AAO research
EB-1A final merits — AAO decision FEB132018_01B2203: Appeal sustained. Review source status, procedural posture and the official USCIS PDF.
Decision summary: AAO decision FEB132018_01B2203: Appeal sustained. AAO cited 43 scholarly articles, five book chapters, conference presentations, more than 300 citations at filing and over 500 afterward, discovery of new species/taxonomic revisions, independent citation and expert letters describing influence.
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: EB-1A source; substantive decision. This is a source-review label, not a legal conclusion.
Decision snapshot
Decision ID | FEB132018_01B2203 |
|---|---|
Decision date as printed | February 13, 2018 |
Classification / field stated in source | Appeal sustained; extraordinary ability established |
Procedural posture | Director found judging and scholarly authorship; AAO also found original contributions of major significance, then evaluated final merits favorably. |
Operative disposition | Appeal sustained. |
Final-merits status | reached and favorable; AAO found totality showed sustained acclaim and top-of-field standing. |
What the AAO decision addressed
AAO cited 43 scholarly articles, five book chapters, conference presentations, more than 300 citations at filing and over 500 afterward, discovery of new species/taxonomic revisions, independent citation and expert letters describing influence.
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 reached — source PDF |
Membership | Not reached — source PDF |
Published material about the person | Not reached |
Judging the work of others | met — source PDF |
Original contributions of major significance | met — source PDF |
Scholarly authorship | met — source PDF |
Artistic display or showcases | Not coded — source PDF |
Leading or critical role | Not reached |
High salary or remuneration | Not reached — source PDF |
Commercial success in the performing arts | Not reached — source PDF |
Source-cited findings recorded in review
claim: Cover dates Matter of J-Z- February 13, 2018; petitioner is a researcher studying insects and spiders.; pages: 1; 2
claim: AAO upheld judging based on independent review requests for professional journals and upheld scholarly authorship.; pages: 2
claim: AAO found original contributions of major significance based on research and expert evidence concerning new species, taxonomic revisions, and field influence.; pages: 2; 3; 4
claim: AAO’s final-merits discussion considered judging, extensive authorship, citations, research influence, and expert letters.; pages: 3; 4
claim: AAO found sustained acclaim/top-of-field standing and sustained the appeal.; pages: 4
How this record may be used in research
Comparison scope: Highly eligible as research-case study with citations and an explicit explanation of the favorable final-merits finding.
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
Published material about the person research
Leading or critical role research
Medicine sector research
Final Merits research
Major Significance research
Browse the AAO decision index · Read EB-1A evidence guides · Review source and correction methodology.