Date of Decision: February 12, 2018
Service Center: Nebraska Service Center
Form Type: Form I-140
Case Type: EB1 Extraordinary Ability
Petitioner Information
Profession: Bridge Player
Field: Athletics (Bridge)
Nationality: Not specified in the document
Summary of Decision
Initial Decision: Denied
Appeal Outcome: Dismissed
Evidentiary Criteria Analysis
Criteria Met:
Awards:
The Petitioner demonstrated receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor. The Petitioner received an award annually for being Canada’s top winner, which the Director acknowledged as meeting the criterion.
Criteria Not Met:
Published Materials About the Petitioner:
The Petitioner submitted articles mentioning him in various publications. However, the articles did not meet the regulatory criterion because they were not primarily about him but rather mentioned him as one of many participants. The publications also did not establish themselves as major trade or professional publications. The self-promotional claims by the publication editors were deemed insufficient evidence.
Judging the Work of Others:
The Petitioner provided letters from professional bridge players and officials claiming he served on appeal committees in tournaments. However, these letters did not specify any particular tournaments or provide verifiable evidence of his participation as a judge. Thus, the evidence was insufficient to meet the criterion.
Key Points from the Decision
Awards and Prizes Won:
The Petitioner met the criterion for receiving lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor. Specifically, he received an annual award recognizing Canada’s top bridge winner.
Published Materials About the Petitioner:
The evidence did not support that the published materials about the Petitioner met the required standard. The articles mentioned him but were not about his work or achievements directly. Furthermore, the publications were not proven to be major trade or professional publications.
Participation as a Judge:
The Petitioner failed to provide sufficient evidence of his participation as a judge of others in his field. The letters submitted lacked specific details and verifiable documentation of his role in judging.
Supporting Documentation
- Articles from various publications mentioning the Petitioner.
- Letters from professional bridge players and officials claiming the Petitioner’s participation on appeal committees.
- An award recognizing the Petitioner as Canada’s top bridge player.
Conclusion
Final Determination: The appeal was dismissed.
Reasoning: The Petitioner did not provide sufficient initial evidence to meet at least three of the ten criteria required for classification as an individual of extraordinary ability. The articles submitted did not meet the criteria for published materials about the Petitioner, and the evidence provided for judging the work of others was insufficient.
Next Steps: The Petitioner may consider gathering more substantial and specific evidence to support his claims if considering reapplying or appealing further.
This decision highlights the importance of providing detailed, verifiable evidence to meet the stringent criteria for EB1 Extraordinary Ability classification.
