EB-2 NIWArts, design, architectureIndividualDecided August 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
AUG132026_02B5203
Merit and national importanceNot metWell positionedNot metBalance favors a waiverNot reached / not discussed
Our summary
Musician and music teacher seeks NIW for EB-2 to establish national network of rhythm therapy centers. USCIS found substantial merit but AAO affirmed no national importance shown; petitioner not well-positioned to advance without evidence of scalable model implementation.
Official PDF
Official PDF ↗Published by USCIS. The summary is ours, in our own words; the decision text is on uscis.gov.
No criterion in the table was found met in this decision.
What was missing
- Merit and national importance · Musician's proposed rhythm therapy centers lack details on national-scale implementation; model not shown to have broader impact or be unique innovation.
- Well positioned · Past teaching achievements only indirectly relate to proposed endeavor; insufficient evidence of progress toward national network of centers.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Merit and national importance | Not met | Musician's proposed rhythm therapy centers lack details on national-scale implementation; model not shown to have broader impact or be unique innovation. |
 Well positioned | Not met | Past teaching achievements only indirectly relate to proposed endeavor; insufficient evidence of progress toward national network of centers. |
 Balance favors a waiver | Not reached / not discussed | Third prong reserved because petitioner failed first and second prongs. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.