EB-1A Appeals: Journalism & Media
Last updated 2026-09-02
The AAO dismissed 88.0% of EB-1A appeals from Journalism & Media petitioners in published non-precedent decisions from 2003–2025 (n=83). The criterion most often at issue was Prizes or awards.
Outcomes by Year
| Year | Dismissed | Sustained | Remanded | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 (—) | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| 2023 | 4 (—) | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 (—) | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2021 | 5 (—) | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2020 | 9 (—) | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2019 | 6 (—) | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 (—) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 (—) | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 (—) | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | 6 (—) | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2013 | 4 (—) | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 | 5 (—) | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2007 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | 3 (—) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2003 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Criteria Breakdown
| Criterion | In Dismissed | In Sustained | Total | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prizes or awards | 56 | 1 | 62 | 90.3% |
| Published material about the alien | 32 | 1 | 38 | 84.2% |
| Judging | 22 | 2 | 28 | 78.6% |
| Original contributions of major significance | 20 | 1 | 27 | 74.1% |
| Leading or critical role | 18 | 2 | 25 | 72.0% |
| Membership in associations | 21 | 0 | 22 | 95.5% |
| Authorship of scholarly articles | 14 | 0 | 17 | — |
| High salary or remuneration | 8 | 2 | 12 | — |
Example Decisions
Sustained2017-11-16The appeal was sustained because the AAO found the petitioner met three of the required evidentiary criteria, contrary t
Sustained2016-02-08The appeal was sustained because the petitioner successfully established eligibility by meeting at least three of the re
Dismissed2005-09-06The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to establish she had earned sustained national or international a
DismissedThe appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to establish sustained national or international acclaim. For the
Dismissed2024-12-05The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to meet the initial evidentiary requirement of satisfying at leas
Dismissed2024-09-13The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to demonstrate that they met at least three of the required evide
Dismissed2024-08-28The motions to reopen and reconsider were dismissed primarily on procedural grounds, as the petitioner did not establish
Denied cases most often lacked a clearly defined proposed endeavor with specificity beyond a general field of work; sufficient documentary evidence to meet the evidentiary standard.
Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 2003–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.
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