Form & ChecklistUpdated June 5, 2026
Strong Recommendation Letter Checklist
Run any draft letter against this before it goes in the petition. Covers who should write it, how to structure it, what specifics to include, and the red flags that get letters discounted by USCIS.
Use this to pressure-test every recommendation, expert, and reference letter before it goes into your petition. A letter that clears all of these is doing real work; one that misses several is likely to be discounted.
1. The writer
- ☐ Their title, institution, and credentials appear in the first paragraph.
- ☐ They are genuinely qualified to judge your work in this field (or a closely related one).
- ☐ For your strongest letters, the writer is an independent expert — not your boss, co-founder, or co-author.
- ☐ You have a mix: mostly independent experts, plus a few first-hand voices (manager / mentor / client) for detail.
- ☐ Where possible, the set includes both US-based and international writers.
2. Independence & disclosure
- ☐ The letter states how the writer knows you.
- ☐ If independent, it says so plainly (e.g., "I am not a collaborator, employer, or relative").
- ☐ If the writer is interested (manager, mentor, client, collaborator), the relationship is disclosed, not hidden — and balanced by independent letters elsewhere.
3. Structure
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