AAO Decisions Explorer · Free
Published AAO appeal decisions
Search the decisions the Administrative Appeals Office has published, narrow them by visa, criterion, field and year, and read our summary of each one with a link to the official PDF.

Decisions in the library
6,586
6,586 classified
Visa types
3
Years covered
2005-2026
Latest decision
Aug 31, 2026
Filters
261 decisions
Outcomes in these results
- Dismissed
- Remanded
- Sustained
- EB-1AOther2014Dismissed
The decision concerns a beneficiary whose occupation is not stated in the available text, with a petition for extraordinary ability classification. The petitioner claimed the lesser awards criterion among others. The AAO dismissed the appeal, concluding the achievements did not reflect sustained national or international acclaim or a place at the top of the field.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2014Dismissed
Self-petitioner claimed three criteria: published material, original contributions, and scholarly articles. AAO found petitioner failed to meet initial three-criteria threshold. Patent submission insufficient to show major significance; regulation requires multiple contributions. Overall evidence does not demonstrate extraordinary ability.
0 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A professional in an unspecified field sought EB-1A classification claiming extraordinary ability. She claimed awards, membership, and judging criteria. The AAO found the awards claim abandoned, membership criterion unsatisfied, and judging criterion met. However, the petitioner failed to meet the final merits requirement of sustained national or international acclaim across all evidence.
1 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Beneficiary sought extraordinary ability classification. Petitioner submitted evidence of institutional awards, association membership, and newspaper mentions. AAO held awards non-qualifying as institutional only, membership criterion requires plural, and published materials failed to meet regulatory requirements for identification and subject matter.
0 of 3 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Petitioner claimed extraordinary ability. Evidence included articles and photographs from publications. AAO held petitioner failed to establish membership criterion on appeal, and published materials failed regulatory requirements for identification, subject matter, and translation.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability in an unspecified field under EB-1A, asserting eight regulatory criteria. The AAO found petitioner met only the judging criterion but failed to satisfy the three-criterion threshold. On final merits, evidence did not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim at the very top of the field.
1 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability under EB-1A, with director finding two criteria met. The AAO affirmed judging and scholarly articles criteria but found original contributions lacked major significance for the field. Petitioner failed to meet the three-criterion threshold required for EB-1A eligibility.
2 of 8 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Self-petitioner sought EB-1A as alien of extraordinary ability. AAO found petitioner knowingly submitted false documents on original contributions criterion and failed to establish three required evidentiary categories; appeal dismissed with finding of willful material misrepresentation.
0 of 3 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
The petitioner sought extraordinary ability classification. The director denied the petition, then dismissed a motion to reopen and reconsider. The AAO summarily dismissed the appeal because the petitioner did not identify any specific error in the motion decision, and no extraordinary ability criteria were analyzed.
Read → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Petitioner in an unspecified field filed for extraordinary ability classification. Claimed eight criteria including awards, published material, original contributions, and exhibitions. AAO found petitioner failed to establish lesser nationally or internationally recognized awards, failed to demonstrate major significance of contributions, and was not a visual artist qualifying for exhibitions criterion. Appeal dismissed.
0 of 9 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A petitioner whose occupation is not identifiable from the condensed text sought extraordinary ability classification, with counsel asserting that most of the regulatory criteria were met. The AAO reviewed the awards and membership criteria, found both unmet, and dismissed the appeal because fewer than three criteria were satisfied.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A professional claimed three criteria for extraordinary ability. The AAO affirmed that the petitioner met awards and judging criteria but failed the membership criterion and could not satisfy the statutory requirement of at least three types of evidence, thus failing to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim.
2 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Self-represented petitioner failed to establish three qualifying evidentiary categories for extraordinary ability. AAO affirmed denial, finding team awards do not satisfy individual recipient requirement and no other criteria adequately demonstrated.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
A petitioner sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification, and counsel argued on appeal that the director imposed new evidentiary requirements and skipped a final merits determination. The AAO rejected these arguments, found fewer than three criteria satisfied, noted the standard of proof was properly applied, and dismissed the appeal.
Read → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Self-petitioner sought EB-1A classification but submitted demonstrably false evidence. AAO issued notice of adverse information and intent to dismiss. Petitioner withdrew petition in response without substantive rebuttal. AAO found willful material misrepresentation material to eligibility and dismissed appeal based on withdrawal.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2013Dismissed
Employer-petitioner sought extraordinary ability classification for beneficiary as confined space entry technician. Petitioner offered only general praise on appeal without identifying specific criterion or director error. AAO summarily dismissed because petitioner failed to challenge director findings or brief appeal substantively.
0 of 1 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Petitioner claimed extraordinary ability and at least three criteria. AAO found published material did not meet plain language requirements due to missing publication details and improper source materials. Appeal dismissed; petitioner failed regulatory threshold of three qualifying evidence types.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Petitioner claimed three criteria: awards, membership, and published material. AAO found none met the plain language requirements: scholarship not recognized prize, association membership not based on outstanding achievement, published material missing required attribution. Appeal dismissed.
0 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
A self-represented petitioner claimed extraordinary ability and believed meeting criteria two, four, five, six, and eight. The AAO dismissed the appeal after finding the petitioner submitted knowingly false documents, including a false reference letter and misattributed articles, constituting willful misrepresentation of material facts.
0 of 2 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
A self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability under EB-1A, challenging director's denial of multiple criteria. The AAO found petitioner met only the judging criterion but failed to establish the three-criterion threshold required under the Kazarian two-part test for EB-1A eligibility.
1 of 8 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability but failed to identify specific legal errors or factual disputes with the director's denial on appeal. The AAO dismissed the appeal summarily under procedural rules because counsel merely reasserted the claim without addressing the director's stated reasons for denial.
0 of 1 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Self-petitioner claimed extraordinary ability and cited selection as one of Directors of Creation as major achievement. The AAO found this selection did not constitute a major, internationally recognized award and petitioner failed to meet three required evidentiary criteria under awards, published material, and original contributions. Appeal dismissed.
0 of 4 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Petitioner sought EB-1A classification. Director found petitioner failed to meet awards, published material, judging, and original contributions criteria. Counsel abandoned most issues on appeal. AAO concluded evidence does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or top-tier status.
0 of 7 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
Self-petitioner sought EB-1A extraordinary ability classification. The AAO upheld the director's determination that the petitioner failed to establish sustained national or international acclaim and did not demonstrate achievements setting her significantly above others in her field at national or international level, thus failing to qualify.
0 of 1 criteria metRead → - EB-1AOther2012Dismissed
The self-represented petitioner is an industry scientist or engineer with publications and a patent who sought extraordinary ability classification. The AAO dismissed the appeal. It rejected the awards, judging and original contributions claims, and although it found one other criterion minimally satisfied, the petitioner still lacked enough qualifying evidence.
0 of 3 criteria metRead →
