EB-1A AAO Appeal Outcomes

Last updated 2026-09-02

The AAO dismissed 88.2% of 4,547 published EB-1A non-precedent appeals from 1999 to 2025 (sustained: 5.0%, remanded: 6.8%).

Outcome Trend by Year

YearDismissedSustainedRemandedTotal
202551 (78.5%)11365
2024234 (68.6%)3104341
2023152 (75.2%)644202
2022128 (81.5%)326157
2021157 (85.3%)1017184
2020277 (91.1%)1116304
2019195 (87.8%)1512222
2018153 (90.5%)160169
2017119 (88.1%)133135
201693 (84.5%)161110
2015110 (86.6%)161127
2014107 (93.9%)52114
2013168 (94.9%)72177
2012237 (94.4%)122251
2011156 (90.2%)134173
2010101 (91.8%)63110
2009229 (93.5%)79245
200884 (88.4%)7495
200777 (90.6%)4485
200695 (88.8%)57107
2005427 (93.6%)209456
200423 (100.0%)0023
200316 (—)0016
20022 (—)002
20015 (—)106
20002 (—)002
19991 (—)001

Top Fields

Other673 appealsDismissed: 88.4%
Athletics440 appealsDismissed: 87.7% Visual Arts429 appealsDismissed: 91.8% Performing Arts319 appealsDismissed: 91.8% Music288 appealsDismissed: 87.5% Business & Entrepreneurship284 appealsDismissed: 86.6% Biology & Life Sciences214 appealsDismissed: 92.5% Medicine209 appealsDismissed: 89.5% Engineering202 appealsDismissed: 84.2% Biomedical Research167 appealsDismissed: 85.0% Martial Arts166 appealsDismissed: 92.8% Fashion & Design154 appealsDismissed: 85.7% Film & Television120 appealsDismissed: 87.5% Journalism & Media83 appealsDismissed: 88.0% Education72 appealsDismissed: 93.1%

Criteria Frequency (Dismissed vs. Sustained)

Dismissed Sustained

Prizes or awards
2789
Published material about the alien
1644
Membership in associations
1538
Judging
1422
Original contributions of major significance
1405
Leading or critical role
1183
Authorship of scholarly articles
999
High salary or remuneration
695
Artistic exhibitions or showcases
615
Sustained national or international acclaim
481
Commercial success in performing arts
298
Motion to reopen/reconsider
257

Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 1999–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.

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