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 13131–13140

EB-1AEB-1A · Commercial successNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other500 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Commercial success

commercial successes in the performing arts

Why AAO was not persuaded

The comparable evidence argument failed for the same reasons as under criterion (vii). Additionally, the Petitioner did not show that his specific work was responsible for increased circulation, views, or followers, nor that such metrics are truly comparable to commercial successes in the performing arts.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The comparable evidence argument failed for the same reasons as under criterion (vii). Additionally, the Petitioner did not show that his specific work was responsible for increased circulation, views, or followers, nor that such metrics are truly comparable to commercial successes in the performing arts.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_07_B2203; source_row=25697
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other500 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the Director's finding. The articles lacked identified authors (a regulatory requirement), most articles were not about the Petitioner but about the publication or events, and the Petitioner failed to show that the outlets (diversomagazine.com, guia.com) qualified as major media. The YouTube video lacked a transcription and the channel was not shown to be a major medium.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO withdrew the Director's finding. The articles lacked identified authors (a regulatory requirement), most articles were not about the Petitioner but about the publication or events, and the Petitioner failed to show that the outlets (diversomagazine.com, guia.com) qualified as major media. The YouTube video lacked a transcription and the channel was not shown to be a major medium.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_07_B2203; source_row=25692
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other500 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination – sustained national or international acclaim

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO noted it need not conduct a formal final merits determination given the Petitioner's failure to meet the initial evidence threshold, but reviewed the record in aggregate and found it insufficient to establish sustained national or international acclaim or top-of-field status.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO noted it need not conduct a formal final merits determination given the Petitioner's failure to meet the initial evidence threshold, but reviewed the record in aggregate and found it insufficient to establish sustained national or international acclaim or top-of-field status.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_07_B2203; source_row=25698
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Artistic displayNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other500 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Artistic display

display of the alien's work at artistic exhibitions or showcases

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not show that publishing articles online or reporting at an event constitutes displaying work at artistic venues. The comparable evidence argument also failed because the Petitioner did not demonstrate why the standard criteria could not apply to his occupation, particularly since he claimed to meet seven other criteria.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The Petitioner did not show that publishing articles online or reporting at an event constitutes displaying work at artistic venues. The comparable evidence argument also failed because the Petitioner did not demonstrate why the standard criteria could not apply to his occupation, particularly since he claimed to meet seven other criteria.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_07_B2203; source_row=25694
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that while the Petitioner has conducted, published, and presented research, she has not shown that her work constitutes a record of success or that it has served as an impetus for progress in the medical field, affected diagnostic or treatment protocols, generated substantial positive discourse, or that her citation counts reflect sufficient interest from relevant parties.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that while the Petitioner has conducted, published, and presented research, she has not shown that her work constitutes a record of success or that it has served as an impetus for progress in the medical field, affected diagnostic or treatment protocols, generated substantial positive discourse, or that her citation counts reflect sufficient interest from relevant parties.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_02_B5203; source_row=25670
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material

Why AAO was not persuaded

The book lacked required date information; two articles post-dated the petition filing; prosoundnetwork.com and musicconnection.com evidence did not establish major medium status. USCIS need not rely on the publisher's self-promotional claims and the Petitioner offered no independent circulation data.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The book lacked required date information; two articles post-dated the petition filing; prosoundnetwork.com and musicconnection.com evidence did not establish major medium status. USCIS need not rely on the publisher's self-promotional claims and the Petitioner offered no independent circulation data.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_01_B2203; source_row=25657
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not demonstrate authorship of scholarly articles—one book merely quoted him, another was written by others and included only his advice, and for the third he did not show what he contributed. None of the materials were shown to be written for learned persons with profound knowledge of the field, nor were the books established as professional or major trade publications.

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 +
The Petitioner did not demonstrate authorship of scholarly articles—one book merely quoted him, another was written by others and included only his advice, and for the third he did not show what he contributed. None of the materials were shown to be written for learned persons with profound knowledge of the field, nor were the books established as professional or major trade publications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_01_B2203; source_row=25658
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner submitted a certificate acknowledging participation on a Grammy-nominated recording, not a Grammy Award itself. The Petitioner did not show he received a prize or award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The Petitioner submitted a certificate acknowledging participation on a Grammy-nominated recording, not a Grammy Award itself. The Petitioner did not show he received a prize or award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_01_B2203; source_row=25656
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that his contributions were of major significance. His citation numbers were drastically reduced when self-citations were excluded, he did not show how his citations compared to those of majorly significant works in the field, journal rankings alone do not establish major significance, letters from references were conclusory without explaining how the work impacted the field, and his con…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that his contributions were of major significance. His citation numbers were drastically reduced when self-citations were excluded, he did not show how his citations compared to those of majorly significant works in the field, journal rankings alone do not establish major significance, letters from references were conclusory without explaining how the work impacted the field, and his contribution to the highly-cited SDSS paper was unclear given his role as one of over 300 authors.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_06_B2203; source_row=25688
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences12 citations

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 failed to meet the threshold of three criteria, though it noted in dicta that the record does not support the required acclaim.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the threshold of three criteria, though it noted in dicta that the record does not support the required acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-04-29_02_B2203; source_row=25668
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
← Back to assessment