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 15011510

NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

AAO explicitly reserved judgment on prong three as unnecessary to the ultimate decision given the failure on prong one.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO explicitly reserved judgment on prong three as unnecessary to the ultimate decision given the failure on prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_01_B5203; source_row=42936
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the endeavor

What the decision said

AAO explicitly reserved judgment on prong two as unnecessary to the ultimate decision given the failure on prong one.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO explicitly reserved judgment on prong two as unnecessary to the ultimate decision given the failure on prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_01_B5203; source_row=42935
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations or establishments

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO accepted the Director's finding that the leading or critical role criterion was met.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO accepted the Director's finding that the leading or critical role criterion was met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_01_B2203; source_row=42930
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 accepted the Director's finding that the scholarly articles criterion was met.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO accepted the Director's finding that the scholarly articles criterion was met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_01_B2203; source_row=42929
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination – sustained national or international acclaim

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director across all dimensions: book sales figures lacked comparative context; the proposed acquisition was unsigned and its significance never established even when specifically asked in the RFE; customer letters showed useful software but not national/international acclaim; appellate arguments were too general and non-specific; METRC vendor status lacked objective documentation of significance; and the…

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 across all dimensions: book sales figures lacked comparative context; the proposed acquisition was unsigned and its significance never established even when specifically asked in the RFE; customer letters showed useful software but not national/international acclaim; appellate arguments were too general and non-specific; METRC vendor status lacked objective documentation of significance; and the Petitioner's claim that the Director focused on singularly extraordinary achievements rather than cumulative impact was an unsupported broad assertion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_01_B2203; source_row=42932
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with distinguished reputation

Why the evidence was persuasive

In its prior appellate decision, AAO concluded the Petitioner had submitted evidence of a leading role with an organization having a distinguished reputation; this remains the only criterion credited.

Why this is useful

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

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In its prior appellate decision, AAO concluded the Petitioner had submitted evidence of a leading role with an organization having a distinguished reputation; this remains the only criterion credited.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_02_B2203; source_row=42944
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner waived this criterion on appeal. On motion, his evidence consisted of a translated webpage introducing a 2014 conference speech, but no transcript was provided and the speech was not shown to have been published in any professional or major medium or to involve media and communications.

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 waived this criterion on appeal. On motion, his evidence consisted of a translated webpage introducing a 2014 conference speech, but no transcript was provided and the speech was not shown to have been published in any professional or major medium or to involve media and communications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_02_B2203; source_row=42942
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO acknowledged the Petitioner's article on a possible acquisition was an original creation but found no evidence later articles cited it or that the work remarkably impacted the field. Other evidence either failed translation requirements or did not show the Petitioner's role in promotional events influenced the field of media and communications.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO acknowledged the Petitioner's article on a possible acquisition was an original creation but found no evidence later articles cited it or that the work remarkably impacted the field. Other evidence either failed translation requirements or did not show the Petitioner's role in promotional events influenced the field of media and communications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_02_B2203; source_row=42941
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Environment / Energy

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

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

What the decision said

AAO reserved prong three as unnecessary to reach given the failure on national importance under prong one.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO reserved prong three as unnecessary to reach given the failure on national importance under prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_02_B5203; source_row=42948
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Environment / Energy

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO reserved prong two as unnecessary to reach given the failure on national importance under prong one.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO reserved prong two as unnecessary to reach given the failure on national importance under prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-02-03_02_B5203; source_row=42947
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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