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Cheap H1B Expert Opinion Letter Service in USA: Save Money on Your Visa RFE Response

Immigration, Visa Approvals

Receiving an H1B Request for Evidence (RFE) can be stressful, especially when timelines are tight and expenses begin to increase. Many applicants worry that an RFE means their petition is weak. In reality, RFEs are often issued because USCIS needs clearer explanations related to job roles, education, or degree equivalency. This is where expert opinion letters and credential evaluations become important without forcing applicants to spend excessively on legal fees.

Choosing a cheap H1B expert opinion letter service in the USA helps applicants respond correctly, meet USCIS expectations, and manage overall visa costs.

Why H1B RFEs Are Issued So Often

H1B RFEs are common and usually focus on clarity rather than eligibility. USCIS officers review a high volume of petitions, and if any detail appears unclear or incomplete, an RFE is issued to request additional evidence.

Common reasons include:

  • Questions about whether the role qualifies as a specialty occupation
  • Concerns related to foreign degree equivalency
  • Three year bachelor’s degrees requiring U.S. equivalency explanation
  • Job duties that are not described in sufficient detail

An RFE is not a denial. It is a request for stronger and clearer documentation.

Specialty Occupation RFEs and How Expert Opinion Letters Help

Specialty occupation RFEs are one of the most frequent challenges in H1B cases. USCIS may question whether the position genuinely requires specialized knowledge and a specific degree background.

An expert opinion letter for an H1B visa helps explain this by:

  • Connecting job duties directly to academic requirements
  • Demonstrating how the role depends on specialized education
  • Showing why the position meets H1B specialty occupation standards

When prepared correctly, an expert opinion letter for an H1B RFE answers USCIS concerns in professional and recognizable language.

Addressing Degree Equivalency Concerns in H1B RFEs

Foreign education is another major reason RFEs are issued. USCIS must confirm that a degree earned outside the United States meets U.S. bachelor’s degree standards, especially when the academic structure is different.

A degree equivalency evaluation USA report helps by:

  • Explaining how foreign education compares to U.S. standards
  • Clarifying credit systems, coursework, and duration
  • Supporting eligibility for specialty occupation roles

A degree evaluation for H1B petitions reduces confusion and presents academic credentials in a format USCIS understands.

Why Affordable H1B Expert Opinion Letter Services Matter

Many applicants are concerned about the cost of responding to an RFE. Immigration attorney costs can rise quickly, particularly when multiple documents are required. Affordable expert opinion letter services offer a practical option for academic and professional evaluations without lowering quality.

Cheap H1B expert opinion letter services focus on:

  • Delivering USCIS ready documentation
  • Supporting H1B RFE response requirements efficiently
  • Offering low cost immigration help without unnecessary services

This approach allows applicants to save money while still submitting a strong response.

What a Complete H1B RFE Response Usually Includes

A strong H1B RFE response rarely relies on a single document. It usually includes several supporting evaluations that work together to address USCIS questions.

These commonly include:

  • Expert opinion letters for H1B specialty occupation RFEs
  • Degree equivalency evaluation USA reports
  • Academic credential evaluation services
  • Job description validation support

When combined properly, these documents form a clear and organized response.

When It Makes Sense to Use a Cheap H1B Expert Opinion Letter Service

Professional evaluation services are recommended when:

  • USCIS questions specialty occupation eligibility
  • A foreign degree requires U.S. equivalency clarification
  • An RFE specifically requests expert validation
  • Previous documentation was considered insufficient

Using affordable services early often helps avoid repeat RFEs and delays.

Credential Evaluation Cost and Expert Opinion Letter Pricing

Pricing depends on the complexity of the case and the level of review required. Transparent pricing allows applicants to plan without surprises.

Typical ranges include:

  • Expert opinion letter for H1B RFE costing approximately $600 to $1200
  • Degree equivalency evaluation USA costing approximately $500 to $1000

These services focus on accuracy, compliance, and clarity, which are critical for USCIS review.

Practical Steps to Reduce Future H1B RFEs

While RFEs cannot always be avoided, preparation can reduce risk:

  • Clearly define job duties and required qualifications
  • Submit complete academic transcripts and degree documents
  • Obtain credential evaluations early
  • Include expert opinion letters when eligibility may be questioned

Well prepared petitions are easier for USCIS officers to evaluate.

Affordable H1B RFE Help in the USA

Fast and affordable H1B RFE response services help applicants meet deadlines with less stress. Cheap expert opinion letter services combined with credential evaluations provide a cost effective way to strengthen visa petitions.

By choosing affordable and professional support, applicants can save money while submitting a response that aligns with USCIS expectations and improves approval chances.

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.

Cheap H1B Expert Opinion Letter Service in USA: Save Money on Your Visa RFE Response Read More »

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 »

                  H-1B Specialty Occupation Survival Guide for the FY2020 Lottery

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  Next week, USCIS begins accepting H-1B petitions on Monday April 1st.  We suspect that this year there will be more than enough petitions to fill the 65,000 general H-1B cap-subject visas and the additional 20,000 H-1B visas for advanced degrees, resulting in a lottery.

                  Getting selected in the lottery is just the first step of the process.  Last year, the rate of RFEs for H-1B petitions jumped 45% from the year before, and of the petitions that received an RFE only 60% ended up being approved.

                  The two most common RFE issues that blocked beneficiaries from getting their visas approved outright – and in some cases entirely – were specialty occupation and wage level.  These two issues often came tied together as USCIS made the assumption that occupations set at level one wages were entry level, and many of these assumed positions did not ALWAYS require a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher for entry not the position.  For this reason, USCIS stated that the beneficiary either was not being paid the prevailing wage for the specialty occupation, or the job did not meet specialty occupation requirements.

                  This year, USCIS adjudicators have the authority to deny petitions outright without first issuing an RFE to give beneficiaries the chance to strengthen their case.  That means you have to get it right the first time. 

                  Here’s how:

                  When the petition is filed, be sure to include a detailed job description that clearly shows the complex nature of the job, including examples of duties in which theoretical or practical application of specialized knowledge must be applied.  You need to provide sufficient documentation that the job is complex in nature, and that the position requires a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or its equivalent to perform. This can be done by providing the ad for the job along with ads for the same position in different companies within the industry, documentation of past employer hiring practices to show that the position always requires this educational minimum qualification, and an expert opinion letter from a professional with extensive experience WORKING IN THE FIELD of the H-1B job that explains why this position meet specialty occupation requirements, and why the wage level is appropriate.

                  Petitions are rejected when there is not sufficient evidence to show that the job, the employer, the beneficiary, and the contract all meet H-1B requirements.

                  USCIS has assured H-1B hopefuls and their sponsors that a petition will not be denied simply because the wages are set at level one.  Don’t take chances.  Make sure to give USCIS a detailed breakdown of all of the factors that went into setting the wage level backed up with an expert opinion letter.

                  Remember, the right expert to write the opinion letter USCIS will accept – because expert opinion letters are often rejected – is someone who has extensive experience working in the field.  A professor in the field is not sufficient; the expert must have actual working experience in the field rather than just teaching it for the opinion to have weight.  At CCI TheDegreePeople.com we vet our experts to make sure they have the right credentials and work experience.  We have an over 90% approval rate for specialty occupation and wage level RFEs.  The more information you can provide your expert about the H-1B job the better the letter will be and the higher chance that you, or your employee or client will have of H-1B visa approval.

                  For a free review of your case visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less and have rush delivery options for the last minute.











                  H-1B Specialty Occupation Survival Guide for the FY2020 Lottery Read More »

                  CASE STUDY: The Biggest Nightmare RFE Out There

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration

                  You’ve heard of the Nightmare RFE and the Double Employment Issue RFE. Get ready, because this is about to be terrifying:

                  This RFE season is the harshest we’ve seen yet. Now, CIS is combining these RFEs. Candidates are now having to defend against requests for evidence regarding every facet of their education AND employment issues. The Nightmare on its own is virtually impossible to answer given the time and evidence demanded. Now, it’s even worse. We could call it the Triple RFE, but the best way to approach it is as one, single, consolidated RFE.

                  Here’s how:

                  Go back to the basics. The Nightmare RFE cannot be answered by its own guidelines. Instead, at TheDegreePeople.com, we go back to the original H1B requirements and meet them impeccably. This requires a detailed credential evaluation that may include expert opinion letters, work experience conversions, citing federal case law, international education and labor agreements, and CIS precedent decisions to show that your client meets the educational requirements of both the H1B visa, and their job.

                  At the same time, we need to address the employment issues. These issues have had to do with whether or not the job in question is adequately specialized to meet H1B requirements. The issue arises when the job indicated on the employer’s Labor Conditions Application doesn’t meet the duties of the job indicated on the H1B petition exactly, and when the employer indicates Wage Level 1 for the H1B job. CIS contests that the job doesn’t match, and also that just because a job is at Wage Level 1 it is not specialized to the point of requiring a US Bachelor’s Degree or higher or its foreign equivalent. An expert opinion letter is needed in these cases that explains the situation, alongside documentation clearly spelling out the specialized responsibilities involved in the job. In many cases, employees start at Wage Level 1 because they are fresh out of college without much work experience, and while their job is adequately specialized, it still requires a lot of guidance and supervision.

                  You don’t have to address all three issues presented in the biggest Nightmare RFE out there with three separate responses. At TheDegreePeople.com, we have been able to successfully answer every one of these horrid RFEs in one fell swoop with a creative approach and an expert opinion letter that addresses both employment issues. If you’re staring down this terrifying RFE, simply go to ccifree.com and let us review your case for free.

                  CASE STUDY: The Biggest Nightmare RFE Out There Read More »

                  Answering an H1B RFE: Beware of Education Traps!

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals


                  If you or your employee or client fell into an H1B education trap, you need to understand what happened and how you can fix it when answering the RFE. Below we will look at some common H1B traps and how to climb your way out of them.

                  Badly Translated Transcripts

                  When you submit an H1B petition, CIS requires all educational documents be translated into English and evaluated for US academic equivalence. Some degrees simply don’t translate directly into English. At the same time, many degrees do translate directly into English when it comes to the wording, but the degree has an entirely different academic content. This is why degrees must be translated AND evaluated, and these are both highly specialized fields. Sometimes translation agencies overstep their scope of practice and make educational value judgments along with language translation. This is a major H1B education trap that has become more and more treacherous as some translation agencies have begun to market their services as a “one-shop stop” for translation and evaluation. Credential evaluation must be carried out on a case-by-case basis because every pathway through learning is unique, every institution is unique, and every country has a unique structure. An evaluator must be knowledgeable about these differences, as well as federal case law, CIS precedents, degree program admissions requirements, and international trade agreements to write an accurate evaluation of your degree, or your employee or client’s degree. Translation agencies simply do not have this expertise and instead turn to conservative equivalency databases like EDGE, which is not actually a standardized equivalency database as no such database actually exists.

                  If you or your employee or client received an RFE as the result of a bad translation, talk to a credential evaluation agency that works regularly with H1B RFE cases. A skilled evaluator can spot a bad translation and evaluate accordingly.

                  The degree is not from a government-accredited institution.

                  The fact is, there are plenty of institutions around the world that offer rigorous education programs that fully prepare workers for highly specialized occupations that are not actually government accredited. That means that even though you or your employee or client may have a legitimate education from an institution held in high regard by your industry, or your employee or client’s industry, the institution itself may not be government accredited and CIS will not approve the visa.

                  This is an RFE trap that you may or may not be able to wriggle free of. If you have, or if your employee or client has years of progressive work experience in the field of their specialty occupation, a credential evaluator with the authority to convert years of work experience into college credit to write a US bachelor’s degree equivalency CIS will accept. It’s always best to find whether or not this will work BEFORE you file the petition, but even if you fell into this H1B trap for FY2017 you may still be able to answer the RFE and get the visa approved.

                  The Bachelor’s Degree is ACTUALLY just a high school diploma.

                  This happens more often than you may think. Mistaking a high school diploma for a Bachelor’s degree can happen as the result of cross-cultural misunderstandings, bad translations, and acting upon false information. H1B educational criteria require candidates to hold a US bachelor’s degree or higher, or its equivalent. A high school diploma – or the foreign equivalent of a US high school diploma – will not cut it.

                  If you or your employee or client fell into this H1B education trap, talk to a credential evaluator with experience working with H1B RFEs. If you have, or if your employee or client has any post-secondary education from an accredited institution, this can be counted towards a bachelor’s degree equivalency, along with any years of progressive work experience you have, or your employee or client has in the field of employ. This is a tough mistake to recover from, and you may even find out that you or your employee or client has been pursuing the wrong visa all along. However, there is still a chance that you can claw your way out of this H1B education trap.

                  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.

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                  Answering an H1B RFE: Beware of Education Traps! Read More »

                  4 Common H-1B RFEs You Need to Know About

                  Credential Evaluation, Visa Approvals


                  To successfully answer an RFE, you must sit down with your team and understand what documentation and evidence is being asked for, and what questions CIS is trying to answer with this evidence requested. Once you understand what questions CIS has that were left unanswered by the initial petition, you can take the next step to answering it. Providing the answer may not be so straightforward. In fact, many RFEs don’t actually have a solution in the wording. Talk to a credential evaluator with experience working with RFEs and difficult cases. They understand CIS trends, and what CIS is REALLY asking for when they request specific evidence which may or may not be possible or realistic for you to provide with the time and resources allotted.

                  Below are four common RFEs we have seen cross our desks more and more frequently in the past few years.

                  1. Degree and Job Don’t Match
                  2. Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree
                  3. Job is Not Clearly a Specialty Occupation
                  4. Degree Has a Difficult Equivalency

                  The H-1B visa is for foreign nationals coming to work in the United States with a bachelor’s degree or higher to work in a specialty occupation. No doubt, this is why we are seeing so many RFEs that deal precisely with these factors. Let’s take a closer look.

                  Education-Related RFEs

                  What is the foreign equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree or higher? This has proven a difficult question because educational systems differ greatly across borders. The two most common RFEs we have seen resulting from this have to do with degrees that don’t call themselves degrees or do not have a direct equivalent specialization, and Indian three-year bachelor’s degrees. If you or your employee or client has an Indian three-year bachelor’s degree, do NOT submit a petition without a credential evaluation or you will get an RFE regarding this. Although the Indian three-year degree tends to have more classroom contact hours than a US four-year degree, CIS requires you or your employee or client account for the missing fourth year to have an acceptable equivalency for the H-1B visa. Three years of progressive work experience can be converted into one year of college credit to account for this year. Talk to a credential evaluation agency with the authority to do this, and the knowledge of international education to provide the evidence to fortify this equivalency.

                  The Indian three-year bachelor’s degree is not the only difficult degree. Degrees without a clear US equivalency are often met with RFEs. One example of this is the Chartered Accountancy Certificate from India. This is a degree that does not call itself a degree, and due to the educational steps required to attain their certificate, it is the functional equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree in accounting. However, the US CPA and the Canadian Chartered Accountancy certificate are not functional equivalents to a US bachelor’s degree. You can see how this can get very confusing very quickly without a thorough evaluation that guides CIS through the functional steps of you or your employee or client’s degree.

                  Another education-related problem that triggers an RFE is when a specialty occupation does not have a major that fits it. In fact, the job that receives the most RFEs is Computer Systems Analyst. This is a very specific occupation that requires a very specific specialization – one that there are very few bachelor’s degrees in to draw an equivalency from. A credential evaluation that clearly spells out a functional equivalence – meaning what graduate programs, licenses or jobs having a particular degree or certification functions as a prerequisite for – of you or your employee or client’s degree is necessary for difficult degrees and difficult jobs. If you or your employee or client has a difficult degree, or a job that does not have a clear field specialization in terms of college majors, talk to a credential evaluator with an in depth understanding of international education. This kind of evaluator will know which degree to reference for the equivalency, and the steps in education required to earn a certificate in the country you or your employee or client completed their education in.

                  Job-Related RFEs

                  The two common job-related RFEs we see are the degree not matching the job, and CIS not having enough evidence to determine whether or not the job is a specialty occupation. A specialty occupation means that to perform the duties of the job at hand, the employee must possess specialized skills and knowledge unique to the position. This typically means that the position requires a US bachelor’s degree or higher or its foreign equivalent. If CIS issues an RFE seeking insight into whether or not your or your employee or client’s job is a specialty occupation, you can provide the ad for the job showing the minimum requirements necessary to perform its duties. Include ads for similar jobs in similar companies in the industry to show that these are typical requirements for such positions. If this job does require a level of expertise unusual to what the same job in this industry typically requires, include an expert opinion letter about why this particular position for this particular country, or in the particular geographic location is unique.

                  If the RFE arrived because your job or your employee or client’s job was not an exact match for the degree, this is also the result of the job being a specialty occupation. While most employers will hire employees with degrees in fields related to their job, in the past seven or so years CIS has made an approval trend shift and stopped approving these visas. CIS now requires the degree to be an exact match to the job to ensure that the employee has learned the specialized skills and knowledge required for their H-1B job. However, employers understand that skills and expertise can be learned through related degrees, classes taken in the field even if that was not the central major of the degree, and through hands-on work experience. This can be translated in CIS approval standards through a credential evaluation in which the evaluator takes into account the course content of your degree or your employee or client’s degree as well as years of progressive work experience in the field. Courses in the specialization of your job or your employee or client’s job can be evaluated to count towards a degree equivalency in that field, as well as progressive work experience. Three years of work experience in which you or your employee or client took on more skilled work and responsibilities as the job progressed can be converted into the equivalency of one year of college credit in that field. If you receive this RFE, consult with a credential evaluator about your education or your employee or client’s education and work experience to see what can be done.

                  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.

                   

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                  Computer Systems Analyst: The H1b Job that gets the Most RFEs

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals

                  The problem does not lie within the job, but in the degree. For a candidate to meet H1b visa requirements, their degree must be an exact match for their job title. What degree matches Computer Systems Analyst? While this is a common H1b job, this is NOT a common degree. In fact, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Analysis is extremely rare in the United States and available ONLY at universities with self-designed degrees. While in India, there is a BCA in Computer Systems Analysis, this degree will not work on its own because it is a three-year degree rather than a US four-year degree. The only degree we have seen NOT trigger an RFE for Computer Systems Analyst is a US Master of Computer Analysis.

                  It is highly unlikely your client holds one of the extremely rare US Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Analysis, or a US Master of Computer Analysis. So what is the right solution for you and your client?

                  If your client has an Indian BCA in Computer Systems Analysis, a credential evaluator with the authority to convert years of progressive work experience in the field of Computer Systems Analysis into years of college credit in the field that matches your client’s job title. Progressive work experience means that your client took on more and more duties and responsibilities through this work as time went on, indicating that knowledge and skills in the field of employ were developed and put to the test. Your client learned through this work experience and put these new specialized skills and knowledge to practical use in the workplace. An evaluator can convert three years of progressive work experience into one year of college credit in the field of Computer Systems Analysis to account for the missing fourth year.

                  While an RFE is not the end of the world, it is a big red flag that triggers a close scrutiny of your client’s petition and increases chances of rejection. An evaluator who specializes in RFEs and difficult cases understands CIS trends and knows common triggers for RFEs, as well as how to address these triggers when they arise and how to avoid them in the first place. Before you file your client’s H1b petition, get in touch with a credential evaluation agency that specializes in RFEs and difficult cases. Have them review your client’s case.

                  About the Author  

                  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, RFEs, Denials, or NOIDs, please go to http://www.ccifree.com/ or call 800 771 4723

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                  Your Roadmap to Approval May NOT be in your Client’s RFE

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals


                  Against a backdrop of increased pressure and limited resources, the RFE your client receives in response to his or her petition is not always as unique and specific as it may appear to be. The number of petitions submitted for the same number of visas has forced CIS workers evaluating petitions to get sloppy when a decision is not entirely straightforward.

                  In fact, USCIS has adopted an approach to writing RFEs and Denials wherein instead of writing an RFE tailored to the actual petition, they use boilerplate text from an adjudicator’s manual. Readers unfamiliar with this CIS trend may think that the RFE lays out the guidelines and advice for how to respond to it. In practice, this is not the case. The boilerplate text has been chosen after the fact, as justification for a decision that has already been made to deny your client’s petition. Following the guidelines indicated in this kind of RFE will not actually give you and your client correct insight into what is needed for your client’s individual petition.

                  Boilerplate text RFE’s can he hard to identify, especially to the untrained eye, and even more difficult to respond to successfully. In order to overturn this RFE, it is necessary to construct a response that transcends what CIS can just throw more boilerplate text at. To do this, you must submit a response that must be referred to an expert at CIS with the capacity to review petitions on a case-by-case basis. In essence, you can’t respond successfully to a boilerplate RFE with a boilerplate response.

                  If your client’s petition received an RFE for an education situation, contact an expert credential evaluator. For difficult cases, RFEs, and Denials, you need an expert who understands CIS trends, federal case law, CIS precedents, and the intricacies of the visa requirements who can write a detailed evaluation that must be deferred to someone who can actually give your client’s petition the adjudication it deserves.

                  About the Author

                  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 Roadmap to Approval May NOT be in your Client’s RFE Read More »

                  What’s in an H1-B Credential Evaluation and Why Does it Matter?

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals


                  There are three primary components to a credential evaluation:

                  1. Institutions of education and attendance dates. An evaluation will indicate which schools and colleges your client attended and for how long, including the profile and accreditations of the schools your client attended. This means elementary school, high school, and post-secondary institutions. The reason for this is because the number of years of education varies from country to country from the time your client entered school as a child. These are all factors in equivalency recommendations.
                  1. Diploma, certificate, degree, and transcript equivalents. All of these documents will be included in the evaluation along with their equivalents indicated and explained. The steps of education is important in the evaluation process because many degrees in countries outside of the US are post-secondary degrees BUT the word degree is not in the title. To evaluate these difficult degrees, the stages of education necessary to attain these certifications must be evaluated for post-secondary equivalence.
                  1. Recommended US equivalent of your client’s degree. Each credential evaluation will make an equivalence recommendation based on evidence, analysis, expert opinions, CIS precedents, international trade agreements, and even federal case law. Since there are no set standards for foreign degree equivalence evaluation, an evaluator must make a case for their recommendation.

                  For the H1-B visa, you want an evaluator who can write an accurate recommendation founded in evidence, precedents, expert opinions, and documentation for your client’s degree to be the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree or higher in the field that matches your client’s job title. Not all evaluation agencies will write the detailed evaluation it takes to truly explain and assess the value of your client’s foreign degree. Many evaluation agencies simply pull conservative equivalencies from standardized equivalency databases. However, there are NO set foreign equivalency standards and every candidate’s education is different.

                  When you hire a credential evaluator for your client’s H1-B evaluation, make sure he or she is well-versed in the specific educational requirements of the H1-B visa. This means when you call, you will be asked about your client’s specific visa, and your clients specific job. Both of these variables factor heavily into the evaluation the right evaluator will write for your client’s education.

                  About the Author

                  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.]]>

                  What’s in an H1-B Credential Evaluation and Why Does it Matter? Read More »

                  How to Properly Address H1B Education Requirements

                  Credential Evaluation, Immigration, Visa Approvals


                  1. Does the candidate have a US bachelor’s degree or higher?
                  2. Does the candidate’s degree match their specialty occupation?

                  Many H1-B candidates do not have US bachelor’s degrees because their degree is from outside of the United States. Some candidates have not completed their degrees or received specialized training through other means. If this is your client’s situation, you need to prove that they have the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree or higher for their visa to be approved, and this must be documented with a credential evaluation. Candidates with three-year degrees, four-year degrees from countries other than the US, or incomplete or missing education can have their work experience evaluated for equivalency to years of college credit in their industry. This work experience must show that the candidate learned new, and progressively difficult, specialized skills through this work experience, and took on more and more responsibility. Three years of progressive work experience is the equivalent of one year of college with a major in that field. Credential evaluators with the authority to convert years of progressive work experience into college credit can help you and your client fill in the educational gaps between the US educational system and the educational system of the country your client’s degree is from.

                  To prove that your client’s degree matches their job title, you need to provide evidence that the education and training required for your candidate’s degree prepare your client for the duties required in his or her H1-B job. To do this, you can submit a detailed overview of the specific duties of your client’s job, your client’s employer, and how the complexities of your client’s job relate to his or her degree. Meeting the evidence standards for this requirement may also require an expert opinion letter, documentation that similar companies require employees to hold your client’s degree for similar occupations, and even printouts of degree fields typically associated with your client’s job.

                  In recent years, CIS has required that H1-B candidates’ degrees be an exact match for their job title. While employers will hire candidates with degrees in related fields, CIS will not approve their visas if the degree is not an exact match. This is a new CIS trend that must be taken into account when filing an H1-B petition to avoid an RFE. If your candidate holds a generalized degree or a degree in a mismatched field, get in touch with a credential evaluator. With the progressive work experience conversion, an evaluator can fill in the gap between your client’s degree specialization, and your client’s job title with years of progressive work experience in your client’s job title.

                  When you look for the right credential evaluator for your client’s case, make sure you choose one that follows CIS trends and has a deep understanding of the nuances of education internationally.

                  About the Author

                  Sheila Danzig

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

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