EB-1A Guides by Field
Browse eb-1a guides by field, with original AAO sources and related reading.
Read the corrected field evidence study for Aug012006_01B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
The AAO dismissed a plastic surgeon’s appeal.
An athletics petition involving an acrobatics/gymnastics athlete and coach was dismissed.
The AAO retained artistic display but rejected five other categories, citing specific documentation and credibility problems.
Read the corrected field evidence study for Dec022010_01B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
The AAO credited peer review and a critical IMSG role, but found limited independent evidence that the scientist’s research had achieved sustained field-wide acclaim.
A gymnastics coach's 2005 AAO appeal failed on the documented record. Read the evidence gaps, limits of the historical reasoning, and original PDF pages.
Read this corrected field research guide for Aug252009_07B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
The AAO retained artistic display but found gaps in membership, media, fee comparisons, and film-success evidence; leading role remained reserved.
The AAO dismissed a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor’s appeal.
The source concerns a wedding planner, not a photographer. The AAO declined new categories and reserved role, pay, and formal final merits.
Read this corrected field research guide for Apr032009_02B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
The golfer had recognized medals and qualifying coverage. Developmental-tour membership and earnings comparisons did not establish a third category.
Read this corrected field research guide for Dec032009_03B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
The AAO found awards and Hungarian national-team membership, but only two criteria overall.
The AAO accepted judging and a leading role, but found fewer than three criteria.
The AAO restored approval after finding the revocation unsupported, correcting award characterizations, judging demands, and the asserted job-offer requirement.
An elementary teacher met judging and scholarly authorship, but not contributions or high salary. Read the AAO's April 16, 2025 reasoning and source pages.
The April 2026 decision dismissed reopening and reconsideration after an architect met three categories but failed to establish sustained acclaim at final merits.
A checked baseball-player decision accepted four categories but found the total record insufficient to show sustained top-of-field acclaim.
The AAO accepted judging and scholarly authorship, but found membership, original contributions, leading/critical role, and high remuneration unproven.
Read the corrected field evidence study for Aug042008_02B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
The AAO dismissed after finding fewer than three criteria. It cited gaps in award recognition, membership, press, judging context, display, contributions, and role evidence.
This performer met awards and published material, but the record did not establish qualifying membership, institutional role, or commercial success.
An AAO case on why a game studio’s awards, guest critiques, outlet rankings, and broad salary comparisons did not add up to three EB-1A criteria.
Read the artist's 2005 AAO decision on awards, press, judging, contributions, display, membership, and pay, with links to each source discussion.
Read the corrected field evidence study for APR282005_09B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
Read the source-backed explanation of APR032024_01B2203, the AAO's actual findings, and corrections to the previous article.
Read this corrected field research guide for AUG192005_10B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
The AAO added honorary membership, media, and student-thesis judging, then dismissed after a separate final-merits review of the economist’s record.
Read this corrected field research guide for Apr202007_02B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
Read this corrected field research guide for APR122005_01B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
A checked physiology decision accepted judging and authorship but found major significance unproven despite citations and specific external research use.
The AAO dismissed the appeal for insufficient category evidence while withdrawing the director’s unsupported fraud or willful-misrepresentation finding.
Read this corrected field research guide for AUG142025_01B2203, with the original disposition, source passages, and USCIS PDF.
The AAO substantively rejected all three claimed categories. It did not issue a purely procedural membership dismissal, and it reserved final merits.
Read the corrected field evidence study for AUG252020_05B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
Artistic display was accepted; published material, field impact, organizational role, and remaining evidence did not establish three criteria.
The AAO credited one lesser award but found media, contribution, and scholarly evidence insufficient; final merits still failed.
Read the corrected field evidence study for Apr102009_02B2203, with the original disposition, attributed source passages, and links to the USCIS decision.
This historical runner decision rejected collegiate award and related claims, but its categorical language should not be turned into a current rule.
The AAO dismissed after finding awards, membership, media, and role claims insufficient for this coach on the submitted record.
A checked jazz-pianist decision accepted judging and artistic display but found award recognition, outlet support, and full role proof insufficient.