EB-1ASports and athleticsIndividualDecided March 2025Dismissed
Outcome: Dismissed
MAR252025_01B2203
AwardsMetJudgingMetMembershipMetPublished materialMetFinal meritsNot met
Our summary
Martial arts athlete and coach seeking EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. AAO dismissed appeal after finding petitioner met four initial criteria but lacked evidence of sustained acclaim at field top; competitive participation ended around 2017 and coaching credentials were underdeveloped.
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
- Awards · Petitioner demonstrated lesser national or international prize award.
- Judging · Petitioner participated as judge in field.
- Membership · Petitioner demonstrated membership in association in field.
- Published material · Petitioner subject of published material including 2005 interview.
What was missing
- Final merits · Evidence insufficient to show sustained national or international acclaim and top percentile status; no recent competition participation since 2017.
Criteria
| Criterion | Reading | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Awards | Met | Petitioner demonstrated lesser national or international prize award. |
 Judging | Met | Petitioner participated as judge in field. |
 Membership | Met | Petitioner demonstrated membership in association in field. |
 Published material | Met | Petitioner subject of published material including 2005 interview. |
 Final merits | Not met | Evidence insufficient to show sustained national or international acclaim and top percentile status; no recent competition participation since 2017. |
A published decision describes one case. It is not legal advice and not a prediction for yours.