remanded EB-2

remanded EB-2 Case: Unknown

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Decision Summary

The appeal was rejected because it was filed one day beyond the 33-day deadline. However, per regulations, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) determined the untimely appeal met the requirements of a motion to reconsider and returned the matter to the service center director for a new decision on that basis.

Criteria Discussed

Timeliness Of Appeal Motion To Reconsider

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PUBLIC COpy 
DATE: MAY 1 7 2011 Office: NEBRASKA SERVICE CENTER 
IN RE: Petitioner: 
Beneficiary: 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) 
20 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., MS 2090 
Washington, DC 20529-2090 
U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration 
Services 
FILE: 
PETITION: Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker as a Member of the Professions Holding an Advanced 
Degree or an Alien of Exceptional Ability Pursuant to Section 203(b )(2) ofthe Immigration 
and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.c. § 1 1 53(b)(2) 
ON BEHALF OF 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. Please be advised that 
any further inquiry that you might have concerning your case must be made to that office. 
If you believe the law was inappropriately applied by us in reaching our decision, or you have additional 
information that you wish to have considered, you may file a motion to reconsider or a motion to reopen. The 
specific requirements for filing such a request can be found at 8 C.F.R. § \03.5. All motions must be 
submitted to the office that originally decided your case by filing a Form 1-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, 
with a fee of $630. Please be aware that 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(l)(i) requires that any motion must be filed 
within 30 days ofthe decision that the motion seeks to reconsider or reopen. 
Thank you, 
~~~ 
~erry Rhew 
Chief, Administrative Appeals Office 
www.uscis.gov 
Page 2 
DISCUSSION: The Director, Nebraska Service Center, denied the immigrant visa petition. The 
matter is now before the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) on appeal. The appeal will be 
rejected as untimely filed. The AAO will return the matter to the director for consideration as a 
motion to reconsider. 
In order to properly file an appeal, the regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103 .3( a)(2)(i) provides that the 
affected party must file the complete appeal within 30 days of after service of the unfavorable 
decision. If the decision was mailed, the petitioner must file the appeal within 33 days. See 8 C.F.R. 
§ 103 .Sa(b). The date of filing is not the date of mailing, but the date of actual receipt. See 8 C.F .R. 
§ 103.2(a)(7)(i). 
The record indicates that the director issued the decision on January 20, 2010. It is noted that the 
director properly gave notice to the petitioner that it had 33 days to file the appeal. Counsel dated 
the appeal February 22,2010 and the director received the appeal on Tuesday, February 23,2010,34 
after the decision was issued.! Accordingly, the petitioner untimely filed the appeal. 
Neither the Act nor the pertinent regulations grant the AAO authority to extend the 33-day time limit 
for filing an appeal. As the appeal was untimely filed, the appeal must be rejected. Nevertheless, 
the regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.3(a)(2)(v)(B)(2) states that, if an untimely appeal meets the 
requirements of a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider, the appeal must be treated as a motion, 
and a decision must be made on the merits of the case. 
A motion to reopen must state the new facts to be proved in the reopened proceeding and be 
supported by affidavits or other documentary evidence. 8 C.F.R. § 103.S(a)(2). A motion to 
reconsider must state the reasons for reconsideration and be supported by any pertinent precedent 
decisions to establish that the decision was based on an incorrect application of law or Service 
policy. A motion to reconsider a decision on an application or petition must, when filed, also 
establish that the decision was incorrect based on the evidence of record at the time of the initial 
decision. 8 C.F.R. § 103.S(a)(3). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will dismiss a 
motion that does not meet applicable requirements. 8 C.F.R. § 103.S(a)(4). 
Here, the untimely appeal meets the requirements of a motion to reconsider. The official having 
jurisdiction over a motion, including whether or not it is timely, is the official who made the last 
decision in the proceeding, in this case the service center director. See 8 C.F.R. § 103.S(a)(l)(ii). 
Therefore, the director must consider the untimely appeal as a motion to reconsider and render a new 
decision accordingly. 
ORDER: The appeal is rejected. The matter is returned to the director for consideration as a 
motion to reconsider. 
I President's Day that year was February 15,2010. Monday, February 22, was not a Federal holiday. 
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