Published AAO appeal decisions

Ballroom dance choreographer petitioner sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification on motion. AAO found petitioner failed to meet at least three required criteria: awards lacked sufficient documentation, memberships did not require outstanding achievements, training manual showed no major significance, leading role claim unsubstantiated, and salary data was incomparable. Motion dismissed.

Tattoo artist with over twenty years experience claimed major award and six alternate criteria. AAO found published material, judging, original contributions, and high salary satisfied, but sustained acclaim insufficient. Decision dismissed appeal for lack of evidence of small percentage at very top of field.

Musician and band founder seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner met four regulatory criteria but AAO dismissed appeal, finding evidence insufficient to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or career reflecting small percentage at very top of field.

Financial manager with eight years finance and four years management experience in Kazakhstan sought extraordinary ability classification claiming seven criteria. AAO found only judging criterion met (from SCOPS). Rejected awards, membership, original contributions, scholarly articles, and exhibitions. Appeal dismissed due to insufficient criteria satisfaction.

Fitness trainer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Met two of ten regulatory criteria: published material and leading critical role. Claimed membership, original contributions, scholarly articles, and commercial success but AAO found none satisfied. Without three criteria met, final merits analysis not reached.

Content developer and influencer from Brazil sought extraordinary ability classification. Claimed six criteria. Decision found only one criterion met and withdrew SCOPS finding on exhibitions. Appeal dismissed because petitioner failed to satisfy three required criteria.

A salsa dancer, choreographer, and instructor self-petitioned for EB-1A extraordinary ability. The AAO dismissed motions to reopen and reconsider, finding she met three criteria but failed final merits determination showing sustained acclaim at the very top of her field.

Business management professional self-petitioner seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Met three initial criteria but AAO found no sustained national or international acclaim, with internal awards only from 2007-2009, failing final merits determination.

A visual artist sought EB-1A classification. The AAO dismissed a second motion to reopen and reconsider because petitioner did not provide new facts with documentary support and did not establish that prior legal rulings misapplied law or policy; record satisfies only two criteria.

Esthetician who operates beauty clinic and school in Brazil seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Met only one criterion; failed three others required for advancement to final merits. AAO dismissed appeal, finding insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim.

Squash coach who competed as junior player claimed four evidentiary criteria on appeal. AAO found only membership and critical role met, with one criterion established on appeal. Final merits determination found insufficient evidence of sustained national or international acclaim or status among very top of field.

A pharmacist sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed seven criteria on appeal but had abandoned three (membership, published material, scholarly articles) during RFE. AAO found she failed to meet at least three criteria; abandoned criteria were not reconsidered. Awards and original contributions were not adequately documented. Appeal dismissed.

A professional soccer player sought extraordinary ability classification, claiming five criteria. The AAO found awards and published material met, rejected original contributions and high salary, and sustained leading role. With three criteria satisfied, the case was remanded for a final merits analysis of sustained national or international acclaim.

An embossing artist sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The service center found two criteria met: judging and display. On appeal, the petitioner claimed four additional criteria but the AAO rejected awards, published materials, and original contributions for lack of specificity and documentation. With only two criteria met, the appeal was dismissed.

A dog sled racer sought extraordinary ability classification based on multiple World Cup medals claimed as top prizes in her field. The AAO rejected the motion to reconsider, holding that World Cup medals lack sufficient public recognition beyond the sport's governing body to constitute major internationally recognized awards.

Entrepreneur claimed nine EB-1A criteria but met only two, short of three required. AAO withdrew contradictory SCOPS findings on awards and membership, rejected published material claim, but found petitioner met the threshold. Matter remanded for final merits determination on whether evidence shows sustained acclaim and top-tier status.

A water polo player claimed four EB-1A criteria but satisfied only one. AAO affirmed dismissal, finding no major award, insufficient criteria met, and no evidence of the extraordinary sustained acclaim required for EB-1A classification at the sport's highest level.

Co-founder and CEO of financial technology company claiming extraordinary ability through lesser awards, memberships, published materials, and leadership role. AAO found awards criterion not met because award belonged to employer; membership criterion not met because petitioner failed to demonstrate it applies; and overall record lacks evidence of sustained acclaim among the very top of the field.

Martial artist from Uzbekistan seeks extraordinary ability classification. Met four initial criteria but dismissed on final merits. Documented achievements only through 2018; gap of years without evidence of sustained national or international acclaim through filing date.

A chief executive officer and entrepreneur seeks EB-1A classification claiming published material, awards, and membership criteria. The AAO withdrew the service center's favorable finding on published material, rejected awards and membership claims for insufficient evidence, and found the petitioner failed to meet the threshold of three qualifying criteria.

A scientific researcher sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO dismissed a combined motion to reopen and reconsider because the petitioner failed to submit new facts or identify deficiencies in the prior dismissal; resubmitted evidence previously rejected and could not consider post-petition publications.

A singer-composer self-petitioned for EB-1A. Demonstrated two criteria: lesser awards and exhibition display. Failed to establish three required criteria. AAO affirmed denial because the evidentiary threshold was not met, reserving final merits analysis.

Professional soccer player seeking EB-1A as intending soccer coach. AAO dismissed appeal, finding only two of six claimed criteria met. Petitioner lacked coaching evidence and sustained acclaim in new field; transition from athlete to coach does not satisfy extraordinary ability standard for small percentage at field's top.