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Five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience
Why AAO was not persuaded
The record contained contradictory information regarding the beneficiary's employment dates: the Form I-140 stated the beneficiary last entered the U.S. in March 2006, but the ETA 9089 stated he did not start working for the petitioner until 2007; and the ETA 9089 indicated employment at a prior employer from 1998 to March 2003, while a letter from that employer stated employment ran from January 1998 to March 2007.…
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The record contained contradictory information regarding the beneficiary's employment dates: the Form I-140 stated the beneficiary last entered the U.S. in March 2006, but the ETA 9089 stated he did not start working for the petitioner until 2007; and the ETA 9089 indicated employment at a prior employer from 1998 to March 2003, while a letter from that employer stated employment ran from January 1998 to March 2007. These inconsistencies were not resolved by independent objective evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B5203; source_row=13458 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO agreed the criterion was not met. The letters failed to confirm membership or show that the associations required outstanding achievements judged by recognized experts. Further, even if membership on the national team were established, it would relate to competitive swimming, not the petitioner's intended field of coaching. The petitioner also abandoned this issue on appeal.
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AAO agreed the criterion was not met. The letters failed to confirm membership or show that the associations required outstanding achievements judged by recognized experts. Further, even if membership on the national team were established, it would relate to competitive swimming, not the petitioner's intended field of coaching. The petitioner also abandoned this issue on appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13437 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other2,005 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why AAO was not persuaded
The reference letters failed to identify specific original contributions of major significance. Letters from local colleagues that do not identify specific contributions or provide examples of how contributions influenced the field are insufficient. Vague attestations of talent do not establish original contributions of major significance.
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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The reference letters failed to identify specific original contributions of major significance. Letters from local colleagues that do not identify specific contributions or provide examples of how contributions influenced the field are insufficient. Vague attestations of talent do not establish original contributions of major significance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13439 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other2,005 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Final merits
final merits determination
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found no evidence of sustained acclaim: competitive swimming success ended by 2005-2006, NCAA Division II achievements are intermediate-level, and no evidence of national or international acclaim as a coach was submitted. The evidence in the aggregate did not show the petitioner is among the small percentage at the very top of her field.
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AAO found no evidence of sustained acclaim: competitive swimming success ended by 2005-2006, NCAA Division II achievements are intermediate-level, and no evidence of national or international acclaim as a coach was submitted. The evidence in the aggregate did not show the petitioner is among the small percentage at the very top of her field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13441 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
AAO withdrew the director's finding. The petitioner's competitive swimming awards are inapplicable because she intends to work as a coach and aquatics coordinator, not as a competitive swimmer. Regional collegiate honors and institutional awards are not nationally or internationally recognized. The triathlon award lacked evidence of national/international recognition and triathlon is outside her field.…
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AAO withdrew the director's finding. The petitioner's competitive swimming awards are inapplicable because she intends to work as a coach and aquatics coordinator, not as a competitive swimmer. Regional collegiate honors and institutional awards are not nationally or internationally recognized. The triathlon award lacked evidence of national/international recognition and triathlon is outside her field. Letters attesting to Bulgarian national team awards were unsupported third-party statements with internal inconsistencies.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13436 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other2,005 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Published material
published material in major media
Why AAO was not persuaded
The university media guides were not independent media reportage and lacked identified authors. Local Mississippi newspapers were not shown to qualify as major media. Several articles were not primarily about the petitioner. Foreign-language articles lacked certified translations and required publication details. Published material about competitive swimming accomplishments also did not relate to her coaching field.
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The university media guides were not independent media reportage and lacked identified authors. Local Mississippi newspapers were not shown to qualify as major media. Several articles were not primarily about the petitioner. Foreign-language articles lacked certified translations and required publication details. Published material about competitive swimming accomplishments also did not relate to her coaching field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13438 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
leading or critical role for distinguished organizations
Why AAO was not persuaded
The letters did not differentiate the petitioner's role from other team members or demonstrate that the organizations had a distinguished reputation. Evidence of her coaching role was limited to assistant coach work for NCAA Division II teams without evidence of distinguished reputation compared to higher-level programs.
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The letters did not differentiate the petitioner's role from other team members or demonstrate that the organizations had a distinguished reputation. Evidence of her coaching role was limited to assistant coach work for NCAA Division II teams without evidence of distinguished reputation compared to higher-level programs.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_01_B2203; source_row=13440 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
OtherFaculty
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Final merits
final merits determination — sustained national or international acclaim at the very top of the field
Why AAO was not persuaded
The totality of evidence does not show sustained national or international acclaim as a coach at the very top of the field. Competitive accolades are from the 1990s and unsustained; student successes are in junior, age-restricted, or Red belt categories; no evidence of national/international acclaim since 2007; and the petitioner's references' own credentials far exceed the petitioner's demonstrated achievements.
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The totality of evidence does not show sustained national or international acclaim as a coach at the very top of the field. Competitive accolades are from the 1990s and unsustained; student successes are in junior, age-restricted, or Red belt categories; no evidence of national/international acclaim since 2007; and the petitioner's references' own credentials far exceed the petitioner's demonstrated achievements.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_02_B2203; source_row=13448 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
leading or critical role for distinguished organizations
Why AAO was not persuaded
While the petitioner served as head coach for the Yeong Cheon City Hall Taekwondo Team, the evidence of that team's distinguished reputation was insufficient: expert letters were conclusory without supporting documentary evidence, Google search results were incomplete, and articles from 2009-2010 did not cover his 2002-2003 tenure.…
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While the petitioner served as head coach for the Yeong Cheon City Hall Taekwondo Team, the evidence of that team's distinguished reputation was insufficient: expert letters were conclusory without supporting documentary evidence, Google search results were incomplete, and articles from 2009-2010 did not cover his 2002-2003 tenure. Additionally, the regulation requires a leading role for organizations (plural), and the petitioner provided no evidence of such a role for any other distinguished organization.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_02_B2203; source_row=13447 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
USA Taekwondo membership lacks evidence requiring outstanding achievements judged by national/international experts. Attaining a Dan ranking through practical and theoretical testing does not constitute membership in an association requiring outstanding achievements. Moreover, the regulation requires membership in associations (plural), and the petitioner submitted evidence of at most one qualifying entity.
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USA Taekwondo membership lacks evidence requiring outstanding achievements judged by national/international experts. Attaining a Dan ranking through practical and theoretical testing does not constitute membership in an association requiring outstanding achievements. Moreover, the regulation requires membership in associations (plural), and the petitioner submitted evidence of at most one qualifying entity.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-02_02_B2203; source_row=13443 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c