dismissed EB-1A Case: Unknown

identifyingdatadeletedto
preventcleadyunwarranted
invasienof personalprivacy
PUBLICCOPY
U.S.Departmentof HomelandSecurity
U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices
AdministrativeAppealsOffice (AAO)
20 MassachusettsAve., N.W., MS 2090
Washington,DC 20529-2090
8 U.S.Citizenship
and Immigration
Services
DATEAPR 1 9 2012 OFFICE:NEBRASKASERVICECENTER
IN RE:
PETITION: ImmigrantPetitionfor Alien WorkerasanAlienof ExtraordinaryAbility Pursuantto
Section203(b)(1)(A)of theImmigrationandNationalityAct; 8U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(1)(A)
ONBEHALFOFPETITIONER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Enclosedpleasefind thedecisionof theAdministrativeAppealsOffice in yourcase. All of thedocuments
relatedto thismatterhavebeenreturnedtotheofficethatoriginallydecidedyourcase.Pleasebeadvisedthat
anyfurtherinquirythatyoumighthaveconcerningyourcasemustbemadeto thatoffice.
Thankyou,
PerryRhew
Chief,AdministrativeAppealsOffice
www.uscis.gov
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DISCUSSION:TheDirector,NebraskaServiceCenter,deniedtheemployment-basedimmigrantvisa
petition. ThematterisnowbeforetheAdministrativeAppealsOffice(AAO) onappeal.TheAAO will
rejecttheappeal.
In orderto properlyfile an appeal,the regulationat 8 C.F.R.§ 103.3(a)(2)(i)providesthat the
affectedpartyor theattorneyor representativeof recordmustsubmitthecompleteappealwithin30
daysof serviceof theunfavorabledecision.If the decisionwasmailed,the appealmustbe filed
within33days.See8 C.F.R.§ 103.8(b).Theregulationat8 C.F.R.§ 1.1(h)explainsthatwhenthe
lastdayof aperiodfalls ona Saturday,Sunday,or legalholiday,theperiodshallrununtil theendof
the next daythat is not a Saturday,Sunday,or legalholiday. The dateof filing is not the dateof
submission,but the dateof actualreceiptwith the propersignatureand the requiredfee. See8
C.F.R.§ 103.2(a)(7)(i).Theregulationat 8C.F.R.§ 103.3(a)(2)(v)(B)(1)providesthatan appeal
whichis not filed with thetime allowedmustberejectedasimproperlyfiled.
Therecordindicatesthatthe servicecenterdirectorissuedthedecisionon December30,2010. It is
notedthattheservicecenterdirectorproperlygavenoticeto thepetitionerthathehad33daysto file
theappeal.NeithertheImmigrationandNationalityAct (theAct) northepertinentregulationsgrant
the AAO authorityto extendthis time limit. SeeMatterof Liadov,23 I&N Dec.990(BIA 2006).
Evenif theappealwasdelayedby theovernightdeliveryservice,theerrorwouldnotwarrantspecial
considerationof the appeal.Id. In the casehere,Form I-290B,Notice of Appealor Motion, was
received by the service center on March 16, 2011, 76 days after the director's decision.
Accordingly,theappealwasuntimelyfiled.
The regulationat 8 C.F.R. § 103.3(a)(2)(v)(B)(2)statesthat, if an untimely appealmeetsthe
requirementsof amotionto reopenor amotionto reconsider,theappealmustbetreatedasamotion,
and a decisionmustbe madeon the meritsof the case. The official havingjurisdiction over a
motion is the official who madethe lastdecisionin the proceeding,in this casethe Directorof the
NebraskaServiceCenter.See8 C.F.R.§ 103.5(a)(1)(ii).It is notedthatcounselacknowledgedthe
untimelyfiling of theappealandrequestedtheappealbetreatedasa motion. However,thedirector
determinedthatthe lateappealdid not meettherequirementsof a motionandforwardedthe matter
to theAAO.
In addition,counselindicatedthathewasalsoappealingthepetitioner'sFormI-485,Applicationto
RegisterPermanentResidenceor Adjust Status,which he filed pursuantto section245 of the Act.
Notwithstandingthat counselfailed to file a separateForm I-290B, the regulationat 8 C.F.R.
§245.2(a)(5)(ii)providesthat"[n]o appealliesfrom thedenialof anapplicationby thedirector,but
theapplicant,if not anarrivingalien,retainstheright to renewhis or herapplicationin proceedings
under 8 CFR part 240." As such, the regulationsdo not permit AAO jurisdiction over the
petitioner'sappealof his adjustmentof statusapplication.
Finally,counselrequestedthatthepetitionerbere-classified"asanalienof exceptionalability with a
NationalInterestWaiverpursuantto INA §203(b)(2)"and submittedan amendedpetitionand
supportingdocumentation. However,the petitioner is precludedfrom requestinga changeof
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classificationonappeal.A requestfor achangeof classificationwill not beentertainedfor apetition
thathasalreadybeenadjudicated.A post-adjudicationalterationof therequestedvisaclassification
constitutesa materialchange.A petitionermaynot makematerialchangesto a petitionin aneffort
to makea deficientpetitionconformto USCISrequirements.SeeMatter ofhummi, 22 I&N Dec.
169, 176(Assoc.Comm. 1998). In addition,the Ninth Circuit hasdeterminedthat onceUSCIS
concludesthat analienis not eligible for the specificallyrequestedclassification,the agencyis not
requiredto consider,suasponte,whetherthe alienis eligible for an alternateclassification.Brazil
QualityStones,Inc.,v. Chertoff,Slip Copy,2008WL 2743927(9thCir. July 10,2008).
Furthermore,USCISis statutorilyprohibitedfrom providinga petitionerwith multipleadjudications
for a singlepetitionwith a singlefee,includingmultipleappealson a singleFormI-290Bwith a
singlefee. Theinitial filing feefor FormI-140coveredthecostof thedirector'sadjudicationof the
petition,aswell astheinitial filing feefor FormI-290Bcoveringthecostof theadjudicationof the
appeal. Pursuantto section286(m)of the Act, 8 U.S.C.§ 1356,USCISis requiredto recoverthe
full costof adjudication.In additionto thestatutoryrequirement,Office of ManagementandBudget
(OMB) CircularA-25 requiresthatUSCISrecoverall directandindirectcostsof providinga good,
resource,or service' If the petitionernow seeksclassificationas an alien of exceptionalability
pursuantto section203(b)(2)of theAct, thenhemustfile a separateFormI-140requestingthenew
classification.Onappeal,counselhascitedno statute,regulation,or standingprecedentthatpermits
a petitionerto changethe classificationof a petition oncea decisionhas beenrenderedby the
director.
Forthereasonsdiscussedabove,theappealmustberejected.
ORDER: Theappealis rejected.
1Seehttp://www.whitehouse.eov/omb/circulars/a025/a025.html,accessedon April 11,2009,andincorporatedinto the
recordof proceeding.