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dismissed EB-1A RFE Issued

Figure Skating Coach

Athletics · Russia · 2023-06-15

Decision Date
2023-06-15
This case is from a USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) appeal decision. Appeal cases represent a subset of petitions and may not reflect typical outcomes.

Framework Evaluation

1 of 3 criteria met
Judging the work of others (Met)

The Director and AAO agreed the Petitioner satisfied the criterion relating to judging the work of others.

Memberships in associations requiring outstanding achievements (Not Met)

The Petitioner's membership was in a regional federation and there was no primary evidence (bylaws) showing that membership required outstanding achievements.

Authorship of scholarly articles (Not Met)

The article was written for a general audience to encourage skating rather than for learned persons in the field.

Published material about the alien (Not Met)

The television segment on Russia 1 was about children learning to skate and only featured the Petitioner as a representative example, not as the primary subject.

Why This Petition Was Denied

The Petitioner only satisfied one criterion (judging). The membership in the regional Figure Skating Federation did not require 'outstanding achievements' as judged by national/international experts, and the article on championat.com was deemed a popular article for a general readership rather than a scholarly article for learned persons. Additionally, the television appearance on Russia 1 was about children learning to skate rather than a substantial discussion of the Petitioner's own work.

Request for Evidence (RFE)

Unsuccessfully Addressed

The RFE targeted the deficiency in translation certifications for the Figure Skating Federation letter. The Petitioner failed to provide a compliant certification in the initial RFE response, attempting to submit it only during the motion phase.

RFE Targets
Memberships in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Evidence

Evidence Types
Judging Experience
Professional Memberships
Media Coverage
Scholarly Articles
Reference Letters Dependent
Evidence Submitted
  • Judging the work of others (satisfied)
  • Membership in the Figure Skating Federation (regional)
  • Article in championat.com: 'Why should you start skating? 7 good reasons from the coach'
  • Television appearance on Utro Rossii (Russia 1 network)
  • Foreign bachelor's degree in physical education
  • Over 10 years of coaching experience

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Frequently Asked Questions

A dismissed EB-1A petition means USCIS found the evidence insufficient to meet the eligibility criteria. Common reasons include weak documentation, failure to meet the required number of criteria, or insufficient evidence of the claimed qualifications. Petitioners can refile with stronger evidence or explore alternative visa categories.

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Case data sourced from publicly available petition decisions and case studies. Decision date: 2023-06-15.

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At a Glance

Outcome dismissed
RFE Issued
Criteria Met 1 / 3
Evidence Types 5

EB-1A Case Data

Scraped Case Data

Total Cases 881
Success Rate 52.9%
Sustained 466
Dismissed 299

Related Pages

EB-1A Overview EB-1A in Russia All EB-1A Cases EB-1A Dashboard

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