RFE objection "Local-level award": how it was answered
Key answer
The officer believes the prizes or awards appear local or regional, not nationally or internationally recognized. Add evidence of the award's national or international recognition, the geographic scope of the participants, and the organizer's status.
The objection belongs to the "Awards" criterion. Below is what the community did to close it: the order of steps, the documents that were attached and the wording that went into the answer.
Steps that closed it
- Show that the award is above the local level: regional, national, or international
- Describe the scope of the competition: participant geography, number of applications, number of countries or regions
- Confirm the independence and authority of the jury or organizer
- Explain the selection criteria and the competitiveness of the award
- Do not include internal, corporate, school, or city awards as key evidence
What was attached
- Official award page describing the level and criteria
- List of winners and finalists
- Data on the number of participants and the competition's geographic reach
- Jury or expert council members
- Publications about the award in independent sources
How the answer was worded
The award is granted at the national level following an open competitive selection among participants from different regions, with evaluation by an independent expert jury and published selection criteria.
A pattern, not a template to copy: the wording only works with your own facts behind it.
Where to check this
Other objections on this criterion
Reference information and community experience, not legal advice. The AAO figures are lessons from appeals, not approval odds; fees and timelines change - verify on uscis.gov.