EB-1ABusiness and managementIndividualDecided February 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
FEB122026_03B2203
JudgingMetLeading or critical roleMetScholarly articlesMetPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
An executive for a news organization in China petitioned for EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed four criteria: published material, judging, scholarly articles, and leading roles. The AAO found three criteria met but determined the totality of evidence failed the final merits test for sustained acclaim at the very top of the field, dismissing the appeal.
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 · Petitioner received invitation to serve as judge, establishing participation criterion
- Leading or critical role · Service center found this criterion met; not contested on appeal
- Scholarly articles · Service center found this criterion met; not contested on appeal
What was missing
- Published material · Article and video lacked substantial discussion of petitioner's work
- Final merits · Petitioner lacks sustained national or international acclaim or recognition at top of field
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | Petitioner received invitation to serve as judge, establishing participation criterion |
 Leading or critical role | Met | Service center found this criterion met; not contested on appeal |
 Scholarly articles | Met | Service center found this criterion met; not contested on appeal |
 Published material | Not met | Article and video lacked substantial discussion of petitioner's work |
 Final merits | Not met | Petitioner lacks sustained national or international acclaim or recognition at top of field |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.