EB-1AEducation and academiaIndividualDecided January 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN162026_02B2203
JudgingMetLeading or critical roleMetPublished materialMetScholarly articlesMetFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Ethnomusicology researcher meets four initial criteria (publications, judging, scholarly articles, critical role) but AAO held totality of evidence does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or small-percentage-at-top status: publication record typical for specialized field, media coverage lacks comparative context, and judging not shown to be prestigious.
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 finding not disturbed; petitioner participated as judge in evaluating proposals and hirings.
- Leading or critical role · SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner held leading or critical role in field.
- Published material · SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner published materials in field.
- Scholarly articles · SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner authored approximately twenty peer-reviewed articles.
What was missing
- Final merits · Met three criteria but totality lacks sustained national/international acclaim; work in specialized niche field with limited broader recognition.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner participated as judge in evaluating proposals and hirings. |
 Leading or critical role | Met | SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner held leading or critical role in field. |
 Published material | Met | SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner published materials in field. |
 Scholarly articles | Met | SCOPS finding not disturbed; petitioner authored approximately twenty peer-reviewed articles. |
 Final merits | Not met | Met three criteria but totality lacks sustained national/international acclaim; work in specialized niche field with limited broader recognition. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.