EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided 2015Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
AUG242015_01B2203
AwardsMetJudgingNot metLeading or critical roleNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Chess player claimed extraordinary ability through awards, published material, judging, and leading role. AAO found only awards criterion met. Published material lacked national reach, judging and role criteria unsupported. Initial 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
- Awards · National level chess rankings documented by USCF letters and rankings data
What was missing
- Judging · Officiating insufficient; no evidence petitioner awarded points or exercised judgment in selecting winners
- Leading or critical role · No presumption drawn from title alone; insufficient evidence of leading or critical role
- Published material · Publication lacked sufficient national circulation; website reach and influence not demonstrated
- Final merits · Only one criterion met; three-criterion threshold not satisfied
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Awards | Met | National level chess rankings documented by USCF letters and rankings data |
 Judging | Not met | Officiating insufficient; no evidence petitioner awarded points or exercised judgment in selecting winners |
 Leading or critical role | Not met | No presumption drawn from title alone; insufficient evidence of leading or critical role |
 Published material | Not met | Publication lacked sufficient national circulation; website reach and influence not demonstrated |
 Final merits | Not met | Only one criterion met; three-criterion threshold not satisfied |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.