EB-1AEntrepreneurshipIndividualDecided January 2026Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JAN302026_02B2203
Scholarly articlesMetHigh salaryNot metMembershipNot metOriginal contributionsNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
An international travel company owner claimed EB-1A extraordinary ability in entrepreneurship and tourism. Although SCOPS found four criteria met, the AAO determined the membership criterion failed because fellowship does not require expert judgment of outstanding achievement. The AAO dismissed, finding petitioner merely very good, not among the small percentage at field's very top.
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
- Scholarly articles · SCOPS found this criterion satisfied; not withdrawn on appeal
What was missing
- High salary · Compensation not shown to be unusually high relative to others in travel industry
- Membership · Fellow status does not require outstanding achievements as judged by recognized experts
- Original contributions · AI system lacks specific details; impact claims unsupported by concrete demonstration
- Final merits · Even if initial criteria met, petitioner does not demonstrate place among small percentage at field's top
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Scholarly articles | Met | SCOPS found this criterion satisfied; not withdrawn on appeal |
 High salary | Not met | Compensation not shown to be unusually high relative to others in travel industry |
 Membership | Not met | Fellow status does not require outstanding achievements as judged by recognized experts |
 Original contributions | Not met | AI system lacks specific details; impact claims unsupported by concrete demonstration |
 Final merits | Not met | Even if initial criteria met, petitioner does not demonstrate place among small percentage at field's top |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.