In submitting applications for variant strings, applicants must explain why each applied-for variant string is necessary, and the answers will be subject to the Variant String Evaluation. A panel will review the applicant's justification based on four key criteria:
- The meaning or intended meaning of each of the applied-for variant strings is consistent with the applied-for primary string.
- Each variant string is recognized as equivalent to the primary string by the target user community.
- There are real benefits and users who will gain from the delegation of the variant string.
- How the applicant plans to minimize any operational or management challenges that variant strings and their variant domain names may create for registrars, resellers, or registrants.
Each applied-for variant string must reasonably meet all of these criteria to be approved.