EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided February 2024Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
FEB212024_02B2203
AwardsMetJudgingMetMembershipMetPublished materialMetFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
A judo martial artist met four EB-1A initial evidentiary criteria through awards, membership, published material, and judging. However, the AAO found insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim and top-tier status to satisfy the final merits determination for extraordinary ability.
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 · Received nationally recognized medals in national and international judo competitions
- Judging · Participated as judge/referee in judo events in 2018 and 2021
- Membership · Member of association requiring outstanding achievements in judo
- Published material · Subject of published material in major media about her judo accomplishments
What was missing
- Final merits · Despite meeting four criteria, record lacks sufficient evidence of sustained acclaim and top-tier recognition required for extraordinary ability
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Awards | Met | Received nationally recognized medals in national and international judo competitions |
 Judging | Met | Participated as judge/referee in judo events in 2018 and 2021 |
 Membership | Met | Member of association requiring outstanding achievements in judo |
 Published material | Met | Subject of published material in major media about her judo accomplishments |
 Final merits | Not met | Despite meeting four criteria, record lacks sufficient evidence of sustained acclaim and top-tier recognition required for extraordinary ability |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.