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 15331–15340

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

The record does not reflect that the Petitioner's membership is based on his achievements as an expedition guide, nor does it establish that national or international experts judged his achievements for admission into the association. Membership eligibility appears to be based on climbing Mt. Everest, not on guiding expertise.

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The record does not reflect that the Petitioner's membership is based on his achievements as an expedition guide, nor does it establish that national or international experts judged his achievements for admission into the association. Membership eligibility appears to be based on climbing Mt. Everest, not on guiding expertise.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_02_B2203; source_row=23190
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 withdrew the Director's finding. The letter merely repeats the regulatory language without establishing that the Petitioner's work was critical to the organization's success. Additionally, the Petitioner did not submit objective third-party evidence of the company's distinguished reputation — only a page from the company's own website citing a National Geographic ranking.

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AAO withdrew the Director's finding. The letter merely repeats the regulatory language without establishing that the Petitioner's work was critical to the organization's success. Additionally, the Petitioner did not submit objective third-party evidence of the company's distinguished reputation — only a page from the company's own website citing a National Geographic ranking.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_02_B2203; source_row=23193
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the Director's reliance on raw citation counts from Google Scholar was countered by a comparative citation report placing the Petitioner among the most-cited authors in his field multiple times; combined with Nobel Laureate citations, expert attestations regarding disease-research contributions, and HIV vaccine work, the totality showed sustained acclaim at the top of the field.

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AAO found the Director's reliance on raw citation counts from Google Scholar was countered by a comparative citation report placing the Petitioner among the most-cited authors in his field multiple times; combined with Nobel Laureate citations, expert attestations regarding disease-research contributions, and HIV vaccine work, the totality showed sustained acclaim at the top of the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_01_B2203; source_row=23189
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

The Petitioner has a consistent history of reviewing manuscripts for highly rated journals and serves as an associate editor, satisfying the judging criterion.

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The Petitioner has a consistent history of reviewing manuscripts for highly rated journals and serves as an associate editor, satisfying the judging criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_01_B2203; source_row=23186
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why the evidence was persuasive

Expert letters attest to the Petitioner's contributions to understanding diseases such as Huntington's, schizophrenia, and HIV; 18 patents cite his research; and his work contributed to an HIV vaccine now in phase II clinical trials.

Why this is useful

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

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Expert letters attest to the Petitioner's contributions to understanding diseases such as Huntington's, schizophrenia, and HIV; 18 patents cite his research; and his work contributed to an HIV vaccine now in phase II clinical trials.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_01_B2203; source_row=23187
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

The Petitioner has authored articles published in professional publications, satisfying the scholarly articles criterion.

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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The Petitioner has authored articles published in professional publications, satisfying the scholarly articles criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-23_01_B2203; source_row=23188
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive job offer and labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO concluded that the Petitioner had not established that it would be beneficial to the United States to waive the requirements of a job offer and thus of a labor certification.

Why this is useful

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AAO concluded that the Petitioner had not established that it would be beneficial to the United States to waive the requirements of a job offer and thus of a labor certification.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-22_02_B5203; source_row=23185
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner offered several potentially conflicting descriptions of his proposed endeavor without resolving the inconsistencies through independent, objective evidence, and failed to demonstrate national importance or broader prospective impact of any identified endeavor.

Why this is useful

Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

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AAO found that the Petitioner offered several potentially conflicting descriptions of his proposed endeavor without resolving the inconsistencies through independent, objective evidence, and failed to demonstrate national importance or broader prospective impact of any identified endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-22_02_B5203; source_row=23183
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 the Petitioner had not identified the specific research projects he would undertake or the capacity in which he proposes to conduct such research, and thus had not demonstrated he is well positioned to advance his proposed endeavor.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found that the Petitioner had not identified the specific research projects he would undertake or the capacity in which he proposes to conduct such research, and thus had not demonstrated he is well positioned to advance his proposed endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-22_02_B5203; source_row=23184
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO finds the evidence does not show the Beneficiary's research has been frequently cited, affected treatment outside her institutions, generated substantial discourse, or otherwise constitutes a record of success or progress in the field. Her education in business administration and dentistry was not adequately tied to MS research.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO finds the evidence does not show the Beneficiary's research has been frequently cited, affected treatment outside her institutions, generated substantial discourse, or otherwise constitutes a record of success or progress in the field. Her education in business administration and dentistry was not adequately tied to MS research.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-10-22_01_B5203; source_row=23181
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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