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The AAO remanded the case because the Director's decision lacked sufficient analysis and discussion of the evidence, reaching conclusory findings without proper explanation. Specifically, the Director failed to adequately address all claimed evidentiary criteria, improperly dismissed evidence due to perceived translation certification issues without explaining the problem, and incorrectly stated that employment verification letters were not provided. The decision did not fully explain the reasons for denial, hindering a fair appeal and meaningful appellate review.

The AAO withdrew the Director's decision because it found the Petitioner met three of the ten EB-1A criteria, contrary to the Director's conclusion. Specifically, the Petitioner met the membership criterion by being an honorary member of the Georgian Film Academy, whose bylaws require 'historical significance for Georgia' and 'extraordinary success' for honorary members. The Petitioner also met the exhibitions criterion through directing numerous musicals and the leading role criterion by directing at distinguished Georgian theatres and a leading television station. The case was remanded for a final merits determination under the Kazarian framework.

The AAO found that the Director erred in evaluating the evidence for original contributions and leading/critical roles. The Petitioner demonstrated original contributions of major significance by co-founding and serving as Vice-Chairman for an organization that successfully advocated for union rights for advertising professionals in Turkey, leading to the incorporation of the 'Advertising Professionals Union' into the 'Turkish Cinema and Broadcasting Union'. This effort addressed substandard working conditions and highlighted advertisers' $120 billion annual contribution to Turkey's economy. The Petitioner also demonstrated leading/critical roles as Head of Production for an internationally known advertising agency, successfully leading campaigns for clients like Netflix, which garnered multiple awards (e.g., Best Social Media Campaign, Best Digital Art Direction, Best Branded Film Content). Another campaign for Amnesty International, highlighting imprisoned journalists, generated over 1.2 million impressions and reached 3 million people in Turkey, winning a Golden Drum award.

The Petitioner satisfied the original contributions criterion by providing evidence of the Beneficiary's innovations in a 2005 role-playing game that influenced industry standards for physics modeling and camera collision detection. The Director's previous denial was withdrawn because the Beneficiary now meets three initial criteria: leading/critical role, high salary, and original contributions. A final merits determination is required to assess sustained national or international acclaim.