EB-1AArts, design, architectureEmployerDecided 2019Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
JUL022019_05B2203
JudgingMetAwardsNot metMembershipNot metOriginal contributionsNot metPublished materialNot metFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Creative director claimed extraordinary ability through six criteria including awards, membership, published material, and original contributions. AAO found only judging criterion met; awards were team-based, memberships did not qualify, published material requirement unmet, and designs lacked major significance. 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 · Petitioner participated as judge at annual reports design competition; Director and AAO agreed criterion was satisfied.
What was missing
- Awards · Over thirty design awards were submitted but attributed to agency or design team, not individually to petitioner, and lacked demonstrated national or international recognition.
- Membership · Membership in Art Director's Club and American Institute of Graphic Arts did not satisfy criterion requiring outstanding achievements as judged by recognized experts.
- Original contributions · Portfolio demonstrated originality but petitioner failed to show designs were of major significance in the field.
- Published material · Screenshots about branding and marketing were not published material about the petitioner in professional or major trade publications.
- Final merits · Record does not demonstrate national or international acclaim or that petitioner is among small percentage at top of field.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Judging | Met | Petitioner participated as judge at annual reports design competition; Director and AAO agreed criterion was satisfied. |
 Awards | Not met | Over thirty design awards were submitted but attributed to agency or design team, not individually to petitioner, and lacked demonstrated national or international recognition. |
 Membership | Not met | Membership in Art Director's Club and American Institute of Graphic Arts did not satisfy criterion requiring outstanding achievements as judged by recognized experts. |
 Original contributions | Not met | Portfolio demonstrated originality but petitioner failed to show designs were of major significance in the field. |
 Published material | Not met | Screenshots about branding and marketing were not published material about the petitioner in professional or major trade publications. |
 Final merits | Not met | Record does not demonstrate national or international acclaim or that petitioner is among small percentage at top of field. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.