Published AAO appeal decisions

Orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal surgery claimed extraordinary ability. Met two of six claimed criteria: judging and scholarly articles. AAO dismissed, finding membership and published material criteria unmet. Three similar Chinese articles published nearly simultaneously raised questions about authenticity and common origin. Insufficient evidence of sustained national acclaim; did not demonstrate place at field's very top.

Singer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. AAO held she met only one of ten initial criteria (judging); failed to satisfy three-criterion threshold. Evidence of awards lacked international recognition, organizational memberships uncertified, published material articles improperly documented, and overall record failed to show sustained acclaim at field's top tier.

Self-petitioner water resources engineer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability. AAO affirmed denial, finding petitioner met only two of ten criteria (articles and judging) and failed to establish national or international acclaim or standing among top percentage of field despite research contributions.

Aquatic coach and instructor claiming EB-1A extraordinary ability in athletics. AAO affirmed denial, finding applicant failed to satisfy three required alternate criteria and lacks sustained national or international acclaim demonstrating extraordinary ability among the very top of field.

A security manager and fitness trainer claiming EB-1A extraordinary ability satisfied only one criterion (judging); failed to establish three or more required. AAO dismissed, finding insufficient evidence of national or international acclaim.

An assistant professor claimed extraordinary ability in academia. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding she abandoned some claims and failed to overcome the director's determinations on awards, membership, publications, original contributions, and critical role.

Dentist/orthodontist seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Submitted evidence of awards, memberships, published materials, and original contributions to field. AAO held petitioner met only one of ten initial criteria (published material); minimum three required. Without major award, insufficient for extraordinary ability.

A global brand and marketing communications director sought extraordinary ability classification, initially claiming nine criteria. The AAO found only the leading or critical role criterion satisfied, others unmet or waived, so the three-criterion threshold was not reached and the appeal was dismissed.

A triathlete seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding the petitioner satisfied only two of ten required evidentiary criteria: published materials and awards. She did not establish membership in elite associations or critical roles, and failed to demonstrate sustained national acclaim placing her in the small percentage at the very top of triathlon.

A choreographer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed membership in Actors' Equity and published material criteria. The AAO found AEA membership does not require outstanding achievements and thus fails the membership criterion. Because fewer than three criteria were met, the AAO dismissed the appeal without reaching final merits.

Entrepreneur seeking extraordinary ability classification claimed six criteria. Director found published material and leading role criteria met; petitioner did not challenge denial of awards, membership, original contributions, and high salary criteria. AAO affirmed that petitioner failed to meet three criteria and that totality of evidence does not demonstrate sustained acclaim or top-of-field status.

Research scientist sought EB-1A extraordinary ability in sciences. Director found two criteria met: judging and scholarly articles. AAO rejected awards claim because Chinese government awards lack established national recognition and rejected membership and leading role claims. Only two of three required criteria met.

Research scientist sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed multiple criteria including scholarly articles and judging. AAO found she met only two of ten required criteria (scholarly articles and judging), falling short of three-criterion threshold. Final merits analysis confirmed insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim at top of field.

An omakase chef sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO found the petitioner met two initial criteria but failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim; Michelin recognition was local, not national, and did not establish extraordinary ability among the very top.

A jeweler self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability under EB-1A, asserting four criteria including awards, membership, published material, and scholarly articles. The AAO upheld the service center's denial, finding no criterion met due to insufficient evidence of national or international recognition and lack of authentic documentation of the petitioner's extraordinary status.

Data scientist claimed five criteria on appeal. AAO found record meets at least three criteria but totality fails to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and top-of-field status required for extraordinary ability classification.

A taekwondo instructor and athlete sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO found he met the judging criterion but not the awards or membership criteria, and overall did not demonstrate the sustained national or international acclaim required for extraordinary ability.

An architect-type professional sought extraordinary ability classification, claiming eight of the ten evidentiary criteria. The AAO agreed with the Director that the claimed awards, membership, published material and original contributions criteria were not satisfied, so the three-criterion threshold was not met and the appeal was dismissed.

A dogsledding competitor claimed three EB-1A criteria. The AAO affirmed the director's finding that she lacks a major, internationally recognized award and failed to satisfy three criteria despite meeting two (awards and leading role). The totality lacked evidence of sustained acclaim at the very top of the field.

A Taekwon-Do athlete from Kyrgyzstan seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO dismissed because the petitioner did not establish a major award or meet three evidentiary criteria; the judging and published material criteria were not satisfied, and the overall record lacks evidence of sustained national or international acclaim.

A musician and trumpet player sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner claimed five evidentiary criteria; AAO found two met (awards, exhibitions) and three not met (published material, membership, leading role). AAO concluded petitioner failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or placement among the very top of the field, dismissing the appeal.

A singer self-petitioned for EB-1A extraordinary ability, claiming five criteria. The AAO dismissed, finding he met none: awards lacked national recognition, membership not established, published material insufficient and post-dated filing, and judging and contributions claims waived. Overall evidence insufficient for sustained national acclaim.

A senior director of product management met three of ten EB-1A criteria (judging, scholarly articles, leading role). However, the AAO upheld dismissal on final merits, holding the record demonstrates some field recognition but fails to show sustained national or international acclaim required for extraordinary ability at the very top.

Fashion and lifestyle blogger seeking EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Claimed eight criteria beyond leading role already conceded. AAO affirmed director's findings that awards lacked field recognition, memberships did not qualify, published material source was not major media, and judging post-dated filing. Appeal dismissed for failing three-criterion threshold.

Gymnastics trampoline and tumbling coach sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Claimed three criteria: membership in associations, leading or critical role, and comparable evidence of awards. AAO found one criterion met but insufficient to reach three-criterion threshold, thus dismissed the appeal without addressing final merits.