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 15391–15400

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

AAO withdrew the Director's translation objection but still found the criterion unmet: only five of eleven cited articles pre-dated the filing, several lacked required author attribution, and the record did not sufficiently establish that Varzesh3, Gul, and Razmavar are professional or major media outlets.

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AAO withdrew the Director's translation objection but still found the criterion unmet: only five of eleven cited articles pre-dated the filing, several lacked required author attribution, and the record did not sufficiently establish that Varzesh3, Gul, and Razmavar are professional or major media outlets.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-25_01_B2203; source_row=23121
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership

Why AAO was not persuaded

While AAO noted the Director incorrectly required current membership, AAO agreed the criterion was not met because the Petitioner did not show that membership on the national team requires outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts, and counsel's assertions are not evidence.

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While AAO noted the Director incorrectly required current membership, AAO agreed the criterion was not met because the Petitioner did not show that membership on the national team requires outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts, and counsel's assertions are not evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-25_01_B2203; source_row=23120
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

AAO found that the Petitioner's proposed work as a critical care pediatrician, educator, and innovator in ICU patient safety and quality has substantial merit, and that his dissemination of innovations through conferences and journals establishes national importance.

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's proposed work as a critical care pediatrician, educator, and innovator in ICU patient safety and quality has substantial merit, and that his dissemination of innovations through conferences and journals establishes national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-25_01_B5203; source_row=23123
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

five years of qualifying experience per labor certification and advanced degree professional requirement

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the unresolved discrepancies raised doubt about whether the Beneficiary worked at the first employer at all. Even accepting the Beneficiary's own claim of employment through March 2006, that is less than five years. No evidence was submitted for the second employer despite multiple opportunities.

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AAO found the unresolved discrepancies raised doubt about whether the Beneficiary worked at the first employer at all. Even accepting the Beneficiary's own claim of employment through March 2006, that is less than five years. No evidence was submitted for the second employer despite multiple opportunities.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-25_02_B5203; source_row=23126
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

ability to pay proffered wage from priority date onward

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner was mistaken about the period covered by its 2013 tax return (it runs July 1, 2013–June 30, 2014, not July 2012–June 2013), leaving a coverage gap from the priority date to July 1, 2013. In addition, the complete failure to provide information about other I-140 beneficiaries' proffered wages meant the Petitioner could not establish its aggregate ability to pay.

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AAO found the Petitioner was mistaken about the period covered by its 2013 tax return (it runs July 1, 2013–June 30, 2014, not July 2012–June 2013), leaving a coverage gap from the priority date to July 1, 2013. In addition, the complete failure to provide information about other I-140 beneficiaries' proffered wages meant the Petitioner could not establish its aggregate ability to pay.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-25_02_B5203; source_row=23127
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the reference letters did not show how the Petitioner's work generated interest among relevant parties, was implemented in NICU practice, or reflected a record of success. Five citations to one article, without comparative context, and review of two manuscripts were insufficient to show he is well positioned to advance the endeavor.

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AAO found the reference letters did not show how the Petitioner's work generated interest among relevant parties, was implemented in NICU practice, or reflected a record of success. Five citations to one article, without comparative context, and review of two manuscripts were insufficient to show he is well positioned to advance the endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-24_02_B5203; source_row=23110
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's NCBI representative genome designation, citation statistics, and recommendation letters demonstrated originality but not major significance. The NCBI designation alone did not establish major significance, citation rates are more relevant to final merits than to this criterion, and the recommendation letters were largely conclusory without explaining how the contributions have already impacte…

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

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AAO found that the Petitioner's NCBI representative genome designation, citation statistics, and recommendation letters demonstrated originality but not major significance. The NCBI designation alone did not establish major significance, citation rates are more relevant to final merits than to this criterion, and the recommendation letters were largely conclusory without explaining how the contributions have already impacted the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-24_02_B2203; source_row=23107
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

While the articles demonstrate the substantial merit of computer programming generally, they do not establish the national importance of the Petitioner's specific proposed endeavor. The relevant question is the specific endeavor the foreign national proposes to undertake, not the importance of the field generally.…

Why this is useful

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While the articles demonstrate the substantial merit of computer programming generally, they do not establish the national importance of the Petitioner's specific proposed endeavor. The relevant question is the specific endeavor the foreign national proposes to undertake, not the importance of the field generally. A projected shortage of computer programmers alone does not render the work of an individual computer programmer nationally important.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-24_01_B5203; source_row=23102
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States to waive job offer and labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

Because the Petitioner failed to sufficiently define his proposed endeavor, AAO could not determine that waiving the job offer and labor certification requirement would benefit the United States. Additionally, a labor shortage alone does not demonstrate that waiving the labor certification would benefit the U.S., as the Department of Labor addresses such shortages through the labor certification process.

Why this is useful

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Because the Petitioner failed to sufficiently define his proposed endeavor, AAO could not determine that waiving the job offer and labor certification requirement would benefit the United States. Additionally, a labor shortage alone does not demonstrate that waiving the labor certification would benefit the U.S., as the Department of Labor addresses such shortages through the labor certification process.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-24_01_B5203; source_row=23104
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

The record lacked supporting documentation to corroborate the Petitioner's assertions about future research activities, specific research projects, or interest from named employers. The Petitioner's proposed endeavors were too vague to assess whether he was well positioned to advance them.

Why this is useful

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

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The record lacked supporting documentation to corroborate the Petitioner's assertions about future research activities, specific research projects, or interest from named employers. The Petitioner's proposed endeavors were too vague to assess whether he was well positioned to advance them.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2018-09-24_01_B5203; source_row=23103
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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