O-1A Appeals: Business & Entrepreneurship
Last updated 2026-09-02
The AAO dismissed 87.8% of O-1A appeals from Business & Entrepreneurship petitioners in published non-precedent decisions from 2004–2025 (n=41). The criterion most often at issue was Significant recognition.
Outcomes by Year
| Year | Dismissed | Sustained | Remanded | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 (—) | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021 | 5 (—) | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2018 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | 10 (—) | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2013 | 4 (—) | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2011 | 2 (—) | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 (—) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 (—) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Criteria Breakdown
| Criterion | In Dismissed | In Sustained | Total | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Significant recognition | 26 | 0 | 26 | 100.0% |
| Awards or prizes | 22 | 0 | 25 | 88.0% |
| Sustained acclaim/extraordinary ability | 15 | 0 | 18 | — |
| Membership in associations | 15 | 0 | 17 | — |
| Published material | 15 | 0 | 17 | — |
| High salary or remuneration | 13 | 0 | 15 | — |
| Judging | 12 | 0 | 14 | — |
| Leading or critical role | 12 | 0 | 14 | — |
| Authorship of scholarly articles | 10 | 0 | 12 | — |
Example Decisions
Dismissed2025-02-20The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to demonstrate that the beneficiary met at least three of the req
Dismissed2024-09-19The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to establish that the beneficiary met the required minimum of thr
Dismissed2022-03-23The motions to reopen and reconsider were dismissed because the petitioner failed to establish that the original decisio
Dismissed2021-08-12The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to demonstrate that the beneficiary met at least three of the req
Dismissed2021-07-27The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to prove the beneficiary met the minimum evidentiary criteria for
Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 2004–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.
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