Source-backed decision research

Explore how AAO evaluates evidence.

Search a substantial collection of case-specific reasoning, then narrow it by petition, field, legal issue, or date.

This expanded collection favors source-backed access over perfect automated classification. Fields, labels, summaries, and relevance may contain errors; records marked ‘broader context’ need extra care. Review the cited source before relying on any record. These appeals and motions do not show approval odds or denial rates, and are not legal advice or a prediction.

Clear filters

10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 11111–11120

NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Labor certification supports advanced degree professional classification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The labor certification sets a minimum education requirement of a bachelor's degree plus 24 months of experience, which falls short of the master's degree (or bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience) required for advanced degree professional classification under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(2).

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

View full reasoning +
The labor certification sets a minimum education requirement of a bachelor's degree plus 24 months of experience, which falls short of the master's degree (or bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience) required for advanced degree professional classification under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(2).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_01_B5203; source_row=28185
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's proposed nursing work would be limited to patients she serves and lacked documentary evidence of broader impact. Her lectures, manuals, and policy changes were not shown to be followed by others or made available outside her patient care, and the expert letter did not sufficiently explain how her work would have a national impact beyond direct patient care.

Why this is useful

Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

View full reasoning +
AAO found that the Petitioner's proposed nursing work would be limited to patients she serves and lacked documentary evidence of broader impact. Her lectures, manuals, and policy changes were not shown to be followed by others or made available outside her patient care, and the expert letter did not sufficiently explain how her work would have a national impact beyond direct patient care.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_02_B5203; source_row=28186
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

AAO did not specifically analyze prong three, stating only generally that it agreed with the Director's ultimate conclusions on the remaining Dhanasar prongs.

Why this is useful

See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.

View full reasoning +
AAO did not specifically analyze prong three, stating only generally that it agreed with the Director's ultimate conclusions on the remaining Dhanasar prongs.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_04_B5203; source_row=28195
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO did not specifically analyze prong two, stating only generally that it agreed with the Director's ultimate conclusions on the remaining Dhanasar prongs.

Why this is useful

Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.

View full reasoning +
AAO did not specifically analyze prong two, stating only generally that it agreed with the Director's ultimate conclusions on the remaining Dhanasar prongs.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_04_B5203; source_row=28194
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the proposed endeavor would not extend beyond the Petitioner's future employer(s) and clients sufficiently to impact U.S. interests or the law enforcement industry broadly, and would not significantly employ U.S. workers or produce substantial economic effects.

Why this is useful

Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed the proposed endeavor would not extend beyond the Petitioner's future employer(s) and clients sufficiently to impact U.S. interests or the law enforcement industry broadly, and would not significantly employ U.S. workers or produce substantial economic effects.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_04_B5203; source_row=28193
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his editorial board role at Journal of Life Sciences and peer review work for other scientific journals.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his editorial board role at Journal of Life Sciences and peer review work for other scientific journals.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_01_B2203; source_row=28181
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the Petitioner satisfied this criterion, citing his authored articles in Journal of Virology, Frontiers in Microbiology, and Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Why this is useful

See how AAO evaluated whether the work qualified as scholarly authorship and what it showed in the full record.

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed the Petitioner satisfied this criterion, citing his authored articles in Journal of Virology, Frontiers in Microbiology, and Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_01_B2203; source_row=28183
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the Petitioner's claim persuasive regarding his research on the role of a specific viral protein, supported by multiple expert letters citing the impact of his 2019 Journal of Virology article and a material transfer agreement reflecting ongoing collaborative use of his findings.

Why this is useful

Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.

View full reasoning +
AAO found the Petitioner's claim persuasive regarding his research on the role of a specific viral protein, supported by multiple expert letters citing the impact of his 2019 Journal of Virology article and a material transfer agreement reflecting ongoing collaborative use of his findings.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_01_B2203; source_row=28182
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

exceptional ability - three of six categories

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Beneficiary meets the exceptional-ability classification.

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed with the Director that the Beneficiary meets the exceptional-ability classification.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-23_03_B5203; source_row=28189
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

While the Petitioner's digital signage endeavor has substantial merit, he failed to show its prospective impact rises to national importance. His experience and qualifications are relevant to the second prong, not the first.…

Why this is useful

Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

View full reasoning +
While the Petitioner's digital signage endeavor has substantial merit, he failed to show its prospective impact rises to national importance. His experience and qualifications are relevant to the second prong, not the first. Business plan projections were unsupported by evidence, his claim of potential medical field impact was raised for the first time on appeal and unsupported, and he did not show significant positive economic effects nationally or regionally.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-07-22_02_B5203; source_row=28174
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
← Back to assessment