EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided 2017Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN182017_01B2203
AwardsMetJudgingMetMembershipNot metOriginal contributionsNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Sailing competitor and coach sought EB-1A classification. Petitioner claimed five criteria but satisfied only two: awards and judging. The AAO held that membership, published material, and original contributions were not met. Final merits review found insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim.
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 · Petitioner demonstrated receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes for excellence in sailing.
- Judging · Petitioner demonstrated participation as judge of sailing work and activities.
What was missing
- Membership · Membership organization does not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts.
- Original contributions · Letters from colleagues insufficient; no evidence of unusual influence or major impact on field.
- Published material · Articles were not about petitioner; missing required title, date, author information.
- Final merits · Record does not establish level of expertise indicating one of small percentage at very top of field.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Awards | Met | Petitioner demonstrated receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes for excellence in sailing. |
 Judging | Met | Petitioner demonstrated participation as judge of sailing work and activities. |
 Membership | Not met | Membership organization does not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts. |
 Original contributions | Not met | Letters from colleagues insufficient; no evidence of unusual influence or major impact on field. |
 Published material | Not met | Articles were not about petitioner; missing required title, date, author information. |
 Final merits | Not met | Record does not establish level of expertise indicating one of small percentage at very top of field. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.