Does one of the recommendation letters need to come from someone in the United States?

No. In the EB-2 NIW, there is no requirement for any recommendation letter to come from someone located in the United States. The geographic origin of the signatory is not the criterion that determines the weight of the letter.

What truly matters is the credibility and authority of the recommender, along with how clearly the letter describes the relevance of your work, your qualifications, and the actual or potential impact of your contributions. A letter from a recognized expert in your field tends to add more value regardless of where that person is located.

When putting this set of letters together, a few points are worth keeping in mind:

• Choose recommenders with recognized authority in your field.
• Ask each recommender to be specific about your work rather than offering generic praise.
• Seek a diversity of perspectives, including from independent sources.

In short, prioritize the content and authority of the letters, not the country of the person writing them. Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth reviewing the updated guidelines from the official source (USCIS) and, if you have questions, consulting a qualified specialist.

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.