O-1B AAO Appeal Outcomes

Last updated 2026-09-02

The AAO dismissed 96.1% of 256 published O-1B non-precedent appeals from 2001 to 2025 (sustained: 1.2%, remanded: 2.7%).

Outcome Trend by Year

Year	Dismissed	Sustained	Remanded	Total
2025	1 (—)	0	0	1
2024	11 (—)	0	0	11
2023	10 (—)	0	0	10
2022	10 (—)	0	1	11
2021	13 (—)	0	0	13
2020	9 (—)	0	0	9
2018	14 (—)	0	0	14
2017	14 (—)	0	0	14
2016	6 (—)	0	0	6
2015	16 (—)	0	1	17
2014	12 (—)	0	0	12
2013	17 (—)	0	0	17
2012	5 (—)	0	0	5
2011	20 (95.2%)	1	0	21
2010	17 (—)	2	0	19
2009	7 (—)	0	1	8
2008	3 (—)	0	0	3
2007	5 (—)	0	0	5
2006	6 (—)	0	0	6
2005	21 (100.0%)	0	0	21
2004	5 (—)	0	1	6
2002	0 (—)	0	1	1
2001	3 (—)	0	0	3

Top Fields

Music58 appealsDismissed: 93.1% Performing Arts54 appealsDismissed: 100.0% Visual Arts44 appealsDismissed: 97.7% Film & Television30 appealsDismissed: 93.3% Culinary Arts29 appealsDismissed: 100.0% Fashion & Design21 appealsDismissed: 90.5%

Athletics7 appealsDismissed: —

Other6 appealsDismissed: —

Gymnastics3 appealsDismissed: —

Journalism & Media1 appealsDismissed: —

Engineering1 appealsDismissed: —

Business & Entrepreneurship1 appealsDismissed: —

Education1 appealsDismissed: —

Criteria Frequency (Dismissed vs. Sustained)

Dismissed Sustained

Leading or critical role

207

Significant recognition

204

Awards or prizes

143

High salary or remuneration

Commercial success

Published material

Procedural/filing

Sustained acclaim/extraordinary ability

Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 2001–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.

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