Need Help?
Message Sheila D, Executive Director with any questions
9544450107

EB2 RFE

Professional immigration consultation for RFE help

I-140 EB2/EB3 RFE Help in USA: Fast Response Services and Expert Opinion Letters

Credential Evaluation, Visa Approvals

Receiving an I-140 Request for Evidence (RFE) under the EB2 or EB3 category can delay or jeopardize an employment-based green card application. USCIS issues RFEs when additional documentation is required to verify eligibility, qualifications, or job requirements. Many I-140 RFEs relate to education equivalency, specialty occupation alignment, or insufficient professional evidence. With the right expert opinion letters and foreign credential evaluations, applicants can respond effectively and strengthen their petitions for approval.

Understanding I-140 EB2 and EB3 RFEs

An I-140 RFE is issued by USCIS when the submitted petition does not clearly demonstrate that the beneficiary meets EB2 or EB3 eligibility requirements. These RFEs often request clarification related to education, work experience, or job requirements.

Common reasons for I-140 RFEs include:

      • Degree equivalency concerns for foreign education

      • Questions about whether the position qualifies under EB2 or EB3 standards

      • Insufficient documentation supporting professional qualifications

      • Unclear relationship between education, experience, and job role

    An RFE is not a denial. It provides an opportunity to submit additional evidence and clarify USCIS concerns.

    Education and Degree Equivalency Issues in I-140 RFEs

    Education plays a critical role in EB2 and EB3 petitions. USCIS must verify that the beneficiary’s academic qualifications meet U.S. standards. RFEs are frequently issued when degrees are earned outside the United States or when academic structures differ.

    Education-related RFE concerns often involve:

        • Degree equivalency evaluation USA requirements

        • Three-year foreign bachelor’s degrees

        • Differences in curriculum, credits, or grading systems

        • Incomplete or unclear academic documentation

      A professional degree evaluation for EB2/EB3 petitions helps establish U.S. equivalency and addresses these concerns in a USCIS-recognized format.

      Role of Expert Opinion Letters in I-140 RFE Responses

      An expert opinion letter is a detailed professional assessment prepared by a qualified authority. These letters explain how the beneficiary’s education, experience, and job duties meet EB2 or EB3 requirements.

      Expert opinion letters support I-140 RFE responses by:

          • Validating degree equivalency and academic background

          • Supporting specialty occupation or advanced degree requirements

          • Explaining how education and experience align with the offered position

          • Clarifying professional qualifications in technical or specialized fields

        Expert opinion letters are especially valuable when USCIS questions eligibility under EB2 or EB3 categories.

        Importance of Credential Evaluation for EB2 and EB3 Petitions

        Foreign credential evaluation is essential for beneficiaries with international degrees. USCIS relies on these evaluations to determine whether the education meets U.S. standards required for employment-based immigration.

        Credential evaluations assist by:

            • Establishing education equivalency for EB2 and EB3 visas

            • Supporting professional and specialty occupation claims

            • Strengthening overall petition documentation

          Credential evaluations are often combined with expert opinion letters to provide a complete and well-supported I-140 RFE response.

          Fast and Affordable I-140 RFE Help in USA

          Responding to an I-140 RFE requires accuracy and timely submission. Delays or incomplete responses can result in denial. Fast response services help ensure that documentation meets USCIS deadlines and expectations.

          Professional I-140 RFE help services typically include:

              • Degree equivalency evaluation USA services

              • Academic credential evaluation services

              • Clear documentation aligned with USCIS requirements

            Affordable immigration evaluation services allow applicants to respond effectively without unnecessary financial burden.

            When to Seek Professional I-140 RFE Support

            Professional assistance is recommended when:

                • USCIS questions degree equivalency or education level

                • An RFE requests expert validation of qualifications

                • The job role or category classification is challenged

                • Previous submissions were considered insufficient

              Early professional involvement improves response quality and reduces the risk of denial.

              Cost of Expert Opinion Letters and Credential Evaluations for I-140 RFEs

              The cost of responding to an I-140 RFE depends on the complexity of the case and documentation required.

              Typical cost ranges include:

                  • Expert opinion letters: approximately $600–$1200

                  • Credential evaluations and degree equivalency assessments: approximately $500–$1000

                These services provide structured analysis and documentation that meet USCIS review standards.

                Tips to Reduce I-140 EB2/EB3 RFE Risks

                Applicants can minimize RFE risks by:

                    • Submitting complete academic and employment documentation

                    • Obtaining degree evaluations early

                    • Ensuring job requirements align with EB2 or EB3 standards

                    • Including expert analysis where qualifications may be questioned

                  Proper preparation strengthens employment-based petitions and improves approval outcomes.

                  About Sheila Danzig

                  Sheila Danzig is the executive director of TheDegreePeople.com and a leading expert in foreign degree evaluations. She is widely recognized for her innovative approach to difficult cases, helping thousands of clients successfully obtain visa approvals even when facing RFEs or denials. Her expertise in USCIS requirements and commitment to providing personalized, effective solutions make her a trusted resource for professionals navigating the immigration process.

                  Get a Free Review of Your Case

                  If you’ve received an RFE, don’t wait. Sheila Danzig and TheDegreePeople.com offer a free review of your case to determine the best course of action. Our expertise has helped thousands of professionals, including H-1B applicants, secure approvals even in challenging cases.

                  To get your free case review, visit www.ccifree.com today.

                  I-140 EB2/EB3 RFE Help in USA: Fast Response Services and Expert Opinion Letters Read More »

                  Case Study: EB-2 Education RFE – Overturned!

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  If you or your employee or client is applying for an EB-2 green card, their situation must meet two requirements:

                  1. They must have been hired for a job that requires a US master’s degree or higher, or a US bachelor’s degree or its equivalent FOLLOWED BY at least five years of progressive work experience in the field.
                  2. They must have the education required for the EB-2 qualified job or exceptional ability as clearly proven with a National Interest Waiver.

                  One of the most common RFEs EB-2 candidates run into is an education issue RFE.  Our client came to us with an Indian three-year bachelor’s degree, many years of progressive work experience, and an RFE.  He had the years of experience to more than cover the five years of progressive work experience following having earned the bachelor’s degree.  The issue arose because with EB-2 educational requirements the bachelor’s degree is required to be a SINGLE SOURCE and CIS does not accept that the Indian three-year degree is the equivalent of the US four-year bachelor’s degree regardless of the number of classroom contact hours.  CIS requires the missing fourth year to be accounted for.

                  With other visas, like H-1B, our client could have included a work experience conversion that converts three years of progressive work experience in a given field of specialization into one year of college education towards that degree to account for the missing year.  This does not work for EB-2 because that would not meet the equivalency requirement of a single source bachelor’s degree.

                  Our solution was to write a credential evaluation fortified by CIS approval precedents and federal case law that took twelve years of our client’s progressive work experience in the field and converted it into the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree in the field.  Then, the next five years of work experience were included to meet EB-2 educational standards requiring a single source US bachelor’s degree FOLLOWED BY five years of work experience in the field.  The RFE was overturned.

                  If you or your employee or client is facing an education RFE for EB-2, let us help you.  Even the candidate doesn’t have the years to cover a complete work experience conversion, there are other ways to address the equivalency issue through detailed credential evaluations tailored to your or your employee or client’s unique situation, and through expert opinion letters and National Interest Waiver options.  Let us review your case for free.  Visit ccifree.com.  We will respond in 48 hours or less.

                  Case Study: EB-2 Education RFE – Overturned! Read More »

                  Right Degree, Wrong Major: How to Avoid an EB2 Education RFE

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  Green card beneficiaries seeking EB2 status need to either hold a US master’s degree or a US bachelor’s degree followed by five years of progressive work experience, or the equivalency of one of these requirements.

                  What if you, or your employee or client holds a degree with a major in a field related to the EB2 job? Employers will often hire workers with degrees in related fields because there is enough skill and knowledge overlap to ensure the worker will be able to perform the duties of the job. Then, CIS will not approve the visa.

                  In recent years, CIS has tightened its approval standards, only approving beneficiaries with degree specializations that exactly match the job title on the PERM. If you, or your employee or client has a degree in a related field that doesn’t exactly match the EB2 job, you need to include a credential evaluation with the petition that meets equivalency requirements by specific EB2 standards.

                  This is where the second problem arises: for EB2, the bachelor’s degree must be a single source. That means you must, or your employee or client must either have a US bachelor’s degree in the exact field of the EB2 job, or enough years of progressive work experience to account for the entire degree equivalency. That’s twelve years of progressive work experience because a professor with the authority to grant college credit for work experience can convert three years or work experience in the field into one year of college credit.

                  At TheDegreePeople, we have developed several creative strategies to address degree equivalencies for EB2 to prevent the mismatched education RFE from years of working with EB2 cases and their RFEs. For a free review of your case, or your client or employee’s case, visit ccifree.com.

                  Right Degree, Wrong Major: How to Avoid an EB2 Education RFE Read More »

                  Common EB2 Education RFEs and How to Preempt Them

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  To meet EB2 requirements and CIS approval trends, a beneficiary must hold a US masters degree or higher or its foreign equivalent, OR a US bachelors degree or its equivalent FOLLOWED BY at least five years of work experience in the field that matches the EB2 job. The education must be an exact match for the job, and the job must hold these minimum educational requirements.

                  That means if your client has a degree from outside of the United States, incomplete education, or a degree in a field that doesn’t match the job title, they will need a credential evaluation that fills in the gaps between their education and EB2 educational requirements.

                  However, different visas have different requirements for evaluating equivalencies. For example, let’s say a beneficiary is petitioning for H-1B status with an Indian three-year bachelors degree. CIS needs them to account for the missing fourth year to meet their approval trend for the equivalency of a US four-year bachelors degree. With H-1B, the candidate could have three years of progressive work experience converted into one year of college credit in a credential evaluation, which would account for the missing fourth year and CIS would accept that.

                  With EB2, this would not work because the bachelors degree must be a SINGLE SOURCE. That means, if you have, or your employee or client has that same Indian three-year degree, you cannot simply add work experience until you get four years. The best option is to try for the masters degree equivalency. This gets complicated when you take sequence into account concerning the bachelors degree equivalency.

                  Since the wait period for EB2 is so much shorter than EB3, it can be enticing to try to apply for the Green Card under EB2 and make the education work. This works sometimes if the beneficiary has the right education, enough work experience, and the sequence of education and work experience works for the EB2 academic puzzle. You don’t want to take chances. If you think you meet, or your employee or client meets EB2 education requirements, visit ccifree.com.

                  We will get back to your in 48 hours or less about whether or not EB2 educational requirements can be met. Often, all that is needed is the right credential evaluation that takes the beneficiary’s education and work experience, the job in question, specific EB2 requirements, and CIS approval trends into account to get that EB2 petition approved.

                  Common EB2 Education RFEs and How to Preempt Them Read More »

                  Mismatched Education EB2 RFE – Triggers and Solutions

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  Employers will hire workers who meet the degree requirement in a related field because there is enough overlap in specialized skills and knowledge to do a quality job. However, none of this matters to CIS. Over the past seven or eight years, CIS has been issuing RFEs for beneficiaries with degrees in related fields because they are not an exact match to the job title on the PERM.

                  While this detail may not stop the new hire from performing their job excellently, it will get in the way of CIS approving their visa, and the bottom line is CIS gets their way.

                  The best way to address this RFE is to avoid it in the first place. Here’s how:

                  When you file the beneficiary’s EB2 petition, make sure to include a credential evaluation that takes EB2 educational standards, the job, and CIS approval trends into consideration. The right credential evaluation is written by an agency that works regularly with EB2 cases and their RFEs, keeps up to date on CIS approval trends, international trade agreements, and federal case law, and has an in-depth understanding of education internationally. When it comes to EB2, the bachelors degree must be a single source. That means that a creative approach is often needed that requires in-depth understanding of international education. Sometimes a work experience conversion is needed, other times writing a functional equivalency works best. It all depends on the beneficiary’s education and resume, and on the job in question.

                  If your education, or if your employee or client’s education is not an EXACT match for the job title on the perm, let us help you. Visit ccifree.com and submit the beneficiary’s educational documents and resume, and indicate the job in question. We will get back to you in 48 hours or less with our recommendations on what needs to be included in the evaluation you, or your client or employee needs to meet EB2 educational requirements.

                  Mismatched Education EB2 RFE – Triggers and Solutions Read More »

                  EB2 or EB3? – Find out Before You File

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  While there are extensive wait times for approval for both categories, EB2 has a much shorter wait time.  For this reason, it can be tempting for beneficiaries to try to meet EB2 requirements with EB3 education.

                  To qualify for EB2 status, a beneficiary must hold a US Masters degree or higher, or its foreign equivalent, OR a US Bachelors degree or its foreign equivalent FOLLOWED BY five years of progressive work experience.

                  It’s important to not here that simply having a Bachelors degree or its equivalent and five years of work experience in the field of the EB2 job is not enough to meet these requirements.  To count towards the educational qualifications, the work experience must follow having earned the Bachelors degree to show that the advanced education was a minimum requirement for the work experience.

                  Before filing, let us review your case, or your client or employee’s case.  It is not always clear whether or not the beneficiary will qualify for EB2 or EB3, and you definitely don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to file EB2.  The right credential evaluation takes the requirements of the visa into consideration, along with a whole host of other factors by which equivalency is determined.

                  For a free review, pre-evaluation, and analysis of your case, or your client or employee’s case, simply go to ccifree.com and submit your clients resume and educational documents.  We will get back to you within 48 hours with our recommendations.

                  EB2 or EB3? – Find out Before You File Read More »

                  Your Best Solution to the EB2 Education Puzzle

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  For other visas, as well as for entrance to graduate programs in the US, candidates can combine education with work experience to meet equivalency requirements for a US Bachelors degree. This is not the case for EB2.

                  If you or your employee or client does not have the education or work experience to meet EB2 education requirements right off the bat, they may still qualify for this classification. There are ways a credential evaluator with in-depth understanding of CIS precedents, federal case law, international education, and international trade agreements can write the evaluation needed to get the visa approved. However, this is NOT a judgment call you can make on your own.

                  Your best solution to the EB2 education puzzle is to ask for help.

                  Before you get too far on the petition, let us review the case. Simply go to ccifree.com and submit the candidate’s educational documents and a current, accurate resume, along with the job and desired educational equivalency. We will get back to you within 24 hours with a pre-evaluation and full analysis, and consult with you on your options.

                  Sheila Danzig

                  Sheila Danzig is the Executive Director of TheDegreePeople.com a Foreign Credentials Evaluation Agency. For a no charge analysis of any difficult case, RFE, Denial, or NOID, please go to http://www.ccifree.com/ or call 800.771.4723.

                  Your Best Solution to the EB2 Education Puzzle Read More »

                  EB2 or EB3? Know which one before you file!

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  Oftentimes, candidates are tempted to file for EB2 instead of EB3 because the processing time can be years shorter. However, EB2 is scrutinized VERY carefully and requirements surrounding educational equivalencies for this particular visa are very strict and different from EB2. This can sometimes motivate candidates to say that the education is more than it actually is. Sometimes the misunderstanding is a mistake. Don’t take anything for granted, be 100% certain of the education you’re working with. Filing for EB2 with EB3 education successfully is a long shot and should only be done once EB3 is secured.

                  Before you get too far on the petition, let us review provide a pre-evaluation with all of your options so you can make the right decision about which classification to file for. Simply hit visit ccifree.com and attach the candidate’s resume and educational documents along with the job title or desired academic equivalency. We will get back to you within 24 hours with the pre-evaluation and a full analysis of all of your options.

                  One major difference between EB2 and EB3 is that EB3 allows for education to be combined, if, and only if it is so stated on the PERM. EB2 requires a single source degree. However, there are some interesting ways “around” it that have worked.

                  Both EB2 and EB3 visas are Green Card (permanent residency) visas, and the requirements are education-based for academics and skilled professionals. CIS takes two key aspects into account when assessing eligibility for these visas:

                  1. The candidate’s job.
                  2. The candidate’s education.

                  For both EB2 and EB3, the job must hold as a minimum requirement the visa’s education requirements, and the candidate must meet these requirements within CIS guidelines for equivalency. That means the candidate must hold the required degree or training for the job, and the degree must be in the exact field of the job.

                  EB3 is for skilled, unskilled, or professional workers. These requirements are different for the different kinds of jobs. If the job is classified as skilled work, to meet EB3 requirements the job must require at least two years of training or job experience, and the candidate must have this education or experience. For jobs classified as professional, the job must require and the candidate must hold a US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent in that field. If the job is classified as “other” or unskilled, the job must require and the candidate require less than two years of training, and the job must be permanent to meet CIS requirements for EB3.

                  As you can see, EB3 is a broad classification that most candidates can meet. EB2 visa requirements are much more strict and have very specific requirements surrounding equivalencies for candidate with degrees from outside of the United States.

                  To meet EB2 requirements, candidates must either have:

                  1. A US bachelor’s degree or a SINGLE SOURCE equivalent FOLLOWED BY five years of progressive work experience in the field, or
                  2. A US Master’s Degree or higher or its foreign equivalent.

                  For candidates with education outside of the United States, meeting EB2 education requirements can be difficult because of the single source equivalency rule. The Bachelor’s degree equivalency must be a single source, so when it comes writing equivalencies for three-year bachelor’s degrees, you or your employee or client may not be able to meet EB2 standards. For example, when we work with H1B visas, when candidates have three-year degrees and at least three years of progressive work experience in the field, we can write a credential evaluation that converts the three years of progressive work experience into one year of college credit in the field, signed off by a professor authorized to issue college credit for work experience. We can then add that additional year to the three-year degree and have what CIS would accept as the equivalency of a US four-year Bachelor’s degree. The does NOT work for EB2 because the Bachelor’s degree must be a single source, so combining years of education with work experience will just result in an RFE or Denial.

                  If you or your employee or client has a three-year Bachelor’s degree and no additional education, their best option is to file for EB3 as a skilled worker with an Associate’s degree and work experience. Filing for EB2 would be a waste of time.

                  However, there are situations where a candidate DOES qualify for EB2 with a detailed credential evaluation. Before you get too far on your case or your employee or client’s case, visit ccifree.com and submit the candidate’s educational documents and a current, accurate resume, along with the job or desired equivalency. We will get back to you within 24 hours with a pre-evaluation of the candidate’s education, a full analysis, and an overview of all of your options.

                  About the Author

                  Sheila Danzig

                  Sheila Danzig is the Executive Director at TheDegreePeople.com, a Foreign Credentials Evaluation Agency. For a free analysis of any difficult case, RFE, Denial, or NOID, please go to http://ccifree.com/ or call 800.771.4723.

                  EB2 or EB3? Know which one before you file! Read More »

                  What is a Degree? – Find out Before You File!

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  ccifree.com, let us know the visa and job, and attach the candidate’s educational documents and resume. Within 24 hours, we will send you a pre-evaluation and full analysis of all of your options. You will know what you’re working with, and be able to move forward accordingly. It’s not uncommon for candidates to insist that their high school diploma is a college degree, or for a translated document to report a false academic equivalency. This happens for two main reasons. First, many degrees don’t actually have the word “degree” in the title. When this is translated, it is unclear whether or not the candidate actually has earned the postsecondary education necessary to meet the academic qualifications for their visa. On the same note, some credentials that do have the word degree in the title are not the academic equivalent of US postsecondary education, and some credentials don’t have the word “degree” in the title and are not degrees, period. Some countries have the same titles for different education. For example, the Indian Chartered Accountancy certification is the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree in accounting while the Canadian Chartered Accountancy certification is not. The second reason this happens is because when documents are translated from their original language into English, some degree titles don’t actually have a direct linguistic translation into English. Others do, but the academic value is different. It’s easy for translators to accidentally insert misinformed judgment into the academic value of a degree through translation. It is always best for translators to simply perform a direct translation and then have the documents passed onto a credential evaluator for the next step. Understanding the value of a foreign degree requires a complex, specialized understanding of international education. Understanding the structures of education and the educational steps required to earn each credential, as well as international trade agreements, graduate program admissions trends, CIS trends and precedents, and federal case law is required to write an accurate evaluation that CIS will understand and accept. Before you file, make sure you, or your employee or client has the right education for the visa. If you’ve already received an RFE, it’s not too late! Simply go to ccifree.com and submit the educational documents and a current resume, and indicate the visa and job. We will get back to you within 24 hours with a pre-evaluation of your case and all of your options for evaluation. About the Author Sheila Danzig Sheila Danzig is the Executive Director at TheDegreePeople.com, a Foreign Credentials Evaluation Agency. For a free analysis of any difficult case, RFE, Denial, or NOID, please go to http://ccifree.com/ or call 800.771.4723.]]>

                  What is a Degree? – Find out Before You File! Read More »

                  Preempt an RFE: Beware of False Translations

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  kandidat naouk is generally evaluated to be the equivalent of a US doctorate, but it cannot be TRANSLATED into this equivalency. Don’t get too far on your petition, or your employee or client’s petition before without an accurate account of their education. Simply go to ccifree.com and attach the academic documents and a current resume, and indicate the visa, and job or desired equivalency. Within 24 hours, we will get back to your with a pre-evaluation and full analysis of your options. Translation and evaluation are very different, highly specialized services. A good evaluator can spot and correct when academic value gets lost in translation. Foreign credential evaluators typically have significant experience with international credentials from working in university admissions or similar work environments, or have earned graduate level degrees in international education. Because of the complex nature of international education, evaluators must have a firm grasp of education structures across the world, as well as USCIS statutes and precedent decisions, international trade agreements, and more. Evaluations must be performed on a case-by-case basis because every candidate’s path through learning – both in institutions and on-the-job – is unique. Therefore, evaluators must have the experience and insight to pass judgment with integrity. Do not file an H1B or EB2 petition with falsely translated educational documents. Both of these visas rely heavily on academic eligibility and filing with the wrong education will result in an RFE at best, and a lot of extra work. Before you get too far on the petition, let us provide a pre-evaluation with all of your options to help prevent or overturn an educational RFE. Simply go to ccifree.com and attach all educational documents and a current, accurate resume, and indicate the visa, and job or desired academic equivalency. We will get back to you within 24 hours with a full analysis and all of your options. About the Author Sheila Danzig Sheila Danzig is the Executive Director at TheDegreePeople.com, a Foreign Credentials Evaluation Agency. For a free analysis of any difficult case, RFE, Denial, or NOID, please go to http://ccifree.com/ or call 800.771.4723.]]>

                  Preempt an RFE: Beware of False Translations Read More »

                  Scroll to Top