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 11921–11930

EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Petitioner that the Director's requirement of distinguishing her role from other company scientists was not required, but still found the evidence insufficient because it did not demonstrate the Beneficiary's individual impact on the Petitioner's or its parent company's overall global operations, nor the extent to which her work was part of a larger team effort.

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AAO agreed with the Petitioner that the Director's requirement of distinguishing her role from other company scientists was not required, but still found the evidence insufficient because it did not demonstrate the Beneficiary's individual impact on the Petitioner's or its parent company's overall global operations, nor the extent to which her work was part of a larger team effort.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-15_01_B2203; source_row=27178
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

The website articles were about the research project, not the Beneficiary, and the monograph chapters merely cited her work among hundreds of other scientists without providing additional information about her specifically.

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The website articles were about the research project, not the Beneficiary, and the monograph chapters merely cited her work among hundreds of other scientists without providing additional information about her specifically.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-15_01_B2203; source_row=27174
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed that the co-authored papers published in scientific journals established this criterion.

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AAO agreed that the co-authored papers published in scientific journals established this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-15_01_B2203; source_row=27177
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold of three criteria, but noted in the aggregate that the record does not support a finding of the required acclaim.

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AAO declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold of three criteria, but noted in the aggregate that the record does not support a finding of the required acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-15_01_B2203; source_row=27180
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 the Petitioner conflated the importance of the petroleum engineering industry with the national importance of his specific proposed endeavor. The record lacked sufficient documentation of the prospective impact of the Petitioner's proposed improvements, whether they had been adopted by others, or what original innovations he contributed that were implemented by other companies beyond his own employer's projects.

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AAO found the Petitioner conflated the importance of the petroleum engineering industry with the national importance of his specific proposed endeavor. The record lacked sufficient documentation of the prospective impact of the Petitioner's proposed improvements, whether they had been adopted by others, or what original innovations he contributed that were implemented by other companies beyond his own employer's projects.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_04_B5203; source_row=27160
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in professional associations (8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(3)(ii)(E))

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner provided no supporting evidence, such as membership requirements, to establish that ABADA-Capoeira is a professional association within the regulatory definition requiring a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent as a minimum for entry into the occupation.

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The Petitioner provided no supporting evidence, such as membership requirements, to establish that ABADA-Capoeira is a professional association within the regulatory definition requiring a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent as a minimum for entry into the occupation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_05_B5203; source_row=27166
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 AAO found that the new letters described speaking engagements occurring after the petition filing date and after the Director's decision, and thus could not establish eligibility at the time of filing. Other evidence either was not new, did not address the proposed endeavor as articulated at filing, or related to past work relevant to prong two rather than national importance.

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The AAO found that the new letters described speaking engagements occurring after the petition filing date and after the Director's decision, and thus could not establish eligibility at the time of filing. Other evidence either was not new, did not address the proposed endeavor as articulated at filing, or related to past work relevant to prong two rather than national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_06_B5203; source_row=27171
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Civil / Structural Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Advanced degree qualification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the record does not establish advanced degree qualification and that the Director's failure to address this threshold question rendered the decision insufficient for review, warranting remand.

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AAO found that the record does not establish advanced degree qualification and that the Director's failure to address this threshold question rendered the decision insufficient for review, warranting remand.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_02_B5203; source_row=27153
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why the evidence was persuasive

The director did not find prong one deficient; the denial was based only on prongs two and three. AAO did not disturb this finding.

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The director did not find prong one deficient; the denial was based only on prongs two and three. AAO did not disturb this finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_03_B5203; source_row=27157
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States to waive the job offer requirement

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO concluded after reviewing the entire record that, on balance, waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements would benefit the United States.

Why this is useful

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AAO concluded after reviewing the entire record that, on balance, waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements would benefit the United States.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-12_03_B5203; source_row=27159
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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