dismissed EB-1A RFE Issued
Drilling Engineer And Entrepreneur
Drilling Engineer And Entrepreneur · Russia · 2025-03-18
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
0 of 3 criteria metLesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards (Not Met)
The record contradicts the claim that the Petitioner received a prestigious international award; the evidence shows only an internal company sales trophy.
Published material about the alien in professional or major media (Not Met)
The submitted article was published in a company-owned magazine and is considered promotional material rather than independent major media.
High remuneration for services (Not Met)
Bank deposits were not proven to be salary or remuneration for services, as they included overdrafts and transfers.
Original contributions of major significance (Not Met)
The issue was reserved as the Petitioner failed to meet the threshold of three other criteria.
Leading or critical role for distinguished organizations (Not Met)
The issue was reserved as the Petitioner failed to meet the threshold of three other criteria.
Why This Petition Was Denied
The Petitioner failed to meet any of the five claimed criteria (awards, published material, original contributions, leading role, and high salary). The award was found to be an internal sales trophy rather than the prestigious international award claimed, and the published material was deemed promotional. Evidence for high salary was insufficient as bank deposits were not clearly identified as remuneration for services.
Request for Evidence (RFE)
Unsuccessfully AddressedThe RFE asked the Petitioner to specify which criteria were met and provide evidence; the Petitioner responded with claims for five criteria which were ultimately rejected.
RFE Targets
Lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awardsPublished material about the alien in professional or major mediaOriginal contributions of major significanceLeading or critical role for distinguished organizationsHigh remuneration for services
Evidence
Evidence Types
Awards
Media Coverage
Reference Letters Dependent
High Salary
Evidence Submitted
- 2012 article in a company publication regarding water drilling in Russia
- Personal accounting account statements for 2022
- Bank and financial statements for two companies founded in Russia
- Recommendation letters (claimed as comparable evidence)
- Photograph of a sales trophy from 2011
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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: 2025-03-18.
Browse all casesAt a Glance
Outcome dismissed
RFE Issued
Criteria Met 0 / 3
Evidence Types 4
EB-1A Case Data
Scraped Case Data
Total Cases 881
Success Rate 52.9%
Sustained 466
Dismissed 299
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