All Cases
11 cases · 4 approved / sustained · 6 denied / dismissed · 1 remanded
Data Scientist
Food and Beverage · Iran
WeGreened EB-1A rfe approved
654 days 2025-11-19
The petitioner submitted evidence of 174 peer-reviewed journal articles, 56 conference papers, and 2 books, which garnered 1,589 citations. He also demonstrated significant judging experience by completing at least 34 reviews for journals and serving on multiple Ph.D. dissertation committees. These metrics satisfied the EB-1A criteria for scholarly articles, judging, and original contributions of major significance.
Scientist
Food and Beverage · India
WeGreened EB-1A approved
California 37 days 2025-10-30
The petition was approved based on the applicant's significant contributions to the alternative protein industry, including the development of allergen-free plant-based products distributed throughout North America. Her expertise in formulation science and process optimization was evidenced by her leadership in high-impact product launches. The case successfully demonstrated her extraordinary ability through her pioneering work in sustainable food technology.
Professor
Food and Beverage · South Korea
WeGreened EB-1A approved
17 days 2025-05-10
The petition was approved based on a high volume of scientific output, including 92 peer-reviewed journal articles and 65 conference abstracts. The petitioner demonstrated significant impact through 5,834 citations and professional standing via 50 completed peer reviews for scientific journals. The case successfully established that the work advances food safety at a structural level, aligning with U.S. national interests.
Chef
Food and Beverage · Japan
USCIS EB-1A rfe dismissed
California 2024-08-27
The Petitioner satisfied only two criteria: leading or critical role and high remuneration. The Michelin Guide listing without stars was found to indicate quality but not the level of national/international acclaim required for EB-1A. Media coverage in the Orange County Register and Yelp was classified as local or lacking required author credit, failing the major media criterion.
Others
Food and Beverage
USCIS EB-1A rfe remanded
California 2024-08-27
The Director's decision was withdrawn and remanded because it was insufficient for review. The Director failed to acknowledge or discuss evidence and arguments provided in response to an RFE for criteria at 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3)(i), (v), and (viii). Additionally, the decision contained few specific references to the submitted evidence or the Petitioner's explanations, and improperly dismissed evidence from 'unreliable' sources without sufficient support.
Entrepreneur
Food and Beverage
USCIS EB-1A rfe dismissed
Colorado 2024-08-16
The appeal was dismissed because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidentiary requirement of three criteria. Specifically, USCIS found that the claimed awards were not nationally or internationally recognized, the published materials were not in major media, and the claimed judging experience was merely mentorship or on-the-job training, not actual judging of others' work. No specific metrics like publication or citation counts were provided or met.
Chef
Food and Beverage · Russia
USCIS EB-1A rfe dismissed
Nebraska 2024-08-06
The appeal was dismissed because the Petitioner failed to meet at least three of the ten evidentiary criteria. Specifically, the evidence for original contributions lacked probative value due to identical language in letters, and the 'BBQ Cake Tutorial' was not considered a scholarly article for learned persons.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Food and Beverage · Colombia
USCIS EB-1A rfe dismissed
Texas 2024-07-18
The appeal was dismissed because the Petitioner only satisfied one criterion (published materials) instead of the required three. Specifically, the awards submitted (e.g., Entrepreneurial Spirit 2012, H-E-B Quest for Texas Best) lacked evidence of national or international significance, and roles with the Association of Caribbean States and United Nations were not proven to be leading or critical.
Others
Food and Beverage
USCIS EB-1A dismissed
2024-07-03
The motion did not meet the requirements of 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(1)(ii) as it failed to address the latest decision in the proceeding. Substantively, the evidence regarding 'Sprudge' was insufficient to satisfy the published material criterion (8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3)(iii)) because the Petitioner failed to contextualize website traffic statistics or prove it constituted major media. The Petitioner only met 2 of the 10 required criteria.
Associate Professor
Food and Beverage · China
WeGreened EB-1A approved
30 days 2023-08-10
The petition was approved based on 41 peer-reviewed scientific articles and a high citation count of 1,211 from researchers in 27 countries. Additionally, the petitioner demonstrated her expertise by conducting 64 peer reviews for journals in her field. These metrics satisfied the EB-1A criteria for scholarly articles, original contributions of major significance, and judging the work of others.