SAMPLE COVER LETTER FOR O-1 PETITIONS
(on Department Letterhead)
Date:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
CaliforniaServiceCenter
24000 Avila Road, 2nd Floor, Room 2312
Laguna Nigel, CA92667
Re: O-1 Petition of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
on behalf of Dr. John Smith
To Whom It May Concern:
The Department of (name) of the University of Wisconsin-Madison requests O-1 status on behalf of Dr. John Smith. Dr. Smith is a world- renowned (scientist, historian, mathematician etc.) with extraordinary ability in (area of specialization). The University anticipates that he will play a vital role in enhancing the already estimable reputation of this Department.
The Petitioner
Founded in 1848, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the premier land-grant universities in the United States. It has the largest concentration of graduate, professional and research programs, as well as the broadest array of undergraduate majors in the UW System, which has 26 campuses statewide. The enrollment of approximately 42,000 students includes 29,000 undergraduates and 13,000 graduate, professional and special students.
The University employs over 16,000 faculty, academic staff and classified staff. Many of its 166 departments house national leaders in their disciplines. For Fiscal Year 2009-2010, it had an annual operating budget of $2,448.5 million. UW-Madison currently ranks second in the country in funding for research and development.
In the next paragraph(s), describe the petitioning department’s strong points, such as renowned faculty, Nobel or other award winners, groundbreaking research accomplishments, high national ranking, etc. Also describe how Dr. Smith will complement the existing program, provide new dimensions to the department’s activities, enhance the department’s national or international reputation, etc.
The Beneficiary
This section is the key to the petition. In the first paragraph, describe Dr. Smith’s educational background, including any awards or other recognition of outstanding achievements as a graduate student.
In the second paragraph, briefly describe Dr. Smith’s previous employment, including position titles, periods of employment, and outstanding achievements.
Next, describe the position here at UW-Madison, giving the position title, anticipated salary, primary job responsibilities, and dates of employment, up to a maximum of three years. If this person’s selection was the result of an extensive search, briefly describe the search process. If the salary being offered is much higher than the norm, specifically point that out.
The rest of this section should address each of the relevant categories of evidence as described in the O-1 Instructions. Use the headings, and describe in detail how Dr. Smith meets the specific requirement. Pull supporting statements from the support letters, and explain the significance in layman’s terms.
To wrap up the section, describe how Dr. Smith’s qualifications are unique and the impact that his work has or will have on the field and humanity. The more the INS officer can relate to the practical applications of his work the better.
Advisory Opinion
If a peer advisory group exists for Dr. Smith’s profession, make reference to the advisory opinion at this point. If no such group exists, include a paragraph similar to the following, adapting it to the specific situation:
Historians have no peer advisory group. To substitute for a peer advisory opinion, we are including reviews of Dr. Smith’s contributions to the field from prominent individuals in the field. Then, briefly describe the credentials of each person who submitted a letter.
Briefly summarize Dr. Smith accomplishments, and close with something along the lines of:
Given this evidence, Dr. Smith can rightly be considered to be a researcher (or professor) of extraordinary ability in the field of (specify field). We urge you to act favorably upon this request for O-1 classification on behalf of Dr. Smith. We fully anticipate that he will continue to make fundamental contributions to this field and that the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the broader community of scholars and ultimately the citizens of the world will benefit from the work that Dr. Smith will be conducting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sincerely,
Department Chair