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.

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10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 11381–11390

EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material in major media

Why the evidence was persuasive

Director found criterion met; AAO did not disturb this finding but criticized the Director's failure to weigh this evidence in the final merits determination.

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Director found criterion met; AAO did not disturb this finding but criticized the Director's failure to weigh this evidence in the final merits determination.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-16_01_B2203; source_row=27842
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

PhysicsMaster’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO notes the Director considered the Petitioner's credentials and history under prong two, and that those credentials are not in dispute, but does not make a separate prong-two finding because prong one is dispositive.

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AAO notes the Director considered the Petitioner's credentials and history under prong two, and that those credentials are not in dispute, but does not make a separate prong-two finding because prong one is dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-16_03_B5203; source_row=27853
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Business / ManagementMaster’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The flight school's job creation (no more than six employees at a time, reliance on contractors) and capital investment ($1,000,000, ~10 jobs) did not rise above EB-5 thresholds in significance. Participation in a national training certification program did not show national importance at the individual-company level. Claims about unique airplane-and-helicopter training were uncorroborated.…

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The flight school's job creation (no more than six employees at a time, reliance on contractors) and capital investment ($1,000,000, ~10 jobs) did not rise above EB-5 thresholds in significance. Participation in a national training certification program did not show national importance at the individual-company level. Claims about unique airplane-and-helicopter training were uncorroborated. The proposed software would give the company a competitive advantage rather than a nationally important benefit. The online academy lacked any supporting evidence. Training largely foreign students did not address U.S. pilot shortages. New claims raised for the first time on appeal could not establish eligibility as of the filing date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_02_B5203; source_row=27835
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Materials SciencePhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive job offer and labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the Petitioner did not satisfy the third prong. The urgency argument was unpersuasive because background relevance to energy efficiency does not show that standard job offer processes would impose unacceptable delays or that the Petitioner's work would have a substantial (rather than incremental) near-term impact.…

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AAO agreed the Petitioner did not satisfy the third prong. The urgency argument was unpersuasive because background relevance to energy efficiency does not show that standard job offer processes would impose unacceptable delays or that the Petitioner's work would have a substantial (rather than incremental) near-term impact. The specialization argument failed because metallurgical engineering is not as specialized as the field in Dhanasar. Citation evidence alone did not establish that waiving the job offer requirement would be beneficial on balance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_03_B5203; source_row=27840
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

The Petitioner's reliance on broad industry economic benefits does not address the specific prospective impact of his own proposed work. He failed to show that his work would extend beyond his employer(s)/clients or have broader implications in the supply chain or logistics fields, or that it would have significant potential to employ U.S. workers or offer substantial positive economic effects for the nation.

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The Petitioner's reliance on broad industry economic benefits does not address the specific prospective impact of his own proposed work. He failed to show that his work would extend beyond his employer(s)/clients or have broader implications in the supply chain or logistics fields, or that it would have significant potential to employ U.S. workers or offer substantial positive economic effects for the nation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_01_B5203; source_row=27832
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / ManagementMaster’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive job offer requirement

What the decision said

AAO explicitly reserved the third prong as unnecessary to decide because the first prong was dispositive against the Petitioner.

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AAO explicitly reserved the third prong as unnecessary to decide because the first prong was dispositive against the Petitioner.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_02_B5203; source_row=27837
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Materials SciencePhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO disagreed with the Director's finding that national importance was not established. AAO found the Director improperly conflated the proposed endeavor with the Petitioner's then-current employment and failed to consider evidence showing the Petitioner's research could improve fuel efficiency in countless vehicles and has aerospace applications, with findings disseminated through published articles.

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AAO disagreed with the Director's finding that national importance was not established. AAO found the Director improperly conflated the proposed endeavor with the Petitioner's then-current employment and failed to consider evidence showing the Petitioner's research could improve fuel efficiency in countless vehicles and has aerospace applications, with findings disseminated through published articles.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_03_B5203; source_row=27838
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Materials SciencePhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied the second prong, having already given him credit for the hundreds of citations to his published work.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied the second prong, having already given him credit for the hundreds of citations to his published work.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-15_03_B5203; source_row=27839
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the proposed endeavor has substantial merit but lacks national importance. The teacher shortage alone does not elevate an individual teacher's work to national importance, and the record failed to show the Petitioner's proposed teaching would have wider implications in the fields of ESL, philosophy, or education beyond his particular school.

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AAO agreed that the proposed endeavor has substantial merit but lacks national importance. The teacher shortage alone does not elevate an individual teacher's work to national importance, and the record failed to show the Petitioner's proposed teaching would have wider implications in the fields of ESL, philosophy, or education beyond his particular school.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-14_01_B5203; source_row=27823
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 found that while the Petitioner's proposed work has substantial merit, she did not provide sufficient evidence of prospective national impact. Her statements reflected intention to provide valuable consulting services but did not demonstrate that the impact of her work would rise to national importance or generate substantial positive economic effects beyond her own company and clients.

Why this is useful

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AAO found that while the Petitioner's proposed work has substantial merit, she did not provide sufficient evidence of prospective national impact. Her statements reflected intention to provide valuable consulting services but did not demonstrate that the impact of her work would rise to national importance or generate substantial positive economic effects beyond her own company and clients.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-06-14_03_B5203; source_row=27829
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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