How do I gather recommendation letters from people living outside the U.S.?

Gathering recommendation letters from people who live outside the United States is entirely possible and poses no obstacle to an O-1 petition. What strengthens your case is the quality of the testimony, not the country where the recommender resides.

Letters should come from experts who know your work and can attest to its significance in the field. To carry weight, keep these points in mind:

• Clear identification of who the recommender is and how they are familiar with your work.
• The author’s signature and, when the document is not in English, a translation prepared by a certified translator.
• Emphasis on concrete aspects of recognition and the international impact of your work.

Letters may arrive by email or postal mail; what matters most is preserving the authenticity and integrity of each document. Guide your recommenders on the points they should emphasize and keep everything transparent. Since requirements can change, it is worth confirming the latest requirements with USCIS and working with a specialist when assembling your petition file.

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.