EB-1A Criterion vi of 10 923 cases

Scholarly articles —
what the AAO actually requires

Regulatory language: "Evidence satisfying criterion vi under the EB-1A regulatory framework." — 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3)(vi)
Cases indexed
923
where this criterion was addressed
Met rate
71%
found met in 651 of 923 addressed cases
Most common error
Dismissed
without assessing selectivity
Trend
+5pp
win rate up vs. 2024
Evidence patterns — what moves the needle
Officer error patterns — how cases get remanded
AAO reversed the Director on this criterion2026

AAO reversed the prior denial of this criterion, acknowledging it had incorrectly applied standards from a different criterion. Articles published in Journal of Statistics and Economics, Journal of Business and Marketing, and Value Line were found to be scholarly articles in professional publications by a preponderance of the evidence.

AAO reversed the Director on this criterion2024

Director granted criterion without analysis. AAO reversed, finding the evidence (SiteWorth Traffic data, screenshots pasted into letter, self-selected comparison websites) was inadequate and relied on a defunct Alexa-based service to establish that Bitsight and Towards Data Science qualify as professional or major trade publications.

AAO reversed the Director on this criterion2020

Director found this criterion not met, but AAO reversed in part: dissertation published in IJSITA qualifies as a scholarly article in a professional publication. However, the IGI Global book chapter did not qualify as scholarly or professional, and the Springer conference paper was filed after the petition date.

AAO reversed the Director on this criterion2026

AAO reversed SCOPS's favorable finding: the submitted scientific article was in Turkish without a full English translation as required; the publication's printout did not confirm the article was published in a professional journal; no circulation or audience data was provided.

Cases on this criterion
Remanded2022 · MAR112022_01B2203

The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a fund manager back to the Director after finding multiple…

The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a fund manager back to the Director after finding multiple legal errors in the

Dismissed2017 · AUG112017_02B2203

A bodybuilding promoter's motions to reopen and reconsider his denied EB-1A petition were both deni…

A bodybuilding promoter's motions to reopen and reconsider his denied EB-1A petition were both denied because he failed

Dismissed2026 · JAN232026_04B2203

The AAO dismissed a seventh combined motion to reopen and reconsider an EB-1A petition for an accou…

The AAO dismissed a seventh combined motion to reopen and reconsider an EB-1A petition for an accounting and tax consult

Remanded2024 · JAN232024_01B2203

AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a global security expert because the Director improperly dismi…

AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a global security expert because the Director improperly dismissed a timely motion

Dismissed2021 · APR162021_02B2203

A collaborative pianist's EB-1A appeal was dismissed because he could only demonstrate two of the r…

A collaborative pianist's EB-1A appeal was dismissed because he could only demonstrate two of the required three evident

Remanded2026 · JAN052026_01B2203

The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a senior staff software engineer back to SCOPS because SCO…

The AAO remanded this EB-1A petition for a senior staff software engineer back to SCOPS because SCOPS reversed two previ

Dismissed2018 · JAN242018_03B2203

A competitive judo and jiu-jitsu wrestler from Kazakhstan sought EB-1A classification but fell shor…

A competitive judo and jiu-jitsu wrestler from Kazakhstan sought EB-1A classification but fell short, meeting only one o

Dismissed2015 · FEB272015_01B2203

A table tennis coach's EB-1A petition was dismissed after she failed to meet even three of the requ…

A table tennis coach's EB-1A petition was dismissed after she failed to meet even three of the required evidentiary crit

See all 923 criterion vi cases →