NIW: goverment agency?

[leto]

Hi, I will greatly appreciate if someone explains whether letter of recommendation from the "goverment agency" means the letter from the person who is associated with the Goverment Lab (staff member, group leader, program director)? I am currently a post. doc. at the goverment Lab
(got my Ph.D. from the major US University, working in another goverment Lab), so most of my rec. letters will be from people I have worked with.

Thank you for you response.

 

[jllag1]

Yes, but you need to get your letters on govt letterhead. And the main person recommending it should say something like "On behalf of XXX, please approve Mrs. Y's NIW petition expedititously" By the way, govt letters supporting your petition have more weight (might decisively) than private sector recommendations.

 

[lamonte]

.... most of my rec. letters will be from people I have worked with.

That's not very good. The rule of thumb is to have letters from your former and present direct advisors/supervisors, otherwise INS may reasonably argue that the writers are biased. The only exception I would make for people who wield unusual respect and authority. For example I had a letter from a person we collaborated with but the gentleman collected every single award and honor there was to collect, short of Nobel, in our discipline. But you need some independent letters.