EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided August 2025Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
AUG292025_01B2203
AwardsMetJudgingMetScholarly articlesMetLeading or critical roleNot metMembershipNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
A parachuting athlete claimed extraordinary ability based on professional recognition over 15 years. The AAO confirmed he met three evidentiary criteria but dismissed the appeal because the evidence did not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim consistent with the top percentage of his field.
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 · Petitioner met criterion for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence.
- Judging · Service center found petitioner met criterion for participation as judge of others' work.
- Scholarly articles · Service center found petitioner met criterion for authorship of scholarly articles in field.
What was missing
- Leading or critical role · Service center found petitioner did not establish leading or critical role for distinguished organizations.
- Membership · Service center found petitioner did not establish membership in required associations.
- Published material · Service center found petitioner did not establish published material in professional major media.
- Final merits · Despite meeting three criteria, petitioner failed to show sustained national or international acclaim and top-tier status.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Awards | Met | Petitioner met criterion for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence. |
 Judging | Met | Service center found petitioner met criterion for participation as judge of others' work. |
 Scholarly articles | Met | Service center found petitioner met criterion for authorship of scholarly articles in field. |
 Leading or critical role | Not met | Service center found petitioner did not establish leading or critical role for distinguished organizations. |
 Membership | Not met | Service center found petitioner did not establish membership in required associations. |
 Published material | Not met | Service center found petitioner did not establish published material in professional major media. |
 Final merits | Not met | Despite meeting three criteria, petitioner failed to show sustained national or international acclaim and top-tier status. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.