Date of Decision: January 24, 2018
Service Center: Texas Service Center
Form Type: Form I-140
Case Type: EB1 Extraordinary Ability
Petitioner Information
Profession: Judo Wrestler
Field: Athletics
Nationality: Not specified
Summary of Decision
Initial Decision: Denied
Appeal Outcome: Denied
Evidentiary Criteria Analysis
Criteria Met:
Documentation of the alien’s receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor: The Petitioner submitted evidence indicating she won several medals in judo, sambo, and jiu-jitsu competitions, which were nationally recognized.
Criteria Not Met:
Documentation of the alien’s membership in associations in the field for which classification is sought, which require outstanding achievements of their members, as judged by recognized national or international experts in their disciplines or fields: The Petitioner claimed membership in various women’s judo and jiu-jitsu teams and a coaching role. However, the record did not support that these organizations required outstanding achievements for membership.
Published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media, relating to the alien’s work in the field for which classification is sought: The Petitioner provided articles mentioning her in the context of competition results, but these did not meet the criterion of being about her achievements specifically.
Key Points from the Decision
Awards and Prizes Won:
The Petitioner demonstrated her excellence in her field by winning multiple medals in national and international judo, sambo, and jiu-jitsu competitions. However, only this criterion was satisfactorily met according to the documentation provided.
Published Materials About the Petitioner:
The Petitioner submitted several articles from major publications that mentioned her competition results. These did not satisfy the criterion as the articles were not specifically about her.
Original Contributions of Major Significance:
The Petitioner did not submit sufficient evidence to demonstrate original contributions of major significance in the field of judo.
Participation as a Judge:
The Petitioner did not provide evidence to meet the criterion of serving as a judge of others in the field.
Membership in Associations:
The Petitioner claimed membership in national teams and coaching roles but did not prove that these memberships required outstanding achievements.
Authorship of scholarly articles:
No evidence was provided to meet this criterion.
Leading or critical role performed:
The Petitioner did not sufficiently demonstrate that she held a leading or critical role in distinguished organizations.
Artistic Exhibitions or Showcases:
Not applicable to this case.
Evidence of High Salary or Remuneration:
No evidence was submitted to meet this criterion.
Commercial successes in the Performing Arts:
Not applicable to this case.
Supporting Documentation
The Petitioner provided evidence of medals won in various competitions and media coverage of these events. She also submitted letters of support from coaches detailing her achievements and role in the sport.
Conclusion
Final Determination: The appeal was dismissed.
Reasoning: The Petitioner did not meet the required initial evidence of either a qualifying one-time achievement or documents that meet at least three of the ten criteria listed for extraordinary ability.
Next Steps: The Petitioner must provide more comprehensive and specific evidence to meet the criteria for extraordinary ability if considering reapplication.
