Outcome: Dismissed
APR172018_01B2203
Our summary
Doctoral candidate researcher in material chemistry sought EB-1A classification. Claimed three criteria: judging, scholarly articles, and original contributions. AAO affirmed two criteria were met but rejected original contributions, finding no evidence of major significance impact. Appeal dismissed; threshold of three criteria not satisfied.
Official PDF
Official PDF ↗Published by USCIS. The summary is ours, in our own words; the decision text is on uscis.gov.
What the AAO accepted
- Judging · Director found criterion met; AAO concurred with finding.
- Scholarly articles · Documented authorship in professional publications; Director and AAO agreed criterion satisfied.
What was missing
- Original contributions · Petitioner's work influenced some researchers but lacked evidence of major significance impact on field as whole.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Met | Director found criterion met; AAO concurred with finding. | |
| Met | Documented authorship in professional publications; Director and AAO agreed criterion satisfied. | |
| Not met | Petitioner's work influenced some researchers but lacked evidence of major significance impact on field as whole. | |
| Not reached / not discussed | Petitioner met only two criteria; did not reach final merits analysis due to failure at initial evidence threshold. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.
