can you please say about the weight of your package. Had you submitted original recommendation letters?
I don't know the exact wt. I don't know what went in with my application. But I handed over more than a 1000 pages worth of documentations, involving protocols for studies and trials, evidence of the extent of of my involvement in trials where I was not the main person but played a key role.
My 2 cents
- TSC is the best (I don't know if it is loose or NSC is tough)
- Better presentation of application is a must. hire a very good lawyer if you think you need one.
- I think they look at the quality more than the qauntity and hence weight [I didn't have a lot of publications and no citations - but the impact factor of the the published material was very high and perhaps that fact that in my field each publication was a 3-5 years worth of work]
- I did include all the protocols, IRB stuff [I don't know if was ultimately included in the final package]
- Support material regarding your work, it may not directly describe your work but the importance of the topic that you have researched on and its impact nationally and internationally.
- And use fedex, has better tracking system. Peace of mind
- It is ultimately you one-on-one with adjudicator - [is he having a bad day, good day etc etc]
- I only submitted one set of letter to the lawyer. Since he sent out EB1 and NIW, I am assuming one had original and one copies (or he may have kept the originals in his file and sent off the copies)
Please be advised, I am talking about the strengths of my application in retrospect. [Once you pass an exam, you think it was much easier than you thought].
I could not have done it w/o a lawyer. Not included in the above credentials is other stuff that lawyer pointed out to as strength of my application and may have been significant, such as experience with heart transplant patient, use of cutting edge technology etc etc.
Honestly, before speaking to the lawyer, I was describing my credentials as
- fellowship in cardiology
- 4 abstracts, one paper, two cooking
- usual memberships
I hope that helps.