sustained EB-1A Case: Computer Science And Mathematics

U.S.Departmentof HomelandSecurity
U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices
identaying data celeted to ^òministrativeAppeatsortice (A40)
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PUBLIC COPY services
DATE: AUGQ9 2012 Office: TEXASSERVICECENTER FILE:
IN RE: Petitioner:
Beneficiary:
PETITION: ImmigrantPetitionfor Alien Worker as an Alien of ExtraordinaryAbility Pursuantto
Section203(b)(1)(A)of theImmigrationandNationalityAct,8 U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(1)(A)
ON BEHALFOFPETITIONER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Enclosedpleasefind thedecisionof theAdministrativeAppealsOffice in yourcase.All of thedocuments
relatedto this matterhavebeenreturnedto theoffice thatoriginallydecidedyourcase.Pleasebeadvised
thatanyfurtherinquirythatyoumighthaveconcerningyourcasemustbemadetothatoffice.
Thankyou,
PerryRhew
Chief,AdministrativeAppealsOffice
www.uscis.gov
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DISCUSSION: The Director,TexasServiceCenter,deniedthe employment-basedimmigrantvisa
petition,whichis nowbeforetheAdministrativeAppealsOffice(AAO) onappeal.Theappealwill be
sustained.
Thepetitionerseeksclassificationasan"alienof extraordinaryability" in thesciences,pursuantto
section203(b)(1)(A)oftheImmigrationandNationalityAct(theAct),8U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(1)(A).The
directordeterminedthepetitionerhadnotestablishedthesustainednationalor internationalacclaim
necessarytoqualifyfor classificationasanalienof extraordinaryability.
Congressseta veryhighbenchmarkfor aliensof extraordinaryabilityby requiringthroughthestatute
that the petitionerdemonstratethe alien's"sustainednationalor internationalacclaim"andpresent
"extensivedocumentation"of the alien'sachievements.Seesection203(b)(1)(A)(i)of the Act and
8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3).Theimplementingregulationat 8 C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3)statesthatanaliencan
establishsustainednationalor internationalacclaimthroughevidenceof a one-timeachievementof a
major,internationallyrecognizedaward.Absentthereceiptof suchanaward,theregulationoutlines
tencategoriesof specificobjectiveevidence.8 C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3)(i)through(x). Thepetitioner
mustsubmitqualifyingevidenceunderat leastthreeof the ten regulatorycategoriesof evidenceto
establishthebasiceligibilityrequirements.
On appeal,counselsubmitsa brief. For the reasonsdiscussedbelow,the AAO is satisfiedthat the
evidenceof recordadequatelyestablishesthepetitioner'seligibility fortheclassification.
L LAW
Section203(b)oftheActstates,in pertinentpart,that:
(1) Priorityworkers.-- Visasshallfirst bemadeavailable. . . to qualifiedimmigrantswhoare
aliensdescribedin anyof thefollowingsubparagraphs(A) through(C):
(A) Alienswithextraordinaryability.-- An alienisdescribedin thissubparagraphif--
(i) the alien has extraordinary ability in the sciences,arts, education,
business.or athleticswhichhasbeendemonstratedby sustainednationalor
internationalacclaimandwhoseachievementshavebeenrecognizedin the
fieldthroughextensivedocumentation,
(ii) thealienseekstoentertheUnitedStatestocontinueworkintheareaof
extraordinaryability,and
(iii) the alien's entry into the United Stateswill substantiallybenefit
prospectivelytheUnitedStates.
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U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS)andlegacyImmigrationandNaturalizationService
(1NS)haveconsistentlyrecognizedthatCongressintendedto seta veryhigh standardfor individuals
seekingimmigrantvisasas aliensof extraordinaryability. SeeH.R. 723 101" Cong.,2d Sess.59
(1990);56Fed.Reg.60897,60898-99(Nov.29,1991).Theterm"extraordinaryability"refersonlyto
thoseindividualsin thatsmallpercentagewhohaverisento theverytop of thefield of endeavor.Id;
8 C.F.R.§204.5(h)(2).
Theregulationat 8 C.F.R.§ 204.5(h)(3)requiresthatthepetitionerdemonstratethealien'ssustained
acclaimandtherecognitionof hisachievementsin thefeld. Suchacclaimmustbeestablishedeither
throughevidenceof a one-timeachievement(that is, a major, internationalrecognizedaward)or
throughthe submissionof qualifyingevidenceunderat leastthreeof the ten categoriesof evidence
listedat8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3)(i)-(x).
In 2010,the U.S. Court of Appealsfor the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) reviewedthe denialof a
petitionfiledunderthisclassification.Kazarianv. USCIS,596F.3d1115(9thCir.2010).Althoughthe
courtupheldtheAAO'sdecisionto denythepetition,thecourttookissuewiththeAAO'sevaluation
of evidencesubmittedto meeta givenevidentiarycriterion) With respectto thecriteriaat 8 C.F.R.
§204.5(h)(3)(iv)and(vi),thecourtconcludedthatwhileUSCISmayhaveraisedlegitimateconcerns
aboutthesignificanceof theevidencesubmittedto meetthosetwocriteria,thoseconcernsshouldhave
beenraisedin asubsequent"final meritsdetermination."Id. at 1121-22.
The court statedthatthe AAO's evaluationrestedon an improperunderstandingof the regulations.
Insteadof parsingthe significanceof evidenceaspartof theinitial inquiry,thecourtstatedthat"the
properprocedureisto countthetypesof evidenceprovided(whichtheAAO did)," andif thepetitioner
failedto submitsufficientevidence,"theproperconclusionis thattheapplicanthasfailedto satisfythe
regulatoryrequirementof threetypesof evidence(asthe AAO concluded)."Id. at 1122(citing to
8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3)).
Thus,Kazariansetsforth a two-partapproachwherethe evidenceis first counted.If the petitioner
satisfiesat leastthreecriteria,thenUSCISwill considerthe evidencein the contextof a final merits
determination.
II. ANALYSIS
A. EvidentiaryCriteria
Thepetitionerseeksclassificationasan"alienof extraordinaryability"in thesciences.Uponreview
of the entirerecord,the AAO finds that the petitioner'ssubmittedevidencemeetsthreeof the
regulatorycategoriesof evidenceat 8C.F.R.§§ 204.5(h)(3)(iv),(v) and(vi). Accordingly,the
Specifically,the court statedthat the AAO had unilaterallyimposednovel substantiveor evidentiary
requirementsbeyondthoseset forth in the regulationsat 8 C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3)(iv)and 8 C.F.R.
§204.5(h)(3)(vi).
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petitionerhasestablishedtheminimumeligibility requirementsnecessaryto qualifyasanalienof
extraordinaryability. 8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3).
B. FinalMeritsDetermination
TheAAO will nextconductafinalmeritsdeterminationthatconsidersall of theevidencein thecontext
of whetheror not the petitionerhas demonstrated:(1) a "level of expertiseindicatingthat the
individualis oneof thatsmallpercentagewhohaverisento theverytop of the[ir] field of endeavor,"
8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(2);and(2) "thatthealienhassustainednationalor internationalacclaimandthat
hisor herachievementshavebeenrecognizedin thefieldof expertise."Section203(b)(1)(A)of the
Act;8C.F.R.§204.5(h)(3).SeealsoKazarian,596F.3dat1119-20.
In the presentmatter,consistentwith MatterofPrice, 20I&N Dec.953(Act. Assoc.Comm'r 1994),
the petitionerhassubmittedextensivedocumentationof his achievementsin the sciencesandhas
demonstrateda "careerof acclaimedwork in thefield" ascontemplatedby Congress.H.R.Rep.No.
101-723,59 (Sept.19, 1990). The submittedevidenceis sufficientto demonstratethe petitioner's
sustainedacclaimandthat his achievementshavebeenrecognizedin the field of expertise. The
petitioner,whospecializesin formalmethodsresearch,asubsetof ComputerScienceandMathematics,
hasauthorednumerousscholarlyarticlesin a varietyof scientificjournalsand submittedevidence
showingthat independentresearchershavecitedto his work. SeeKazarian,596 F.3dat 1121
(citationsmayberelevantto thefinal meritsdeterminationof whetheranalienis attheverytopof
hisfield). Inaddition,hehasjudgedtheworkof othersinhisfield. Finally,thepetitionersubmitted
corroboratedreferenceletters from independentexpertsin the field, detailing his specific
contributionsandexplaininghowthosecontributionshaveinfluencedthefield atlargeandarebeing
utilized by others. Thus,thepetitioner'sachievementsarecommensuratewith sustainednationalor
internationalacclaimattheverytopof hisfield.
III. CONCLUSION
WhiletheAAO doesnotfind thatall of thepetitioner'sevidencecarriestheweightimputedto it by
counsel,the AAO does find the evidenceof recordsufficientto establishthat the petitionerhas
demonstratedhiseligibilityfor theclassificationsought.Specifically,uponcarefulreviewof therecord,
it is concludedthatthepetitionerhasdemonstratedby a preponderanceof theevidencethatheis within
thesmallpercentageof individualswhohaverisento theverytopof hisfield. Theevidencesubmitted
establishesthatthepetitionerhassustainednationalor internationalacclaim,hisachievementshavebeen
recognizedin his field,heseeksto continueworkingin thesamefield andhisentrywill substantially
benefitprospectivelytheUnitedStates.
Theburdenof proofin visapetitionproceedingsremainsentirelywith thepetitioner.Section291of
theAct,8U.S.C.§ 1361.Here,thepetitionerhassustainedthatburden.
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ORDER: Thedecisionof thedirectoris withdrawn. Theappealis sustainedandthepetitionis
approved.