I have 4 recommendation letters from well-known people. Is that enough for the final merits?

Having recommendation letters from recognized individuals can be a significant asset in an EB-1 case, as they help demonstrate the influence and recognition your work has earned. That said, letters alone are rarely sufficient to satisfy what adjudicators look for.

Letters work best as part of a broader portfolio, alongside evidence such as publications, awards, research outcomes, and other records that consistently establish your excellence. It is that combination that gives a case its substance.

In the stage commonly referred to as ‘final merits’, the focus is on the whole picture: whether the assembled materials demonstrate sustained recognition in your field. Strong letters carry weight, but they gain force when they corroborate what other evidence also shows.

• Letters help, but they rarely stand on their own.
• Build a varied and coherent dossier.
• The final merits assessment looks at the overall body of evidence, not a single document.

Because each case is evaluated individually, it is worth reviewing the current criteria on the official source (USCIS) and assembling your documentation with the support of a specialist.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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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.