Can officers disregard an award they consider irrelevant in the ‘final merits’?

Yes, that can happen. In the final merits stage of the EB-1, officers do not simply count evidence; they evaluate the weight and relevance of each piece within the overall record. An award considered insignificant in your field may end up receiving less emphasis in the final decision.

This analysis involves a degree of discretion. What gives an award strength is how selective, recognized, and connected to your field it is. A highly prestigious honor tends to carry more weight than a local or limited-reach recognition.

Since you cannot control that judgment, the best strategy is to reduce dependence on any single item:

• Gather varied forms of evidence that reinforce one another.
• Explain the context and relevance of each award, without assuming it is self-evident.
• Build a narrative in which your achievements speak to each other.

That way, even if one piece is considered less relevant, the overall record remains strong. To understand how these criteria are applied, it is worth reviewing USCIS guidance and going over your case with a specialist.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.