EB-1AEducation and academiaIndividualDecided January 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN122026_03B2203
JudgingMetPublished materialMetAwardsNot metOriginal contributionsNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Sociologist with PhD focused on women and policy in Bangladesh sought EB-1A extraordinary ability. AAO found she met only two of ten criteria and lacked the sustained national or international acclaim required for the small percentage at the very top of her 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
- Judging · SCOPS determined petitioner satisfied judging criterion; AAO did not disturb this
- Published material · SCOPS determined petitioner satisfied authorship of scholarly articles criterion
What was missing
- Awards · No major, internationally recognized award demonstrated
- Original contributions · Citation comparisons insufficient; no evidence of major significance impact on field as of filing
- Final merits · Petitioner showed progression toward top but not sustained national or international acclaim at very top
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | SCOPS determined petitioner satisfied judging criterion; AAO did not disturb this |
 Published material | Met | SCOPS determined petitioner satisfied authorship of scholarly articles criterion |
 Awards | Not met | No major, internationally recognized award demonstrated |
 Original contributions | Not met | Citation comparisons insufficient; no evidence of major significance impact on field as of filing |
 Final merits | Not met | Petitioner showed progression toward top but not sustained national or international acclaim at very top |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.