALso, if I apply EB1 next year, and I am looking forward to publishing at least one more paper and improving my other credentials as well, don't you all think it would be better if I use new letters, that also talk abt my newer accomplishments?
Please advise!
 
Black and white photocopies or fax photocopies also work just fine. One should not get too hung up on this. The most important part we should worry about is the content of these letters. If the content is good, then original or photocopy does not matter. As letter writers are reputed in their profession, a simple Google search will tell USCIS if the letter writer is genuine.

I have seen someone getting a fax letter and taking its photocopy and getting approved. The applicant did not even have many letters. Just 5 letters and all photocopies and some were old letters he used for his NIW. The reason for his approval was that one letter was from a Nobel prize winner. Others were from top most people around the world.

So number of letters and original and photocopy does not matter. What matters is your credentials+ credentials of people writing you a letter+ content of those letters.
 
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copies work just fine. I held on to the originals and used the same set of letters(copies) for my NIW, O1 and EB1A application and the black and white copies worked just fine for all of them. Letter content is more important.
 
I am completely with pswami on this. Only thing that matters is Your Credentials+Stature of letter writer+Contents of the letters.
 
Thanks

Thanks everyone for your responses.

chatterjee1: You said that you used same letters for NIW, O1, and EA. So I assume the reference letters didn't mention which category you were applying under. Is that true?

Thanks again.
 
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