Today I received RFE for my NIW from VSC. There is only one paragraph in the letter. Here is what it says:
“We note that the letters submitted in behalf of the beneficiary are from interested parties, and while they are helpful they do not carry the same probative weight as opinions from experts and institutions that are clearly independent of the beneficiary. It is generally expected that an individual whose accomplishments have gone well beyond the circle of his personal acquaintances, would have letters of recommendation from sources beyond the circle of his personal acquaintances. In other words, if the beneficiary’s work is not highly praised apart from his personal and professional associates, then it is difficult to conclude that he is of national interest. Considering the extremely restrictive immigrant category being requested, it is expected that the record would include a wider range of letters.
Therefore, you are requested to submit opinions from experts and institutions that are clearly independent of the beneficiary.”
I have to send my response by April 27. I prepared the NIW application by myself in the end of last September. Due to the time constraint, I was only able to obtain 4 recommendation letters. Two of them were from my bosses. The other two were from my Chinese friends whom I was counting on as “independents”. Evidently the CIS referee did not buy this.
Here are my questions:
1. Are there any special tricks to respond this kind of RFE? Do you think that I should hire a lawyer to do this? I wrote a sixteen-page petition letter to answer the NIW requirements (three prongs) in my original application. If I respond this RFE by myself, do I need to write a petition letter in a similar way?
2. I received additional reference letters from “acquaintances” after I submitted the NIW application last September. Should I include these letters in my response to RFE? I am afraid of confusing the immigration referee.
3. I am also looking to buy DYI packages for NIW, especially the ones that would help to respond RFEs. I do not know how to ask for a reference letter from someone I do now know. Can you please give me recommendations?
Thank you so much!