Outcome: Dismissed
MAR172026_01B2203
Our summary
An IT specialist in cloud computing and cybersecurity sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. He claimed seven criteria; the Service Center found four met. On appeal, the AAO rejected awards and memberships as unmet and concluded the petitioner failed to satisfy the three-criterion threshold, so final merits was not addressed. 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
- High salary · Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal.
- Leading or critical role · Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; AAO affirmed and not disputed.
- Published material · Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal.
- Scholarly articles · Service Center determined authorship criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal.
What was missing
- Awards · Company awards honored only employees, not excellence in the broader field.
- Membership · Senior membership does not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized experts.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Met | Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal. | |
| Met | Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; AAO affirmed and not disputed. | |
| Met | Service Center determined criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal. | |
| Met | Service Center determined authorship criterion was satisfied; not disputed on appeal. | |
| Not met | Company awards honored only employees, not excellence in the broader field. | |
| Not met | Senior membership does not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized experts. | |
| Claimed, not analyzed | Claimed but not contested on appeal; petitioner waived this issue. | |
| Not reached / not discussed | Threshold initial evidence requirement not met; final merits not reached. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.
