Regulatory language: "Evidence satisfying criterion i under the EB-1A regulatory framework." — 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3)(i)
Dismissed · 2020 AAO reversed the Director and found the petitioner's first place finish in the 2016 ocean rowing race met this criterion based on official race results, letters from USRowing and The Rowing Society, and international media coverage including Outside magazine, CNBC, and Huffington Post. Brazilian national medals were insufficient due to inconsistencies and lack of official results.
Dismissed · 2026 Petitioner claimed two awards from an institute, supported by website printouts, photographs of challenge coins, and support letters; SCOPS and AAO acknowledged criterion may be met but found awards lacked demonstrated significance beyond organizers; the AAO noted coins did not bear petitioner's name and no certificates were provided.
Dismissed · 2020 AAO reversed the Director's denial; petitioner's gold medals at World Championships, World Games, and World Cup events in tumbling were found to be internationally recognized awards for excellence in the field. Director's finding that athletic achievements had no probative value given current circus performer role was also reversed.
Sustained · 2019 Director denied; AAO reversed, finding international competition wins (2010 Italy, 2012 international competition) with distinguished judges and global participants qualified as nationally/internationally recognized awards. AAO also clarified that media coverage is not a regulatory requirement for this criterion.
Dismissed · 2023 Petitioner received an award from a Russian Federation governmental entity in 2017, but failed to show the award was nationally or internationally recognized beyond the issuing agency. No public reporting or broad field awareness was demonstrated. Director's conclusion appeared to be a typographical error stating criterion was met despite negative analysis; AAO made its own assessment and found it not met.
Dismissed · 2025 SCOPS found this criterion met, but AAO reversed, finding none of the submitted awards were shown to be nationally or internationally recognized. The Beauty Minas Prize lacked objective supporting documentation, a second certificate was illegible and only showed participation, a conference trophy was not linked to a prize, and a company marketing award did not reflect recognition in the esthetics field.
Dismissed · 2020 Director had found this criterion met based on newspaper articles about team competition wins, but AAO reversed: articles were insufficient documentation, the event's international recognition was not established, and the petitioner conflated unrelated competitions (a local annual event with a quadrennial multi-sport games), raising credibility concerns. Recognition certificates were also insufficient.
Dismissed · 2015 Director had found one award (Telly Award) sufficient to meet criterion; AAO reversed, finding no award met the national/international recognition standard — Telly Award lacked independent corroboration, employer achievement award was not individually awarded to petitioner, and Supplier of the Year award went to an organization not the petitioner. AAO also noted plural 'awards' requires more than one.
SCOPS found this criterion met, but AAO reversed, finding none of the submitted awards were shown to be nationally or internationally recognized. The Beauty Minas Prize lacked objective supporting documentation, a second certificate was illegible and only showed participation, a conference trophy was not linked to a prize, and a company marketing award did not reflect recognition in the esthetics field.
Director had found this criterion met based on newspaper articles about team competition wins, but AAO reversed: articles were insufficient documentation, the event's international recognition was not established, and the petitioner conflated unrelated competitions (a local annual event with a quadrennial multi-sport games), raising credibility concerns. Recognition certificates were also insufficient.
Director had found one award (Telly Award) sufficient to meet criterion; AAO reversed, finding no award met the national/international recognition standard — Telly Award lacked independent corroboration, employer achievement award was not individually awarded to petitioner, and Supplier of the Year award went to an organization not the petitioner. AAO also noted plural 'awards' requires more than one.
AAO reversed the Director and found the petitioner's first place finish in the 2016 ocean rowing race met this criterion based on official race results, letters from USRowing and The Rowing Society, and international media coverage including Outside magazine, CNBC, and Huffington Post. Brazilian national medals were insufficient due to inconsistencies and lack of official results.
The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a fund manager back to the Director after finding multiple legal errors in the
A bodybuilding promoter's motions to reopen and reconsider his denied EB-1A petition were both denied because he failed
The AAO dismissed a seventh combined motion to reopen and reconsider an EB-1A petition for an accounting and tax consult
AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a global security expert because the Director improperly dismissed a timely motion
A collaborative pianist's EB-1A appeal was dismissed because he could only demonstrate two of the required three evident
The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a senior staff software engineer back to SCOPS because SCOPS reversed two previ
A competitive judo and jiu-jitsu wrestler from Kazakhstan sought EB-1A classification but fell short, meeting only one o
A table tennis coach's EB-1A petition was dismissed after she failed to meet even three of the required evidentiary crit
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