Published AAO appeal decisions

A fitness industry business consultant filed I-140 for extraordinary ability. He met judging and scholarly articles criteria but failed awards, published material, leading role, and high salary claims. AAO found only two criteria satisfied, below three minimum required.

Strategic consulting firm sponsored senior trade and diplomatic advisor. Three criteria met: scholarly articles, leading role, high salary. Published material and original contributions rejected; articles not about beneficiary, letters lacked specifics. Appeal dismissed.

Healthcare and life sciences management specialist holding advanced degree sought national interest waiver of job offer requirement. Director approved advanced degree classification but denied waiver. AAO found proposed endeavor lacks substantial merit at national level because it extends only to employer and clients without broader field impact. Appeal dismissed.

Business owner and consultant claimed extraordinary ability through publications, judging, and critical role. AAO agreed publications and judging criteria met but rejected critical role claim due to unsigned letter and unproven distinguished reputation. Dismissed because only two criteria met and no final merits showing.

Hospitality and culinary branding specialist sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner claimed and director found four criteria met, but AAO found only two satisfied: leading role and high salary. Published material criterion failed due to local-only coverage; original contributions lacked field-wide significance. Appeal dismissed.

Business executive in education sought EB-1A extraordinary ability. Claimed four criteria but met none reliably. Published material lacked major media verification; salary evidence unsubstantiated. AAO found insufficient acclaim and recognition for classification.

A wedding and event planning company founder and CEO sought EB-1A claiming seven criteria. AAO found membership criterion unmet because association requirements reflect employment qualifications not outstanding achievements. Judging criterion failed as voting on applications does not constitute judging work in field.

Financial journalist and brand management executive sought EB-1A extraordinary ability. Met two criteria: judging and scholarly articles. Failed on leading role and high salary. AAO found insufficient evidence of sustained acclaim or top field position. Appeal dismissed.

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.

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.

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 human resources manager at a cryptocurrency finance company sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner claimed seven criteria; director found two met. AAO affirmed, rejecting membership in professional associations, judging participation, and scholarly articles as insufficiently documented, and found the aggregate record did not demonstrate the sustained acclaim required.

A general management executive sought extraordinary ability classification. She met only one criterion (leading critical role). The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding her evidence of membership, judging, and original contributions did not meet regulatory requirements and insufficient overall evidence of sustained acclaim at the top of the field.

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.

Entrepreneur seeks national interest waiver for EB-2. Proposed business consulting on international trade and digital marketing has substantial merit but fails to demonstrate national importance beyond serving specific clients. Decision holds endeavor lacks sufficient prospective impact on field or U.S. economy, dismissing appeal.

A development director sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. AAO found three criteria met: leading role, judging, and scholarly articles. However, final merits analysis found judging experience lacked demonstrated impact on field and served as internal review only. Insufficient to show sustained acclaim or top-tier status. Appeal dismissed.

A restaurant owner sought EB-2 classification with national interest waiver. The AAO found she qualified for EB-2 as member of professions holding advanced degree but dismissed her waiver claim under Dhanasar framework, concluding the proposed endeavor lacked demonstrated national importance.

Foreign trade executive and CEO of Brazilian trading company seeks extraordinary ability classification in business. Claims six additional criteria beyond judging. AAO affirms only judging criterion met; record does not establish three required criteria or sustained international acclaim.

Travel agency director claimed three criteria for extraordinary ability. The AAO found petitioner did not receive awards personally, published material was about the company not the individual, and the role was not leading or critical. Appeal dismissed.

A consumer audio company petitioned for O-1A classification for its founder and CEO with a Ph.D. in computer science. The AAO found only the judging criterion met and dismissed the appeal, concluding the beneficiary lacked extraordinary ability in business or sciences without major award or three qualifying criteria.

Manufacturing company president and founder seeking extraordinary ability classification. Met one criterion: leading or critical role based on distinguished company reputation. Failed to meet original contributions and high salary criteria despite additional appeal evidence. AAO dismissed, finding only one criterion met, below three required, and no sustained national acclaim.

A financial advisor seeking EB-1A classification claimed seven criteria. The AAO found none met: awards lacked national recognition, membership did not require outstanding achievements, judging was undocumented, original contributions were company-specific not field-significant, articles were unsubstantiated, exhibition claims unproven, and salary data did not match her field. Appeal dismissed.

Hookah lounge manager self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability in business. AAO found petitioner failed to meet any of the three required initial criteria: awards lacked national or international recognition, no qualifying association memberships were demonstrated, and his managerial role did not meet the distinguished reputation and critical impact standard.