A senior professor who reviews work in my field praised my research in an email. Does it count?

Praise from a full professor and recognized authority in your field is a positive sign, but on its own an informal email tends to carry limited weight in an EB-1 petition. It shows recognition, yet it rarely sustains, by itself, the profile that this process requires.

What typically strengthens this kind of support is converting it into structured evidence. In general, it helps to:

• Turn the praise into a formal, signed, and detailed letter.
• Concretely describe the impact and relevance of your work.
• Make clear who the author is and why their opinion carries authority.
• Incorporate that letter alongside other evidence, such as publications and awards.

A well-grounded letter from someone with authority in the field tends to carry far more weight than a standalone message. The focus is not on the quantity of endorsements, but on how solidly each one demonstrates the value of your work.

Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth checking the updated USCIS guidelines and, if possible, consulting a specialist on the best way to formalize these endorsements.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.