EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided January 2025Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN142025_02B2203
Leading or critical roleMetAwardsNot metMembershipNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Judo coach sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. AAO dismissed, finding no major award, only one of five claimed criteria met, and insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim placing petitioner in top of 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
- Leading or critical role · Decision acknowledged petitioner met only one alternate criterion: leading or critical role.
What was missing
- Awards · Master of Sport, ranking, and black belt lacked broad, significant international recognition comparable to Nobel Prize or Olympic Medal.
- Membership · No evidence that association membership required outstanding achievements judged by national or international experts.
- Published material · Articles lacked author information, were not in major publications or media, or postdated petition filing.
- Final merits · Record does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or that petitioner ranks among upper echelon in judo coaching field.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Leading or critical role | Met | Decision acknowledged petitioner met only one alternate criterion: leading or critical role. |
 Awards | Not met | Master of Sport, ranking, and black belt lacked broad, significant international recognition comparable to Nobel Prize or Olympic Medal. |
 Membership | Not met | No evidence that association membership required outstanding achievements judged by national or international experts. |
 Published material | Not met | Articles lacked author information, were not in major publications or media, or postdated petition filing. |
 Final merits | Not met | Record does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or that petitioner ranks among upper echelon in judo coaching field. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.