getting recommendation letter from impendent people

hope888

New Member
I am preparing documents for my NIW application. I think the most difficult thing is to get recommendation letter. I have asked some scientist whom I don’t know in my research field. Yesterday I send 10 letters. Today I got 3 refuse letter that they don’t know me very well, others don’t reply. I was so frustrated for that. Who have experience in getting recommendation letter from impendent people? How to write a letter for asks?
 
hope888 said:
I am preparing documents for my NIW application. I think the most difficult thing is to get recommendation letter. I have asked some scientist whom I don’t know in my research field. Yesterday I send 10 letters. Today I got 3 refuse letter that they don’t know me very well, others don’t reply. I was so frustrated for that. Who have experience in getting recommendation letter from impendent people? How to write a letter for asks?
This was mine format!!
Dear Dr John,

Hope this mail finds you in best of health and cheers. It was nice to meet and discuss research with you at XXXX meeting.

I need your help related to my future. Currently, as you know I am working on XXXX project which is in full swing. Along with that I am also working on several XXX projects in XXX Lab. Till date I have got XXX international publications related with XXX research and 5-6 are in different stages of communication and writing.

Well, I discussed my future in this lab with Dr XXX and with his consent I need/wish to apply for Green card in the outstanding/extraordinary category. Well, besides various other requirements I need work assessment cum reference letter from several international scholars. I will be thankful to you if you can provide me with one such letter as you are among few scholars who are aware of intricate details and importance of the on going project.

If you agree, I can send you the typical format of the letter in which it should be written, my publication list and resume for your reference.

I will be needing this letter only by XXX week of XX month.

Thanks in anticipation of prompt reply,

best wishes,
 
This was Honkman's format
he posted long back!!
Here is my version:

Dear Professor XXX,

I am writing you this letter because I would like to ask you for your support of my green card application as an “outstanding researcher” by writing a recommendation letter on my behalf. The evaluation of my scientific contributions by an internationally recognized and outstanding scientist like yourself is one of the major criteria for the US immigration office to decide about my case.

Currently, I am working as a XXXX at XXX in XXX. Before joining XXX, I was working as a postdoctoral research associate in the group of Prof. XXX at XXX in XXX, in the area of XX and XXX and the development XXX processes. During my Ph.D. studies with XXX at the University of XXX, XXX and XXX in XXX, I gained expertise in the area of XXX, especially in XXX. My scientific contributions have resulted in numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations and several awards.

During my stay at XXX I was impressed by the opportunities in the biotech community in XXX and decided to start my career in industry here in the United States. After more than one year with XXX, I now would like to apply for a green card which would provide me with an unlimited work permit.

I would like to ask you if you would be willing to write a recommendation letter on my behalf which I could send to the US immigration office. My company’s lawyer gave me a template how such a letter should look like since it is very different from a normal recommendation letter e.g. for a grant application. The main difference is that you would judge my scientific contributions as a whole (diploma and Ph.D. thesis, postdoc and industry research) based on my publications and CV. If you would decide to support my case I would send you this template together with PDF files of my most important publications.

I would very much appreciate your support of my green card application by writing a recommendation letter on my behalf. Please find attached my resume for your review.

I am very much looking forward to hearing from you.


Sincerely,

honkman
 
don,t worry.... continue efforts

hope888 said:
I am preparing documents for my NIW application. I think the most difficult thing is to get recommendation letter. I have asked some scientist whom I don’t know in my research field. Yesterday I send 10 letters. Today I got 3 refuse letter that they don’t know me very well, others don’t reply. I was so frustrated for that. Who have experience in getting recommendation letter from impendent people? How to write a letter for asks?

Eb1Doc's format is pretty good... infact i also mailed so many emails to so many profs/scientist asking for letters.. my results are as follows:

completely unknown: total emails: around 30, +ve reply received: 1, negative response-5; no response from rest

little bit known: (through conferences/meetings/applied for jobs/etc): total emails:10, +ve response: 4; negative responses: 2; no responses from rest.

So my suggestion is look for some connection and just write those emails.. worst thing is negative or no response: But who cares... all you need is few positive responses... I am sure you will get those....
 
Statistically! I had send 20 request and got 20 positive reply! but as u cld see from format all of them were ....aware of my work and less about me.....
They were independent ...no relation to work....i mean not collaborators...
 
hope888 said:
I am preparing documents for my NIW application. I think the most difficult thing is to get recommendation letter. I have asked some scientist whom I don’t know in my research field. Yesterday I send 10 letters. Today I got 3 refuse letter that they don’t know me very well, others don’t reply. I was so frustrated for that. Who have experience in getting recommendation letter from impendent people? How to write a letter for asks?
I contacted experts who knew my boss...and wrote to them through him. I think if the formal request goes from your boss..it will work.
Good luck!
 
one more suggestion

search citation indices and look for independent authors who cite your papers at least twice. It worked for me. Got 4 letters that way.
 
Hi hope888,

ask your advisor if he/she would suggest some names. that way you can write in the letter that your advisor suggested the name. imo, that will carry more weight. Also, your advisor may point out who to avoid. my advisor knows a prof. very well and has collaborated with him a lot but still suggested that i avoid letter from this prof. would not write a very enthusiastic letter. remember a half-hearted letter is as good a no letter at all.

good luck.
 
Can anyone please tell that I am eligible for EB-1A or OR

I have Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Phd 5 years in Japan
-almost 7 years in USA (Post doc and now Research Associate)
- Obtained two honors fellowship in Japan
-Published 15 articles with 80 citations (7 first author)
- two book chapters with Nova Publications
-18 International Scientific conference proceedings
- two of my scientific reports published on the cover page of the journal
- 12 DNA seq published with NIH
- editor in two Indian journals
- reviewer of 3 international journals
-reviewed 6 articles
-reviewed 3 Phd thesis from Indian universities
- got Best research project award in India
-membership with 6 scientific societies (USA, Japan & India)
- appointed as a judge for the 3 local scientific conferences in USA
-4 invited talks
-my report published on weekly magazine (Vaccine weekly)
-able to get good recommendation letters from people in and around my field from (Japan, Germany, France and USA).

Could anyone suggest me that i am able to process my GC through EB-1 category.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Can anyone please tell that I am eligible for EB-1A or OR

I have Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Phd 5 years in Japan
-almost 7 years in USA (Post doc and now Research Associate)
- Obtained two honors fellowship in Japan
-Published 15 articles with 80 citations (7 first author)
- two book chapters with Nova Publications
-18 International Scientific conference proceedings
- two of my scientific reports published on the cover page of the journal
- 12 DNA seq published with NIH
- editor in two Indian journals
- reviewer of 3 international journals
-reviewed 6 articles
-reviewed 3 Phd thesis from Indian universities
- got Best research project award in India
-membership with 6 scientific societies (USA, Japan & India)
- appointed as a judge for the 3 local scientific conferences in USA
-4 invited talks
-my report published on weekly magazine (Vaccine weekly)
-able to get good recommendation letters from people in and around my field from (Japan, Germany, France and USA).

Could anyone suggest me that i am able to process my GC through EB-1 category.
 
Can anyone please tell that I am eligible for EB-1A or OR

I have Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Phd 5 years in Japan
-almost 7 years in USA (Post doc and now Research Associate)
- Obtained two honors fellowship in Japan
-Published 15 articles with 80 citations (7 first author)
- two book chapters with Nova Publications
-18 International Scientific conference proceedings
- two of my scientific reports published on the cover page of the journal
- 12 DNA seq published with NIH
- editor in two Indian journals
- reviewer of 3 international journals
-reviewed 6 articles
-reviewed 3 Phd thesis from Indian universities
- got Best research project award in India
-membership with 6 scientific societies (USA, Japan & India)
- appointed as a judge for the 3 local scientific conferences in USA
-4 invited talks
-my report published on weekly magazine (Vaccine weekly)
-able to get good recommendation letters from people in and around my field from (Japan, Germany, France and USA).

Could anyone suggest me that i am able to process my GC through EB-1 category.
 
I was also not able to get any recommendation Letters send emails like around 50+. Not even single reply.
Any suggestions?
 
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