Published AAO appeal decisions

Photographer sought EB-1A classification. Satisfied four evidentiary criteria but AAO dismissed appeal, finding record did not establish sustained national or international acclaim or placement among small percentage at very top of field despite prizes and judging work.

Traditional jewelry maker appeals EB-1A denial claiming five criteria. AAO found awards criterion not met (UNESCO Prize significance not established) and membership and published material criteria failed. Petitioner satisfied fewer than three criteria and lacked evidence of sustained national or international acclaim.

Biophysicist and CEO appeals EB-1A denial claiming five criteria met. AAO found venture capital funding does not qualify as award for excellence and that petitioner failed to meet three criteria minimum. Petition dismissed; record lacks evidence of sustained acclaim or position at top of field.

Senior copywriter appeals denial of EB-1A petition. Claimed major award and four evidentiary criteria. AAO found no major internationally recognized award and only two criteria met; three required. Dismissing appeal because petitioner failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim at the top of field.

Karate athlete seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification based on national and international competition since age eleven. AAO held petitioner failed to meet threshold requirement of three evidentiary criteria. Membership claim lacked documentary support; published materials not in qualifying outlets; original contributions vague. Appeal dismissed without reaching final merits analysis.

Assistant professor of chemistry sought extraordinary ability classification. Claimed five criteria; two met (judging, scholarly articles). AAO affirmed denial because petitioner failed to meet three-criterion threshold and lacked evidence of sustained national or international acclaim or elite standing in chemistry.

Chef sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification claiming six criteria initially, then four on appeal. AAO affirmed director's finding that petitioner met only one criterion and failed to establish three required. On final merits, petitioner lacks sustained national or international acclaim and does not rise to very top of culinary field.

Gymnastics athlete and tumbling performer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Claimed major awards and at least three alternate criteria. AAO found only one criterion met, gold medals do not qualify as major awards, and overall evidence fails to demonstrate sustained acclaim or top-tier status required for the classification.

An architect and partner at a firm seeks EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. He met two criteria (scholarly articles and leading role) but failed to establish two additional criteria on appeal regarding awards and published material due to insufficient corroboration. The AAO dismissed, finding he lacks the three-criterion threshold and aggregate evidence does not demonstrate the sustained acclaim required.

A business executive in China sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. She claimed six criteria and the AAO found three met. However, the decision rejected the final merits determination, holding she lacked sustained national or international acclaim and was not among the small percentage at the top of her field, though she held a high-ranking corporate position.

Acrobatic gymnastics performer and circus artist sought extraordinary ability classification. AAO dismissed, finding bronze medal at World Games does not qualify as major internationally recognized award, and only two of ten alternate criteria satisfied, insufficient for classification as individual of extraordinary ability.

Business executive in engineering innovations and industrial sales seeks EB-1A. Claimed to meet awards, published material, and judging criteria. AAO found certificate issued to employer not petitioner, advertisement about product not petitioner, and insufficient evidence of judging peers. Appeal dismissed.

Civil engineering researcher seeking EB-1A classification for extraordinary ability. Petitioner met three evidentiary criteria: judging, original contributions, and scholarly articles. AAO dismissed appeal because evidence failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or position among the very top of the field as required for extraordinary ability.

A rhetorical linguist with a Ph.D. seeking EB-1A classification claimed four criteria. The AAO found she met two (judging and scholarly articles) but not three required. The appeal was dismissed because her accomplishments do not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or place her among the small percentage at the very top of her field.

Illustrator and art director. Claimed extraordinary ability via awards, published material, judging, original contributions, exhibitions, and leading role. AAO found two criteria met but lacked evidence of sustained acclaim or top small percentage placement, dismissing appeal.

Weightlifter claimed extraordinary ability based on world championship medals, team membership, published material about his work, original contributions, and high salary. AAO found he met awards and membership criteria but failed published material and original contributions. Did not reach final merits analysis because fewer than three criteria satisfied.

Administrative services manager seeking EB-1A extraordinary ability. Filed motion to reopen and reconsider after initial denial. AAO dismissed appeal on procedural grounds: previously-submitted certificates were not new evidence, and motion to reconsider lacked proper legal or factual support.

A newspaper petitioned for a graphics and multimedia editor as extraordinary ability alien. Beneficiary claimed awards, published material, original contributions, leading role, and high salary. AAO dismissed, finding no major award and only two criteria met, but three required; work shows team contribution, not individual sustained acclaim at field's top.

A film director and producer claimed four criteria for extraordinary ability. The AAO found only scholarly articles met; awards, original contributions, and leading critical role failed due to insufficient evidence of personal achievement or significant field impact. With one criterion met, appeal dismissed.

Swimmer met three initial evidentiary criteria: awards, membership, and published material. However, on final merits analysis, AAO found petitioner lacked sustained national or international acclaim, failed to document complete competition record, showed no recent major achievements, and does not rank among small percentage at field's very top.

A business analyst employed as a director sought EB-1A classification. He claimed five criteria, meeting three initially. The AAO found the judging criterion met but the original contributions criterion not met. On final merits, the AAO held the evidence did not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or placement among the very top of the field.

An orthopedic surgeon seeking extraordinary ability classification as scientific advisor met only one of required three criteria through judging. The AAO dismissed the appeal because the petitioner did not establish high salary comparatives or critical role at a distinguished institution, and failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim.

A fashion model claims extraordinary ability. She met only the judging criterion but failed awards, published material, original contributions, exhibitions, and leading role criteria. She lacked documentation for commercial success. With only one criterion met, she falls short of the three required.

Martial artist competing in international events sought EB-1A extraordinary ability. Petitioner claimed six criteria but satisfied none. The AAO found awards lacked national or international recognition, membership not based on expert judgment, published material insufficient, and judging role not demonstrated. Two additional criteria were not reached because the petitioner failed the initial three-criterion requirement.