AI expert opinion letter FAQ

An AI expert opinion letter is an independent written evaluation by a recognized specialist in artificial intelligence, submitted as supporting evidence in a U.S. immigration petition. It explains the petitioner's technical work, its originality, its adoption, and its significance relative to the field, in language an adjudicator who is not an AI practitioner can evaluate. It is not legal argument and it is not a character reference.

A USCIS officer adjudicating the petition. That officer assesses evidence across many fields and is not an AI specialist. This shapes everything about how a useful letter is written: technical claims have to be specific enough to be verifiable, and significant enough to matter, while remaining legible to a careful non-specialist reader.

No. It is supporting evidence, not a procedural requirement, for EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and O-1A petitions. (O-1 petitions do generally require a separate advisory opinion from a peer group or labor organization, which is a different document.) Whether an expert letter strengthens a particular petition is a judgment for your immigration attorney.

It reasons from specific evidence to specific conclusions rather than asserting significance. It establishes why its author is qualified to evaluate this particular area of AI. It connects the petitioner's work to the criteria the petition relies on without arguing the legal standard. And it is honest about scope, including what the evidence does not show, because overclaiming invites scrutiny and undermines the parts that are well supported.

Generic praise, undefined superlatives, an author whose relevant expertise is never established, wording that looks templated, and conclusions with no visible reasoning behind them. Adjudicators see a great many letters and discount the ones that could have been written about anyone.

I cover artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, data science, AI strategy, enterprise AI, agentic AI, automation, SaaS, AI infrastructure, and related software and data fields. Where a matter falls outside my genuine expertise, I decline it rather than write outside my competence.

No. I am not an attorney. I do not provide legal advice, prepare petitions, determine eligibility for any category, or represent anyone before USCIS. My role is limited to independent technical and professional evaluation, used in coordination with licensed counsel.

No, that is a legal determination for an immigration attorney who can review your full situation. I can explain how the categories differ in what they test, which is why I wrote a comparison of EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and O-1A, but choosing between them is not something I am qualified to advise on.

No. Credential evaluations and three-for-one work experience equivalency determinations are a separate service, usually provided by credential evaluation agencies or by academics with authority to grant college-level credit. My letters address the technical substance of AI work and AI roles.

No. If the record does not support a favorable expert opinion, I say so before drafting. Where I can, I will identify what evidence would change the assessment. A letter that an adjudicator discounts helps nobody, and writing one would compromise the independence that makes my other letters worth submitting.

Fees depend on petition type, the volume of material to review, and the timeline. I quote before any work begins. I charge for review time and preparation, and payment is never contingent on the content of the opinion or the outcome of the petition. I do not offer success-based or outcome-based pricing.

Standard turnaround is 5–10 business days, measured from receipt of complete materials, not from first contact. Expedited review in 2–3 business days is available where an RFE, NOID, or filing deadline requires it. My initial view on whether I can help usually comes back within one business day of receiving materials.

Submit a request at descalo.com/expert-letter-contact with the petitioner's CV, the petition type, a case summary, and any deadline you are working to. I will review and respond on fit and next steps. If there is a filing or response deadline, include it in the first message.

Yes, on most matters. I coordinate with counsel so the letter addresses the right technical questions without straying into legal argument, and I am comfortable working within an attorney's framing of the case. I also work directly with petitioners, though I recommend retaining counsel.

No. Expert opinion letters concern identifiable individuals and their immigration matters, and sharing them, even redacted, is not something I am willing to do. What I can do is talk through the structure and what a letter for your category would address.

20+ independent expert opinion letters for immigration matters involving AI, machine learning, data science, software, automation, SaaS, and enterprise AI. Petitioners have been affiliated with major technology companies, AI labs, enterprise software companies, cloud and infrastructure platforms, financial institutions, consulting firms, defense technology organizations, and healthcare and life sciences companies.