AAO research
EB-1A leading or critical role — AAO decision MAR262021_09B2203: Appeal dismissed (see cited pages). Review source status, procedural posture and the…
Decision summary: AAO decision MAR262021_09B2203: Appeal dismissed (see cited pages). AAO found only one criterion, leading/critical role, despite documented humanitarian work. Contributions benefited individuals and organizations’ missions, but the record did not show broader field impact; salary was not adequately documented or compared. (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 | MAR262021_09B2203 |
|---|---|
Decision date as printed | March 26, 2021 |
Classification / field stated in source | Fundraising, humanitarian project management and nonprofit consulting. |
Procedural posture | Appeal of Texas Service Center denial of EB-1A petition; appeal dismissed. |
Operative disposition | Appeal dismissed (see cited pages). |
Final-merits status | Not reached as separate final-merits stage because only one criterion was met; AAO noted aggregate record did not establish eligibility (p. 7). |
What the AAO decision addressed
AAO found only one criterion, leading/critical role, despite documented humanitarian work. Contributions benefited individuals and organizations’ missions, but the record did not show broader field impact; salary was not adequately documented or compared. (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 coded — source PDF |
Membership | Not coded — source PDF |
Published material about the person | Not coded — source PDF |
Judging the work of others | Not coded — source PDF |
Original contributions of major significance | Not met — source PDF |
Scholarly authorship | Not coded — source PDF |
Artistic display or showcases | Not coded — source PDF |
Leading or critical role | met |
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. 1–7
How this record may be used in research
Comparison scope: Useful comparator for humanitarian/nonprofit work: impact on beneficiaries versus significance to the wider field, organizational role, and compensation evidence. Individual case page; preserve anonymization and distinguish EB-1A from O-1. No editorial hold.
Editorial use note: Individual case page; preserve anonymization and distinguish EB-1A from O-1. No editorial hold.
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.
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