AAO research
EB-1A original contributions of major significance — AAO decision JAN192016_01B2203: Motion to reopen denied; motion to reconsider denied; prior appeal…
Decision summary: AAO decision JAN192016_01B2203: Motion to reopen denied; motion to reconsider denied; prior appeal decision affirmed and petition remains denied (p. 6). AAO found the motion did not present qualifying new facts or establish legal/factual error in the prior decision. New or post-filing citations, future potential, an unpublished manuscript and expert letters did not establish major-significance impact as of filing. Underlying criteria were not freshly adjudicated; final merits was not reconsidered (pp. 3–6).
Source limitation: The review record contains a source hold or limitation. Read the limitation below before relying on any case detail; unresolved facts are not treated as findings.
Scope classification from review: in_scope_with_motion_scope_caveat. This is a source-review label, not a legal conclusion.
Decision snapshot
Decision ID | JAN192016_01B2203 |
|---|---|
Decision date as printed | January 19, 2016 |
Classification / field stated in source | EB-1A extraordinary ability in the sciences; petitioner is identified only as an individual in sciences (p. 1). |
Procedural posture | Motion on AAO decision after prior appeal dismissal; petitioner filed motions to reopen and reconsider prior decision and focused on original contributions (pp. 1–5). |
Operative disposition | Motion to reopen denied; motion to reconsider denied; prior appeal decision affirmed and petition remains denied (p. 6). |
Final-merits status | Not coded in the normalized review fields |
What the AAO decision addressed
AAO found the motion did not present qualifying new facts or establish legal/factual error in the prior decision. New or post-filing citations, future potential, an unpublished manuscript and expert letters did not establish major-significance impact as of filing. Underlying criteria were not freshly adjudicated; final merits was not reconsidered (pp. 3–6).
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 considered |
Membership | not considered |
Published material about the person | not considered |
Judging the work of others | met — source PDF |
Original contributions of major significance | not met |
Scholarly authorship | met — source PDF |
Artistic display or showcases | Not coded — source PDF |
Leading or critical role | Not coded — source PDF |
High salary or remuneration | Not coded — source PDF |
Commercial success in the performing arts | Not coded — source PDF |
Source holds and limits
"Matter identity and scientific subjects are redacted. Motion ruling is ancillary to an earlier decision; link/cite the underlying decision before aggregating merits findings."
Source-cited findings recorded in review
p1: Matter of S-K-R- cover and motion type; date and summary say both motions will be denied.; p2: Procedural history and prior criteria findings; motion requirements and scope.; p3: Reopen/reconsider standards and prior criteria: judging/authorship met, awards/membership/media/contributions not met; contribution motion begins.; p4: Research-conference visibility and expert-letter claims evaluated; post-filing citation totals cannot establish eligibility at filing.; p5: No field-wide impact shown; potential future benefit and pending paper insufficient; reconsideration standard.; p6: No new facts/error; motions denied; prior decision affirmed, petition remains denied.
How this record may be used in research
Comparison scope: Useful procedural and evidence example about motions and why potential impact, aggregate citations, or unpublished work do not establish major significance by filing date. Eligible only as clearly labeled motion-procedure content; do not present as a fresh merits decision or re-adjudication of all criteria.
Editorial use note: Eligible only as clearly labeled motion-procedure content; do not present as a fresh merits decision or re-adjudication of all criteria.
Page-level source trail
Use the official PDF and the cited physical page numbers to check each statement.
PDF page 2 — Procedural history and prior criteria findings; motion requirements and scope.
PDF page 6 — No new facts/error; motions denied; prior decision affirmed, petition remains denied.
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
Awards research
Membership research
Published material about the person research
Original contributions of major significance research
Final Merits research
Major Significance research
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