近来，NSC的EB-1A审理变得不太正常。一些条件相当不错的申请收到RFE，甚至被否决
。以往，这种移民局的错误决定属于个别移民官造成的个别现象，申请人重新递交后，
仍然可以正常批准。但自去年下半年开始，这种不正常现象在NSC有漫延的趋势，重新
递交申请的效果已经不如从前。在这种情况下，上诉到AAO不失为一条更有效的途径。
本文与读者分享我们最近收到的一个AAO批准。
On April 4, 2018, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) sustained an
appeal filed by Liu & Associates and approved the EB-1A I-140 petition that
was originally denied by the USCIS Nebraska Service Center (NSC).
The EB-1A I-140 petition was originally filed in June 2017 and was
subsequently denied by the NSC in August 2017. In review of the NSC decision
, we found that it contained mistakes of law and direct contradictions of
the holdings and guidance found in previous AAO decisions. Under 8 CFR §103
.3(a)(2), the petitioner can appeal a USCIS decision before AAO within 30
days after the final decision was made by the USCIS. The petitioner/
beneficiary decided to bring the case to AAO.
On appeal, we enumerated how the NSC decision repeatedly failed to consider
the significance of the evidence submitted. For example, in evaluating the
original contributions of major significance criterion for final merits
determination, NSC concluded “the beneficiary’s record neither
distinguishes himself from other researchers, nor establishes that he is
recognized nationally or internationally as one of that small percentage who
has risen to the very top of the field” despite the submission of evidence
that included both a publication and citation record showing hundreds of
independent citations to his scientific contributions.
Specifically, the NSC characterized the hundreds of citations to the
petitioner/beneficiary’s publications as a “moderate” number of citations
, which is in direct contradiction to the previous AAO holdings and guidance
that find “dozens of independent cites” to be “solid evidence that other
researchers have been influenced by the petitioner’s work and are familiar
with it.”The NSC also failed to acknowledge the significance of evidence
submitted by the petitioner/beneficiary that demonstrated his publications
are some of the most-cited papers in his field and place him in the top 1%-
10%. We therefore requested AAO to consider the significance of the
evidence submitted by the petitioner/beneficiary in line with the holdings
and guidance frequently found in previous AAO decisions.
The AAO agreed with our arguments and found that the petitioner/beneficiary'
s publication and citation records “are commensurate with being at the very
top of the field and demonstrate that his publication record sets him apart
through a "career of acclaimed work in the field." The AAO also considered
the fact that the petitioner/beneficiary provided “ample documentary
evidence supporting the aforementioned independent references’ statements
regarding the Petitioner’s standing in the field and the significance and
originality of his work.” Based on these findings, the AAO held that the
petitioner/beneficiary meets the eligibility for EB-1A classification upon
final merits determination. Accordingly, the AAO sustained our appeal and
approved the case.
The majority of EB-1A I-140 cases we file are adjudicated properly and
approved with or without requesting for additional evidence. However, from
time to time, we have received USCIS decisions that conflict with many
previous decisions and contain material mistakes of law and/or facts. When
this happens, the petitioner/beneficiary has two options: appeal the case
before the AAO or file a new petition in the same classification. Which
option is better is not always immediately apparent – as in many cases, a
seemingly simple question may demand sophisticated answers.
********************************************************************
刘宗坤律师（Z. Zac Liu, Esq.）, 法学博士（J.D., Valparaiso University School
of Law）、哲学博士(Ph.D., Peking University)，伊利诺伊州最高法院及联邦法院
执照，曾担任Valparaiso University Law Review的编辑和审稿人， 著有中英文书籍
多种，散见于中美各大学图书馆。执业以来，他已代理无数名来自世界各地的科研人员
和专业人士成功获得绿卡及各类非移民签证，尤其在国家利益豁免（NIW）、特殊人才
（Eb-1A）、杰出教授和研究员（EB-1B）、PERM 劳工证、H-1B工作签证等方面积累了
丰富的经验。有兴趣提出申请的读者，可将简历发往evaluation@niwus.com。刘律师会
在两个工作日内对符合条件的申请做出免费评估。
Kellie Pai律师，法学博士(J.D.，University of Houston Law Center)、文学学士(B
.A., University of Texas at Austin)，德克萨斯州最高法院执照，联邦法院执照，
刘宗坤联合律师事务所合伙人律师。
Christina T. Le 律师，法学博士(J.D.，University of Houston Law Center)、文学
学士(B.A., Northwestern University)，德克萨斯州最高法院执照，联邦法院执照，
曾任U.S. Department of Justice驻Houston移民法庭Attorney Advisor，现任刘宗坤
联合律师事务所合伙人律师。
Sabrina Schroeder律师，法学博士 (J.D., Michigan State University College of
Law)、文学学士 (B.A., Oklahoma State University)，密西根州最高法院执照，曾任
Michigan State University Law Review编辑，密西根上诉法院Prehearing Research
Attorney，现任刘宗坤律师事务所高级律师。
Karen Egonis 律师，法学博士(J.D., University of Houston Law Center)、文学硕
士 (M.A., University of South Carolina)、文学学士(B.A., Texas A&M University
)，新罕布什尔州最高法院执照，现任刘宗坤联合律师事务所律师。
Grace Wang律师，法学博士（J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law）、理学
学士(B.S., The University of Texas at Austin)，德克萨斯州最高法院执照，曾任
The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Minority Issues编辑，现任刘宗坤联合律
师事务所律师。
Cathleen S. Creegan律师，法学博士 (J.D., University of Oklahoma School of
Law)，文学学士(B.A., University of Oklahoma)，德克萨斯州最高法院执照，现任刘
宗坤联合律师事务所律师。
Liu & Associates, PLLC
Capital One Plaza
5718 Westheimer Rd., Suite 1100
Houston, TX 77057
Phone: (713) 974-3893 (US)
(950) 4034-8985 (China)
Fax: (713) 974-3463
www.niwus.com
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