Ask AI: Prompts for Immigration Research

[IMPORTANT: This is an educational exploration, not legal advice. I am not asking you to determine my eligibility or to draft text for a USCIS filing. Anything you produce must be reviewed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney before any use in an actual petition, application, or filing. Immigration law changes frequently and my facts may be incomplete.]

I am an international student on an F-1 visa studying [YOUR FIELD] at a [master's/PhD] level in the United States. I have [X] publications, [X] conference presentations, and [X] years remaining in my program. Please provide an educational comparison of the employment-based immigration pathways most relevant to international students (H-1B, EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW, O-1A). For each pathway, explain the eligibility criteria, the typical evidentiary burden, and how someone with the qualifications listed above might self-evaluate whether it is worth exploring further with an attorney. Do NOT give me a definitive eligibility determination — frame this as background information I would bring to an attorney consultation.

[IMPORTANT: This is an educational exploration, not legal advice. I am not asking you to determine my eligibility or to draft text for a USCIS filing. Anything you produce must be reviewed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney before any use in an actual petition, application, or filing. Immigration law changes frequently and my facts may be incomplete.]

My master's or PhD thesis research focuses on [TOPIC]. Help me understand — at an educational level — how the three prongs of Matter of Dhanasar, 26 I&N Dec. 884 (AAO 2016) might apply to research in this area. Walk me through: (1) how 'substantial merit and national importance' is typically framed for this type of research, (2) what kinds of evidence show someone is 'well positioned to advance' the endeavor, and (3) what arguments typically support waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements on balance. Do NOT draft text I can submit to USCIS — I will work with an immigration attorney on the actual petition letter. Attorney review is required before any language goes into a filing.

[IMPORTANT: This is an educational exploration, not legal advice. I am not asking you to determine my eligibility or to draft text for a USCIS filing. Anything you produce must be reviewed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney before any use in an actual petition, application, or filing. Immigration law changes frequently and my facts may be incomplete.]

List the 10 regulatory EB-1A criteria at 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3) and explain each in plain language. Also explain the Kazarian two-step framework (mechanical criteria count followed by the final merits determination of sustained acclaim and 'small percentage at the very top' standard). My current accomplishments are: [LIST YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS]. Please explain how a practitioner might educationally map these against each criterion and what gaps might exist. Do NOT give me a filing-readiness determination — that is solely a licensed attorney's judgment. I am using this to prepare for a meaningful attorney consultation.

[IMPORTANT: This is an educational exploration, not legal advice. I am not asking you to determine my eligibility or to draft text for a USCIS filing. Anything you produce must be reviewed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney before any use in an actual petition, application, or filing. Immigration law changes frequently and my facts may be incomplete.]

My degree program is [PROGRAM NAME] at [UNIVERSITY] with CIP code [CODE if known on your I-20]. Explain at a general educational level: (1) how the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List is structured around CIP codes, (2) how to verify a specific program's CIP code on an I-20 (the CIP on the I-20 is authoritative, not the department name), and (3) what general options students explore if their program is not on the STEM list (e.g., discussing a STEM minor, dual degree, or concentration change with the academic advisor and DSO). Do NOT tell me that I am or am not STEM-eligible — the authoritative determination comes from matching the CIP on the official I-20 against the current DHS list, and should be confirmed by my DSO.

[IMPORTANT: This is an educational exploration, not legal advice. I am not asking you to determine my eligibility or to draft text for a USCIS filing. Anything you produce must be reviewed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney before any use in an actual petition, application, or filing. Immigration law changes frequently and my facts may be incomplete.]

I am preparing to ask a recognized expert in my field for a support letter that will later be part of an [EB-1A / EB-2 NIW] petition. Help me brainstorm the structure of my OUTREACH MESSAGE to the expert (not the letter itself). The outreach should: explain briefly what the petition is about, what general areas the letter typically addresses, and what background materials I will provide. Do NOT draft the letter itself — the actual letter must be authored in the expert's own voice based on their personal assessment of my work, and the final petition package (including all letters) must be reviewed by a licensed immigration attorney before submission. Unreviewed or AI-generated letter text submitted to USCIS can create serious credibility problems.