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 14391–14400

EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the Director's finding, concluding that the evidence did not demonstrate that the Petitioner's duties as a handball referee/judge involved evaluating or judging the work or skills of competitors, as opposed to merely enforcing rules. Furthermore, the appointment letter did not show that the Petitioner actually served in the position or that the duties involved judging the work of others.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO withdrew the Director's finding, concluding that the evidence did not demonstrate that the Petitioner's duties as a handball referee/judge involved evaluating or judging the work or skills of competitors, as opposed to merely enforcing rules. Furthermore, the appointment letter did not show that the Petitioner actually served in the position or that the duties involved judging the work of others.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24252
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner did not compare his salary to others in the same field (handball players), but rather to the general average for culture and sport. The comparison to a broader occupational category rather than to other handball players was insufficient to establish high salary relative to others in the field.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found the Petitioner did not compare his salary to others in the same field (handball players), but rather to the general average for culture and sport. The comparison to a broader occupational category rather than to other handball players was insufficient to establish high salary relative to others in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24254
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with a distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the Petitioner performed in a leading role as team captain, but found he did not demonstrate that his team had a distinguished reputation. League standings and membership regulations were insufficient to establish eminence or distinction relative to other handball teams.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed the Petitioner performed in a leading role as team captain, but found he did not demonstrate that his team had a distinguished reputation. League standings and membership regulations were insufficient to establish eminence or distinction relative to other handball teams.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24253
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner did not demonstrate membership with an Olympic team. The letter from the Handball Sports School confirmed only membership on a junior national team, and the Petitioner did not show that Olympic reserve status or junior national team membership is equivalent to Olympic team membership.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found the Petitioner did not demonstrate membership with an Olympic team. The letter from the Handball Sports School confirmed only membership on a junior national team, and the Petitioner did not show that Olympic reserve status or junior national team membership is equivalent to Olympic team membership.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24250
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

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 evidentiary criteria, but noted in dicta that the record does not support a finding of 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 did not meet the threshold of three evidentiary criteria, but noted in dicta that the record does not support a finding of the required acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24255
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 in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner did not establish that sobaka.ru qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or other major medium. The website's self-promotional claims about readership were not supported by independent, objective evidence, and the Petitioner did not demonstrate the significance of the claimed 800 thousand monthly visitors.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found the Petitioner did not establish that sobaka.ru qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or other major medium. The website's self-promotional claims about readership were not supported by independent, objective evidence, and the Petitioner did not demonstrate the significance of the claimed 800 thousand monthly visitors.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24251
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

awards

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner received nationally recognized awards at handball tournaments in Russia, satisfying the awards criterion.

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 Petitioner received nationally recognized awards at handball tournaments in Russia, satisfying the awards criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B2203; source_row=24249
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

other

Ability to pay proffered wage from priority date

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not submit financial statements for 2018, the year of the priority date, and thus the record does not establish ability to pay from the priority date forward. AAO also noted the Petitioner must demonstrate ability to pay the combined proffered wages of this and at least 10 other approved petitions.

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 submit financial statements for 2018, the year of the priority date, and thus the record does not establish ability to pay from the priority date forward. AAO also noted the Petitioner must demonstrate ability to pay the combined proffered wages of this and at least 10 other approved petitions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_02_B5203; source_row=24259
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

other

Beneficiary met all DOL-certified position requirements by priority date

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed that a beneficiary must meet all DOL-certified job requirements by the petition's priority date. The Beneficiary had not completed the fellowship or attained critical care certification eligibility by January 18, 2018.…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO affirmed that a beneficiary must meet all DOL-certified job requirements by the petition's priority date. The Beneficiary had not completed the fellowship or attained critical care certification eligibility by January 18, 2018. The Petitioner's own appeal brief confirmed the fellowship and certification were necessary to perform the job duties, and Wing's Tea House forecloses allowance of a priority date when the beneficiary is not yet qualified.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_02_B5203; source_row=24258
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

authenticity of wage payment evidence (Form W-2)

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Form W-2 ascribes a different Social Security number to the Beneficiary than indicated on the Form I-140, casting doubt on its authenticity, so AAO will not credit the claimed payment toward the proffered wage.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The Form W-2 ascribes a different Social Security number to the Beneficiary than indicated on the Form I-140, casting doubt on its authenticity, so AAO will not credit the claimed payment toward the proffered wage.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2019-07-30_01_B5203; source_row=24257
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
← Back to assessment