EB-1AArts, design, architectureIndividualDecided 2018Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN262018_02B2203
JudgingMetLeading or critical roleMetAwardsNot metHigh salaryNot metMembershipNot metOriginal contributionsNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Irish dance teacher seeking EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Meets judging and leading/critical role criteria but only two of ten required; fails to establish original contributions, awards, membership, published material, or high salary. Lacks evidence of sustained acclaim. Appeal dismissed.
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 · Served as adjudicator at Irish dance events
- Leading or critical role · Record demonstrates critical role at established Irish dance organization
What was missing
- Awards · Student awards cited, not petitioner's own documented awards for excellence
- High salary · No corroborating evidence comparing salary to others in field to establish it is high
- Membership · Membership does not require outstanding achievements as judged by national or international experts
- Original contributions · No supporting evidence of original contributions of major significance despite claims
- Published material · Articles about other dancers, not about petitioner, published in non-major media
- Final merits · Record does not support sustained national or international acclaim or top tier expertise
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | Served as adjudicator at Irish dance events |
 Leading or critical role | Met | Record demonstrates critical role at established Irish dance organization |
 Awards | Not met | Student awards cited, not petitioner's own documented awards for excellence |
 High salary | Not met | No corroborating evidence comparing salary to others in field to establish it is high |
 Membership | Not met | Membership does not require outstanding achievements as judged by national or international experts |
 Original contributions | Not met | No supporting evidence of original contributions of major significance despite claims |
 Published material | Not met | Articles about other dancers, not about petitioner, published in non-major media |
 Final merits | Not met | Record does not support sustained national or international acclaim or top tier expertise |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.