dismissed EB-2 Case: Unknown

U.S.Departmentof HomelandSecurity
U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices
AdministrativeAppealsOffice (AAO)
20 MassachusettsAve., N.W., MS2090
Washington,DC 20529-2090
U.S.Citizenship
s and Immigration
Services
DATE: DEC21 2012 OFFICE: TEXAS SERVICECENTER FILE:
N RE: Petitioner:
Beneficiary:
PETITION: ImmigrantPetitionfor Alien Workerasa Memberof the ProfessionsHoldingan Advanced
Degreeor an Alien of ExceptionalAbility Pursuantto Section203(b)(2)(A)of the
ImmigrationandNationalityAct, 8 U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(2)(A)
ON 13EHALFOF PETITIONER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Enclosed please find the decision of the Administrative Appeals Office in your case. All of the documents
related to this matter have been returned to the office that originally decided your case. Pleasebe advised that
any further inquiry that you might have concerning your case must be made to that office.
Thank you.
Ron Rosenberg
Acting Chici, Administrative AppealsOffice
www.uscis.gov
Page2
DISCUSSION: The employment-basedimmigrantvisa petitionwas deniedby the Director,Texas
ServiceCenteron October28,2010,andis nowbeforetheAdministrativeAppealsOffice(AAO)on
appeal.Theappealwill berejected.
Thepetitionerseeksclassificationasan"alienof exceptionalability,"pursuanttosection203(b)(2)(A)of
theImmigrationandNationalityAct(theAct),8U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(2)(A).FormI-140,ImmigrantPetition
for Alien Worker, was electronicallysubmittedto U.S. Citizenshipand Immigration Serviceson
December22,2009.Part1of theFormI-140identifiesAbbottI2boratoriesasthepetitioner.In Part8of
FormI-140,under"Petitioner'sSignature,"counselsignedandcertifiedthepetitionelectronically.Form
I-140wasnot signedby thepetitioner,asrequiredby regulation,butinsteadby thepetitioner'sattomey.
Theonlysignaturesontheformarethatof counsel.TheAAO notesthattheregulationsdonotperrnitan
individualwhoisnotthepetitionertosignFormI-140.
Theregulationat8 C.F.R.§ 103.2(a)provides:
(2) Signature.An applicantor petitionermust sign his or her applicationor petition.
However,aparentor legalguardianmaysignfor apersonwhoislessthan14yearsold.A
legalguardianmaysignfor amentallyincompetentperson.By signingtheapplicationor
petition,theapplicantorpetitioner,or parentorguardiancertifiesunderpenaltyof perjury
thattheapplicationor petition,andall evidencesubmittedwith it, eitherat thetimeof
filing or thereafter,is true and correct.Unlessotherwisespecifiedin this chapter,an
acceptablesignatureonanapplicationor petitionthatis beingfiledwith the[USCIS]is
one that is eitherhandwrittenor, for applicationsor petitionsfiled electronicallyas
permittedbytheinstructionstotheform,in electronicformat.
FormI-140Instructionsstate:
If thepetitioneris anindividual,thenthatindividual,or thatindividual'slegalguardianif
heorsheisincompetentorunder14yearsof age,mustpersonallysignthepetition.If the
petitioneris a corporationor otherlegalentity,only an individualwho is an officer or
employeeof theentitywhohasknowledgeof thefactsallegedin thepetition,andwhohas
authoritytosigndocumentsonbehalfof theentity,maysignthepetition.
Thereis no regulatoryprovisionthatwaivesthesignaturerequirementfor a petitionerto designatean
attorneyor accreditedrepresentativeto signthepetitiononbehalfof thepetitioner.In thisinstance,the
petitionhasnot beenproperlyfiled becausethe petitionerdid not sign the petition. Pursuantto the
regulationat 8 C.F.R.§ 103.2(a)(7)(i),an applicationor petitionwhich is not properlysignedshallbe
rejectedasimproperlyfiled,andnoreceiptdatecanbeassignedtoanimproperlyfiledpetition.Whilethe
servicecenterdidnotrejectthepetition,theAAO is notboundto followthecontradictorydecisionof a
servicecenter.LouisianaPhilharmonicOrchestrav.INS,No.98-2855,2000WL 282785,*1, *3 (E.D.
La.),af)'d,248F.3d1139(5thCir.2001),cert.denied,122S.Ct.51(2001).
In the presentmaner,counselsignedForm I-140 petition both on behalf of the petitioner and as the
preparer.The signatureline on Form I-140 for the petitionerprovidesthat the petitioneris certifying,
underpenaltyof perjuryunderthe lawsof the United Statesof America,that this petitionandthe
evidencesubmittedwith it are all true and correct." To be valid, 28 U.S.C.§ 1746requiresthat
declarationsbe "subscribed"by the declarant"as true underpenaltyof perjury." Id. In pertinentpart,
18U.S.C.§ 1621,whichgovernsliability for perjuryunderfederallaw,mandatesthat:"Whoeverin any
declarationunderpenaltyof perjuryaspermittedundersection1746of title 28, UnitedStatesCode,
willfully subscribesastrueanymaterialmatterwhichhedoesnotbelievetobetrueisguiltyof perjury."
18U.S.C.§ 1621.
Theprobativeforceof a declarationsubscribedunderpenaltyof perjuryderivesfrom thesignatureof the
declarant:one may not sign a declaration"for" another. Without the petitioner's actual signatureas
declarant,thedeclarationis completelyrobbedof anyevidentiaryforce. SeeIn re Rivera,342B.R. 435,
459(D. N.J.2006);Blumbergv. Gates,No.CV 00-05607,2003WL 22002739(C.D.Cal.)(notselected
forpublication).
TheAAO notesthatanentirelyseparateline existson FormI-140for thesignatureof thepreparer(Part
9)declaringthattheformis"basedonaHinformationof which[thepreparerhas]anyknowledge."Thus,
FormI-140petitionacknowledgesthata preparerwho is not thepetitionercannotattestto thecontentsof
thepetitionandsupportingevidence.Rather,thepreparermayonlydeclarethattheinformationprovided
isall theinformationof whichheor shehasknowledge.
Becausethe underlyingpetition was not properlyfiled with thepetitioner'ssignatureasrequiredby the
reguhitionat8 C.F.R.§ 103.2(a)(2),furtheractiononthepetitioncannotbepursued,andtheappealmust
berejected.
ORDER: Theappealisrejected.