dismissed EB-1A
Barista
Barista / Cafe Owner · Iran · 2022-05-05
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
2 of 3 criteria metLesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards (Met)
The Director concluded that the Petitioner met the criterion relating to prizes.
Participation as a judge of the work of others (Met)
The Director concluded that the Petitioner met the criterion relating to participation as a judge.
Published material about the individual in professional or major media (Not Met)
The Petitioner failed to provide circulation figures or evidence that 'Sprudge' qualifies as major media beyond self-serving promotional descriptions.
High salary or remuneration in relation to others in the field (Not Met)
The Petitioner documented cafe income but did not provide comparative evidence to show it was high relative to other baristas or cafe owners.
Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements (Not Met)
The evidence post-dated the filing date and did not establish that the association required outstanding achievements judged by experts.
Why This Petition Was Denied
The Petitioner met only two criteria (prizes and judging) but failed to satisfy a third. The 'Sprudge' articles were not shown to be in major media, and the high salary claim lacked comparative evidence. The new evidence regarding membership in a board of directors was rejected because it post-dated the 2016 filing date and did not demonstrate a requirement for outstanding achievements.
Evidence
Evidence Types
Awards
Judging Experience
Media Coverage
High Salary
Professional Memberships
Evidence Submitted
- Participation as a judge of the work of others
- Receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes
- Articles in Sprudge (coffee blog)
- Total income documentation for a cafe in Iran (2009-2014)
- Appointment letter as education and research director (September 2020)
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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.
Browse More Cases
Case data sourced from publicly available petition decisions and case studies. Decision date: 2022-05-05.
Browse all casesAt a Glance
Outcome dismissed
Criteria Met 2 / 3
Evidence Types 5
EB-1A Case Data
Scraped Case Data
Total Cases 881
Success Rate 52.9%
Sustained 466
Dismissed 299
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