Outcome: Dismissed
MAR112026_01B2203
Our summary
An investment officer in the financial industry sought extraordinary ability classification, claiming awards, published material, leading roles, high pay and original contributions. The AAO withdrew the awards finding because only company awards were shown, left three criteria met, then dismissed the appeal for lack of sustained acclaim or top-of-field standing.
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
- High salary · Service center finding accepted and not disturbed.
- Leading or critical role · Service center finding accepted and not disturbed.
- Published material · Service center finding accepted and not disturbed.
What was missing
- Awards · Company or team awards were not shown to be received by the petitioner personally; service center finding withdrawn.
- Original contributions · Service center rejected the claim; petitioner did not contest on appeal, so it was treated as abandoned.
- Final merits · Evidence did not show sustained acclaim or standing among the small percentage at the very top.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Met | Service center finding accepted and not disturbed. | |
| Met | Service center finding accepted and not disturbed. | |
| Met | Service center finding accepted and not disturbed. | |
| Not met | Company or team awards were not shown to be received by the petitioner personally; service center finding withdrawn. | |
| Not met | Service center rejected the claim; petitioner did not contest on appeal, so it was treated as abandoned. | |
| Not met | Evidence did not show sustained acclaim or standing among the small percentage at the very top. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.
