AAO research

AAO EB-1A decision FEB042005_01B2203: Three-criterion threshold

AAO EB-1A decision FEB042005_01B2203: Three-criterion threshold

EB-1A three-criterion threshold — AAO decision FEB042005_01B2203: Appeal dismissed (pp. 2, 7). Review source status, procedural posture and the official…

Decision summary: AAO decision FEB042005_01B2203: Appeal dismissed (pp. 2, 7). AAO distinguished prior competitive-dancer achievement from the proposed coaching/director occupation, then found the submitted evidence insufficient under the addressed awards, published-material, leading/critical-role, and high-salary criteria; the petitioner did not establish three criteria or sustained acclaim (pp. 3–7).

Source reviewed: This page summarizes the specific AAO source and posture recorded in the completed source-review tracker. It does not turn a nonprecedent decision into a general rule.

Scope classification from review: in_scope_EB1A_source_reviewed. This is a source-review label, not a legal conclusion.

Decision snapshot

Decision ID

FEB042005_01B2203

Decision date as printed

February 4, 2005

Classification / field stated in source

Professional ballroom dancer whose proposed U.S. work was as a dance director, coach, and choreographer.

Procedural posture

Appeal from denial of Form I-140; legacy AAO decision.

Operative disposition

Appeal dismissed (pp. 2, 7).

Final-merits status

No separate Kazarian final-merits framework; legacy decision concludes the record did not establish at least three criteria, sustained acclaim, or top-of-field standing (pp. 6–7).

What the AAO decision addressed

AAO distinguished prior competitive-dancer achievement from the proposed coaching/director occupation, then found the submitted evidence insufficient under the addressed awards, published-material, leading/critical-role, and high-salary criteria; the petitioner did not establish three criteria or sustained acclaim (pp. 3–7).

Criterion-by-criterion status in this source

These labels reproduce the source-review record. “Not considered,” “not reached,” and “not coded” do not mean the criterion failed. A Director finding recited as background is not an AAO holding unless the decision says so.

Criterion

Source-review status

Awards

Not met — source PDF

Membership

Not coded — source PDF

Published material about the person

Not met — source PDF

Judging the work of others

Not coded — source PDF

Original contributions of major significance

Not coded — source PDF

Scholarly authorship

Not coded — source PDF

Artistic display or showcases

Not coded — source PDF

Leading or critical role

Not met — source PDF

High salary or remuneration

Not met — source PDF

Commercial success in the performing arts

Not coded — source PDF

Source-cited findings recorded in review

  • pp. 2–7

How this record may be used in research

Comparison scope: Strong narrow historical comparator for the distinction between competitive athlete and coach/choreographer and for evidence about professional versus amateur awards, media, role, and salary. Clearly label as legacy 2005 analysis. Individual source-linked historic case summary; eligible for carefully dated dancer-to-coach comparisons.

Editorial use note: Individual source-linked historic case summary; eligible for carefully dated dancer-to-coach comparisons.

Page-level source trail

Use the official PDF and the cited physical page numbers to check each statement.

How to use this record

This is a historical, nonprecedent AAO decision about its own administrative record. It is not a prediction, success rate, or current filing instruction. Compare the issue and procedural stage before drawing an analogy. The current framework is in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 2.

Related corpus research

  • Full-corpus research index

  • Athletics sector research

  • Performance sector research

Browse the AAO decision index · Read EB-1A evidence guides · Review source and correction methodology.

Primary source

Official USCIS AAO decision PDF for FEB042005_01B2203