Letter TemplateUpdated April 18, 2026

Professional Reference Letter — Manager, Mentor, or Client Template

A first-hand letter from someone with authority over your work — a manager, mentor, senior colleague, or client who engaged you. Documents your critical role and specific contributions an outside expert couldn't directly observe.

This is a scaffold, not a fill-in-the-blanks form. Rewrite it in the signer’s own voice and structure — USCIS discounts letters that share wording or layout. Keep the specifics (metrics, named examples); change everything else.

[Signer's Letterhead]

[Date]

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [USCIS Service Center]

Re: Support Letter for the O-1A Petition of [Beneficiary's Full Name]

Dear USCIS Officer:

I am writing to describe my direct, first-hand experience working with [Beneficiary's Full Name] and the specific contributions Dr./Mr./Ms. [Last Name] has made during the time we have worked together. I understand that [Beneficiary's Name] is seeking O-1A classification based on extraordinary ability in [Field of Endeavor], and the contributions I describe below are, in my judgment, direct evidence supporting that claim.

My Background and Our Relationship

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