Need your help with NIW 140 RFE

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NIW_RFE

Registered Users (C)
Just got a detailed RFE for my NIW I140, it basically questions everything.

My situation:

US Ph.D. in chemistry in 2003, currently a PostDoc at
National Lab. Have 9 journal publications (all US journal, 6 first author, impact factor 3-7) and 7 conferences, 20 citations,
no major award or patent; 5 recommendation letter, 2 of them from
complete independent recommendors

In the RFE letter:

1) publication: "publication is expected for being a researcher, it's not a
good measurement of petitioner's influence and impact in his /her field"

2) Citations: "Citation is normal and legal obligation in research community,
it should go beyond the normal expected level, i.e. numerous and frequent
citations over many years to qualify as evidence of influence/impact of the
petitioner"

3) Opinion letters: "The letters do not serve as good indicatior of the
petitioner's work as the individuals became aware of the petitioner's
work because of their association with the petitioner".

Guess 2 independent recommendors are not enough.

4) journal review: "Serving as referee for peer reviewed journal by itself, is
not an indication of the petitioner's influence unless the petitioner has
reviewed an unusually large number of articles or has received independent
requests from different journals...."

I am very frustrated to get such a RFE. REally need your input.

BTW, I am a DIYer, bad decision?
 
You need more strong, independent letters

When they say "this is not enough, that is not enough", and when the submission of more papers and citations doesn't appear to help, it is a hint that they want to see more strong recommendations from people you don't know. That message is usually hidden because letters don't belong to any of the six categories of evidence for NIW - that's why they usually don't demand letters of recommendation explicitily (sometimes it's more obvious when they say "greater weight will be given to documentations submitted by experts and institutions that are clearly independent of the beneficiary and were created comtemporaneously to the beneficiary's achievements, but in your case, the message is more subtle).

Why do they want more letters? Very simple, the USCIS officials are not experts in your field. You might show them one hundred publications and five hundred citations, but without independent letters, they don't know how your achievements measure up to others working in the same field.

I guess the best way to address RFE is to get at least 5-6 stronger letters of recommendation from people that don't appear to be connected to you in any way (they might even state in their letters that you haven't been a colleague or collaborator of theirs). You can submit other evidence too. But focus on the letters
 
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Thanks for your suggestion, eaglejoeli
I will try to get more letters. Should these letters be different from ones oringinally submitted other than from independent people?
 
If I understand it right, your service center is California.

I think you should consider the following things...

a) look for more citations (you would need to spend a lot of time searching)
b) submit more publications, abstracts
c) Send letters from journal editors saying that you reviewed manuscripts.
d) more strong independent letters

When you have all that consult some good Attorney to draft your response. It should not cost you more than $2500. I am in the same boat and have done the things mentioned in the above list.

Goodluck
 
how to ask huge guys to write a RL?

Now, I have to ask some big guys to write recommendation letter for my rfe. How to ask? Anybody can send me a template. I think I may don't get any response. Really sad.
 
Dont be sad. I think it is easy to get letters from real big shots. This is because most of them might have written letters like that in past. Simply introduce yourself in two lines and come straight to the point (purpose). Write small emails like 2-3 lines are best to start up conversation. Tell that you got letters earlier from others in your field and now you need to submit USCIS requests more letters from big guys like you (the big guy). I think if you drat well then would definitely get positive response. Goodluck !!!
 
NIW_RFE said:
Just got a detailed RFE for my NIW I140, it basically questions everything.

My situation:

US Ph.D. in chemistry in 2003, currently a PostDoc at
National Lab. Have 9 journal publications (all US journal, 6 first author, impact factor 3-7) and 7 conferences, 20 citations,
no major award or patent; 5 recommendation letter, 2 of them from
complete independent recommendors

In the RFE letter:

1) publication: "publication is expected for being a researcher, it's not a
good measurement of petitioner's influence and impact in his /her field"

2) Citations: "Citation is normal and legal obligation in research community,
it should go beyond the normal expected level, i.e. numerous and frequent
citations over many years to qualify as evidence of influence/impact of the
petitioner"

3) Opinion letters: "The letters do not serve as good indicatior of the
petitioner's work as the individuals became aware of the petitioner's
work because of their association with the petitioner".

Guess 2 independent recommendors are not enough.

4) journal review: "Serving as referee for peer reviewed journal by itself, is
not an indication of the petitioner's influence unless the petitioner has
reviewed an unusually large number of articles or has received independent
requests from different journals...."

I am very frustrated to get such a RFE. REally need your input.

BTW, I am a DIYer, bad decision?
Click to expand...


1) Get very strong recommendation letters from top shots (from different countries to show your international impact) in your field where they describe your publications as very important.

2) You have to show that the citations are not only citations but that the authors discuss your results in more details (show structures of your compounds etc)

3) Get much more independent reference letters (5-6) from top scientists around the world which have absolutley no connections to you or one of your former bosses. (Just write those people an email and explain your situation. Most of them will help you but they will often ask for a first template which you have to change depending on the background of the person).

4) Get a strong letter from editor that they choose you as a referee based on your outstanding achievements in your field.
 
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