mm_flynn
VFR on top, in the US, is an IFR clearance. To fly on an IFR clearance, you must hold an instrument rating.
Similarly a "contact approach" - read the details of the definition! You absolutely cannot legally fly one of those on a VFR licence: the visibility is way below VFR minima. It wouldn't be a contact approach otherwise.
The 1000 feet vertically from cloud is fine if it's one cloud and/or you can see round it. Above an overcast (or mostly overcast) layer, you are not legal without an IR.