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O-1/EB-1A evidence guide for open source impact

Updated: Author: Alina Kanametova

Reference Guides 1 page Anonymized Access on request

How to meet an O-1 / EB-1A criterion through prominent open source work: commits and pull requests, maintainer letters, publications, references.

After filing

About this document

A Russian guidance note on how to satisfy a USCIS criterion by showing contributions to prominent open source projects and their industry use. It lists the types of proof to gather, including commit links, pull requests, maintainer confirmation, media references, third-party statements, and recommendation letters.

Key points

  • Document the open source projects, changes made, and links to commits, pull requests, and discussions.
  • Obtain confirmation from maintainers or lead contributors about the importance of the applicant's work.
  • Collect proof that the work was used or recognized in industry, such as articles, company examples, or third-party statements.
  • Gather recommendation letters from recognized specialists stating the contribution's importance and industry impact.
  • Use industry reports, analytical articles, or interviews to show significant changes linked to the applicant's participation.
  • Compare the applicant's achievements with similar contributions by other recognized specialists.
  • Prepare a cover letter that briefly ties together all the evidence for USCIS.

What is inside

  1. Document the contribution
  2. Confirm the contribution
  3. Show industry use
  4. Recommendation letters
  5. Industry review
  6. Comparative analysis
  7. Cover letter

When it helps

A reference note for an O-1A, EB-1A, or EB-2 NIW file showing what evidence can support a claimed open source contribution criterion. It serves as a checklist for assembling proof and framing the contribution's industry impact.

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Source: Community (anonymized). The material opens on the site. Reference material, not legal advice.

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