How often is the “Judging” criterion counted?

Of the 659 appeals that argued this criterion, AAO counted it in 491 (75%) and rejected it in 168. Even when it was counted, only 4% of those cases passed the final-merits determination. This is an appeal sample skewed toward denials: the numbers show how AAO assesses the criterion, not visa approval odds.

In which fields is it counted more often?

Most cases arguing this criterion come from: Arts (counted 117 of 162, 72%); Science (counted 105 of 117, 90%); Other (counted 74 of 95, 78%). The differences reflect the kinds of evidence typically submitted, not how “easy” a field is.

All EB-1A appeals

EB-1A appeals on “Judging”: 659 AAO decisions

659 real anonymized AAO decisions on the EB-1A talent visa in which the petitioner relied on the “Judging” criterion: AAO counted it in 491 cases and rejected it in 168. These are appeal lessons (mostly denials), not approval odds: a base for seeing which evidence for this criterion is accepted and which is discarded.

659cases argued it

75%counted when argued

4%passed final merits when counted

By field

Field	Counted	Not counted	%
Arts	117	45	72%
Science	105	12	90%
Other	74	21	78%
Engineering	51	14	78%
Business	44	20	69%
Sports	32	30	52%
IT	37	9	80%
Marketing	14	8	64%
Beauty	7	6	54%
Education	10	3	77%

What the decisions show

Counted when the judging actually happened: an invitation plus proof you reviewed others’ work.
Judging not actually performed / proven

Counted (491)

Newest first. A counted criterion does not mean approval - check the case outcome.

431 more cases are not listed here - all of them are reachable through the field archives.

Not counted (168)

Newest first. The most useful part of the archive: exactly why AAO discarded the evidence.

108 more cases are not listed here - all of them are reachable through the field archives.

FAQ

How often is the “Judging” criterion counted?: Of the 659 appeals that argued this criterion, AAO counted it in 491 (75%) and rejected it in 168. Even when it was counted, only 4% of those cases passed the final-merits determination. This is an appeal sample skewed toward denials: the numbers show how AAO assesses the criterion, not visa approval odds.
In which fields is it counted more often?: Most cases arguing this criterion come from: Arts (counted 117 of 162, 72%); Science (counted 105 of 117, 90%); Other (counted 74 of 95, 78%). The differences reflect the kinds of evidence typically submitted, not how “easy” a field is.

The “Judging” criterion: what to prove RFE on “Judging”Evidence: expert recommendation letters Community questions: Judging What is the US talent visa

Other criteria

Awards Membership Published material about you Original contribution Scholarly authorship Exhibitions Leading role High remuneration Commercial success Comparable evidence

Decisions by field

Based on: 1,242 AAO EB-1A appeal decisions · issued Jan 2020 - Feb 2025 · USCIS: AAO non-precedent decisions · all decisions

Sources

Public anonymized AAO decisions. Reference information, not legal advice; the appeal sample skews toward denials and does not reflect approval odds.