Outcome: Dismissed
FEB152019_01B2203
Our summary
A gymnastics school petitioned for a gymnast-turned-coach as an athlete of extraordinary ability, claiming five of ten criteria. The AAO found the awards criterion met but rejected membership and published material, and the record did not show three criteria satisfied. The appeal was dismissed, with no full final merits analysis.
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 · Awards from gymnastics competitions were found nationally or internationally recognized, contrary to the Director.
What was missing
- Membership · No documentation of selection requirements or processes showing outstanding achievements judged by experts.
- Published material · Most articles were not about the beneficiary; major status of the one relevant publication was not shown.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Met | Awards from gymnastics competitions were found nationally or internationally recognized, contrary to the Director. | |
| Not met | No documentation of selection requirements or processes showing outstanding achievements judged by experts. | |
| Not met | Most articles were not about the beneficiary; major status of the one relevant publication was not shown. | |
| Not reached / not discussed | Not decided because initial criteria were not met; aggregate review noted as not supporting acclaim. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.
