Published AAO appeal decisions

Molecular geneticist claiming extraordinary ability in sciences. Petitioner claimed meeting criteria for awards, membership, published material, judging, and scholarly articles. AAO rejected all criterion claims, finding thesis award recognized academic rather than professional excellence, insufficient publication impact, limited judging scope, and modest citation record. Aggregate evidence showed talent but not top-tier distinction.

Ballroom dancer sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification in athletics. Petitioner claimed awards and membership in professional organization. AAO found one award criterion met but membership criterion not satisfied, and concluded evidence demonstrated talent but not sustained national or international acclaim at the very top level.

Mountain climber sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification in athletics. Met awards criterion with presidential medal; failed membership and published material criteria. Evidence of only one criterion met insufficient; no demonstration of sustained national acclaim or top percentile of field.

Self-petitioner artist claims extraordinary ability through awards, membership, and exhibitions. AAO affirmed service center denial, finding only local recognition, no recent achievements, and failure to meet three required criteria. Decision also found fraud and material misrepresentation regarding biographical history.

Employer-sponsored dancer claims extraordinary ability through awards, published material, and prior O-1 nonimmigrant classification. AAO dismissed appeal, finding awards lack required recognition, articles missing translations and credentials, and prior O-1 status irrelevant to EB-1A standard. No sustained acclaim shown.

Gymnastics facility seeks to classify acrobatic gymnast coach as extraordinary ability. AAO dismissed, finding competitive championships from 1990–1993 cannot evidence sustained acclaim as coach; no evidence that primarily coached athletes won national or higher titles. Prior athlete status insufficient.

A paper-cutting artist sought extraordinary ability classification. She claimed awards and institutional recognition. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding the petitioner submitted fraudulent documentation and failed to demonstrate national or international acclaim at the very top level.

Associate professor of mathematics at Moscow Aviation Institute. Initially approved petition was revoked for failure to meet extraordinary ability standard. AAO found awards reflected local institutional recognition only, publications lacked major media documentation, and evidence did not demonstrate top-level sustained acclaim. Appeal dismissed.

Employer-sponsored blues musician petition. The AAO found beneficiary met at least three criteria through magazine awards, publications, gold records, and festival performances. Aggregate evidence demonstrated sustained national acclaim and extraordinary ability in the performing arts. Appeal sustained and petition approved.

Traditional Albanian folk singer claimed extraordinary ability through awards, publications, original contributions, and critical roles in performances. AAO found no major international award and fewer than three criteria met, with outdated evidence of acclaim prior to filing.

Research scientist self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability through awards, membership, publications, and original contributions. AAO dismissed appeal, finding only original contributions criterion satisfied but insufficient overall to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim at top level.

A writer and poet sought extraordinary ability classification. He claimed awards, membership, published material, and judging experience. The AAO found awards showed only institutional recognition, membership criteria unmet, published articles lacked required translations and major publication venue, and judging did not demonstrate top-tier acclaim. Appeal dismissed.

A research scientist sought extraordinary ability classification. He claimed awards, membership, published material, and judging experience. The AAO found the research grant primarily attributed to principal investigators, not the petitioner; membership criteria unmet; publications not primarily about petitioner and lacking author attribution; and judging did not establish top-tier acclaim. Appeal dismissed.

Acrobatic performer sought EB-1A classification through awards, publications, and contributions. AAO found petitioner is accomplished but lacks sustained national or international acclaim at very top level, with awards stale, no recent performances documented, and no commercial success demonstrated.

Self-petitioner sought EB-1A classification based on awards, memberships, and published material. AAO found all evidence reflected only local recognition and did not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim required for extraordinary ability classification.

Amateur natural bodybuilder seeks EB-1A. Decision holds petitioner failed to establish extraordinary ability despite claiming five criteria met. Awards from amateur competitions not nationally or internationally recognized; published article alone insufficient; membership based on local evaluation only. Amateur competition level inconsistent with very top of field.

Sociology and political science researcher in Uzbekistan seeks EB-1A. Decision holds petitioner failed to meet any three criteria for extraordinary ability. Awards not established as nationally or internationally recognized; judging role documented by brief certificate lacking substantive evidence; no demonstrated major impact on field.

Table tennis competitor seeks EB-1A. Decision holds petitioner failed to meet three required criteria. Old awards reflect local recognition only; single newspaper article insufficient for published material criterion; no judging evidence provided. No sustained national or international acclaim established.

Self-petitioner plant physiologist sought EB-1A classification based on provincial award, articles, and researcher position in China. AAO found petitioner failed to meet three criteria and lacked sustained acclaim or evidence of continuing work in United States expertise.

Petitioner claimed extraordinary ability under EB-1A. AAO held petitioner failed to meet three regulatory criteria and dismissed appeal with finding of fraud because petitioner knowingly submitted falsified documents material to eligibility determination.

Automobile mechanic petitioner claimed extraordinary ability under EB-1A. AAO affirmed denial because petitioner failed to meet at least three regulatory criteria: awards were only locally recognized; original contributions lacked evidence of widespread influence; salary lacked comparative documentation. Appeal dismissed.

Medical research assistant self-petitioner sought EB-1A classification in nanotechnology and medical research. Claimed awards and membership criteria. AAO found appreciation letter and association membership insufficient to establish extraordinary ability. Evidence shows talent but not sustained national or international acclaim at very top level.

Beneficiary executive sous chef sought EB-1A classification through employer petition. Claimed awards and critical role criteria. AAO found award not nationally or internationally recognized and sous chef position not sufficiently critical. Overall evidence insufficient to establish sustained acclaim at very top of culinary field.

Plant physiology researcher sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner submitted fraudulent and altered documents including a falsified prize certificate. AAO found knowing submission of fraudulent documents and dismissed appeal with fraud finding.

A stage show director in Philippines seeking EB-1A claimed three criteria met. The AAO rejected the awards, published material, and exhibitions criteria as failing to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim, and dismissed the appeal because the evidence did not establish extraordinary ability.