EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided February 2023Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
FEB092023_02B2203
JudgingMetMembershipNot metPublished materialNot metScholarly articlesNot metExhibitionsClaimed, not analyzedHigh salaryClaimed, not analyzedOriginal contributionsClaimed, not analyzedFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Figure skating choreographer and coach sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed seven criteria including membership, published material, scholarly articles and exhibitions. AAO held she met only judging criterion and failed to meet three-criterion threshold because membership lacked documentation, publications lacked translation compliance and scholarly article was not in qualifying venue.
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 accepted evidence of judging work of others; AAO did not disagree with this criterion.
What was missing
- Membership · Petitioner failed to submit bylaws or official documentation of association membership requirements despite RFE request.
- Published material · Foreign language evidence did not comply with regulation for translations; not probative.
- Scholarly articles · Article did not appear in professional, major trade or major media publication; intended for non-competitors in field.
- Final merits · Failed three-criterion threshold; no sustained national or international acclaim or evidence of being at very top of field.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | Director accepted evidence of judging work of others; AAO did not disagree with this criterion. |
 Membership | Not met | Petitioner failed to submit bylaws or official documentation of association membership requirements despite RFE request. |
 Published material | Not met | Foreign language evidence did not comply with regulation for translations; not probative. |
 Scholarly articles | Not met | Article did not appear in professional, major trade or major media publication; intended for non-competitors in field. |
 Exhibitions | Claimed, not analyzed | Claimed but not analyzed; Director addressed as display of work without detailed discussion. |
 High salary | Claimed, not analyzed | Petitioner claimed but Director did not address this criterion. |
 Original contributions | Claimed, not analyzed | Claimed but not analyzed in detail on appeal. |
 Final merits | Not met | Failed three-criterion threshold; no sustained national or international acclaim or evidence of being at very top of field. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.