H1B Expert Opinion Letters: A Full Guide in 2024
07/22/2024
Got the
H1B lottery but don't have an advanced degree in 2024?
Don't worry, your immigration lawyer may tell you that you may need an H1B Expert Opinion Letter to show USCIS that you have the US equivalence of an advanced degree.
But what's an Expert Opinion Letter (EOL)?
This article is to break everything down for you if you have any questions about the H1B Expert Opinion Letter.
Founded by an immigrant just like you, AET knows your struggles. So read on the 8 key things to know for your H1B Expert Opinion Letter.
1. What is a H1B Expert Opinion Letter?
Expert Opinion Letter (EOL), aka Professional Experience Evaluation, is written by university professors or experts to pair your relevant professional experience with academic coursework to determine a U.S. degree equivalency.
It's widely used for Eb1a, Eb2-NIW, H1B (or H1B RFE), TN-Visa and other immigration related cases.
You may have to request this service if you didn't finsh a four-year higher education program in your home country but have many years of work experience in your field.
USCIS needs this as proof that you have a US equivalent advanced degree.
If you're looking for a trusted credential evaluation company, please contact us today for a Free Estimate.
2. Why do you need H1B Expert Opinion Letter?
According to USCIS, you are required to have at least an advanced degree or its equivalent for an H1B visa.
There are two main reasons why you may need an H1B Expert Opinion Letter:
H1B Application
As we mentioned in the beginning, if you don't have an advanced degree but are applying for an H1B, then you may need work experience to support your applicaiton.
Typically, evaluators will use the 3-in-1 rule to determine your U.S. equivalency.
H1B Request for Evidence (RFE)
According to PROVAL, there're top 5 reasons for an H1B RFE:
1. Specialty occupation position
2. Employer-employee relationship
3. Availability of work off-site
4. Beneficiary qualifications
5. Maintenance of status
Therefore, you may need an H1B Expert Opinion Letter to showcase the evidence that you either have a U.S advanced degree or that your foreign degree plus years of work experience is equivalent to a particular U.S degree.
3. How to get Expert Opinion Letters for H1B?
Typically, you may want to go with a trusted Expert Opinion Letter agency that's specialized in immigration-related cases.
This organization should have a good understanding of educational systems worldwide and can accurately translate your foreign degrees with work experience into a U.S. equivalent.
That's where American Education and Translation Services (AET) shines.
4. Common Expert Opinion Letters' Fields
At AET, we can provide a wide range of fields for your Expert Opinion Letter, including but not limited to:
| Marketing | Business Management |
| Business | Business Adminstration |
| Finance | Hotel Management |
| Management | Supply Chain Management |
| Health | Psychology |
Contact us today for a Free Estimate.
5. Documents for H1B Expert Opinion Letters
Before you start the process of evaluating your credentials, you may need the following documents for the H1B Expert Opinion Letter:
- Degree Certificate or Diploma
- Translated degree certificate by a certified translator
- Resume and Employment Verification Letters if possible
- Transcript and its certied English translation (can be supporting documents)
6. What does an H1B Expert Opinion Letter include?
An Expert Opinion Letter for H1B usually includes:
- Introduction: Explanation of the purpose of the letter; A statement identifying the expert, their qualifications, and their relationship to the petitioner.
- Expert’s Qualifications: Detailed description of the expert’s background, including academic credentials, professional experience, and any relevant accomplishments or recognition.
- Petitioner’s (Your) Background: Description of the petitioner’s specific work, projects, research contribution, and more.
- National Interest Criteria: Explanation of why the petitioner’s work is of substantial intrinsic merit.
- Examples: Specific examples of the impact and importance of the petitioner’s work.
- Conclusion: A summary reiterating the key points made in the letter; A clear statement supporting the approval of the NIW petition.
(Testimonials of AET)
7. How much does an H1B Expert Opinion Letter cost?
Anywhere between $600 and $800 at AET.
At AET, we partner with university professors and experts to maximize your chances of being approved by USCIS.
There're also various companies out there for EOLs, such as Silvergate, Park Evaluations, and ProfVal. Therefore, prices may vary.
Besides that, if you only need a foreign degree evaluation (document-by-document evaluation) to meet USCIS' requirments for your H1B visa.
The pricing on that at AET starts from $100.
For foreign credential evaluation agencies, here is a list of 10 Best Credential Evaluation Agencies for your reference.
8. H1B Expert Opinion Letter Process Time
Between 3 and 21 business days.
Depending on which Expert Opinion Letter service you go with, processing time for H1B Expert Opinion Letters is from 3 to 21 business days.
At AET, we now offer 3 types of prices and turnaround times:
| Turnaround | Pricing |
| 21 Business Days | $600 |
| 7 Business Days | $700 |
| 3 Business Days | $800 |
Conclusion
While applying for H1B, a lot of you might be confused by USCIS's notice that you need an Expert Opinion Letter for H1B because you have never heard of it before.
We wanted to let you know that you aren't alone because the founder of our company went through the same as you and that is why he started the education evaluation business to help you succeed in the US.
In conclusion, this article has reviewed 8 major things in Expert Opinion Letters to help you understand the definition of it, why you may need it, how much it can cost, and your other concerns.
Contact us today for a FREE estimate if you are in need! Good luck with your application!
More about Foreign Credential Evaluations
- 9 FAQs - Translation and Evaluation of Foreign Diploma
- A 4-Step Guide to Expert Opinion Letter for Employment
- Educational Equivalency Evaluation: How Does It Work?
- How to Avoid Delays with Expert Opinion Letter? [6 Best Ways]
- How to Get an International Evaluation? [A 6-Step Guide]
- USCIS Approved Education Evaluation: 10 FAQs Answered