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 16561–16570

EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other20 papers28 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's engagement as a manuscript reviewer for a professional journal on topics related to structural heart disease and interventional cardiology satisfied this criterion.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's engagement as a manuscript reviewer for a professional journal on topics related to structural heart disease and interventional cardiology satisfied this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-27_02_B2203; source_row=21844
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

ability to pay proffered wage from priority date

Why the evidence was persuasive

Because the Petitioner employs over 100 workers, financial officer statements are an acceptable form of evidence under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(g)(2). The CFO and CEO statements were corroborated by audited financials and payroll tax returns, and no derogatory information cast doubt on their credibility.

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

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Because the Petitioner employs over 100 workers, financial officer statements are an acceptable form of evidence under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(g)(2). The CFO and CEO statements were corroborated by audited financials and payroll tax returns, and no derogatory information cast doubt on their credibility.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-26_01_B5203; source_row=21838
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 Petitioner had not shown her HIV prevention research was frequently cited, served as an impetus for progress in the field, affected clinical practice, or generated substantial positive discourse in the broader medical community. The CDC grants listed a different principal investigator and did not document the Petitioner's specific role or generate documented positive interest from relevant parties.

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 the Petitioner had not shown her HIV prevention research was frequently cited, served as an impetus for progress in the field, affected clinical practice, or generated substantial positive discourse in the broader medical community. The CDC grants listed a different principal investigator and did not document the Petitioner's specific role or generate documented positive interest from relevant parties.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-25_01_B5203; source_row=21836
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

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

What the decision said

Because the Petitioner failed to meet the second prong, AAO declined to engage in further analysis of the third prong, finding it would serve no meaningful purpose.

Why this is useful

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

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Because the Petitioner failed to meet the second prong, AAO declined to engage in further analysis of the third prong, finding it would serve no meaningful purpose.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-25_01_B5203; source_row=21837
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 work in HIV prevention has substantial merit given documented economic value of HIV prevention, and that her findings are disseminated to others in the field through medical conferences making her work of 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 work in HIV prevention has substantial merit given documented economic value of HIV prevention, and that her findings are disseminated to others in the field through medical conferences making her work of national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-25_01_B5203; source_row=21835
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

The certification requires education, experience, and passing a multiple-choice exam — not outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts. The professional association's bylaws show membership is open to any person interested in project management, with no requirement of outstanding achievements judged by experts.

Why this is useful

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

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The certification requires education, experience, and passing a multiple-choice exam — not outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts. The professional association's bylaws show membership is open to any person interested in project management, with no requirement of outstanding achievements judged by experts.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-22_01_B2203; source_row=21820
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner's actual salary of $93,492 does not constitute a high salary; the billing rate charged by his employer to clients cannot be treated as his own remuneration. The BLS comparison used computer and information research scientists rather than computer program managers (his actual position), and the job offer letter did not show the offered salary was high relative to other senior software engineers.

Why this is useful

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

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The Petitioner's actual salary of $93,492 does not constitute a high salary; the billing rate charged by his employer to clients cannot be treated as his own remuneration. The BLS comparison used computer and information research scientists rather than computer program managers (his actual position), and the job offer letter did not show the offered salary was high relative to other senior software engineers.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-22_01_B2203; source_row=21824
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

Selection for conference presentation does not by itself show major significance. The Petitioner provided only three citing papers that used his work as background rather than singling it out as particularly important. Recommendation letters were primarily conclusory attestations without specific examples of field-wide impact.

Why this is useful

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

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Selection for conference presentation does not by itself show major significance. The Petitioner provided only three citing papers that used his work as background rather than singling it out as particularly important. Recommendation letters were primarily conclusory attestations without specific examples of field-wide impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-22_01_B2203; source_row=21821
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO finds the Petitioner's teaching has substantial merit but does not have national importance because the prospective impact is limited to his students, school, or district and does not extend more broadly to the field of ELL or alternative education.

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 finds the Petitioner's teaching has substantial merit but does not have national importance because the prospective impact is limited to his students, school, or district and does not extend more broadly to the field of ELL or alternative education.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-22_02_B5203; source_row=21832
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

The Petitioner authored an article published in conference proceedings, satisfying the scholarly articles criterion. AAO agreed with the Director's determination.

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 authored an article published in conference proceedings, satisfying the scholarly articles criterion. AAO agreed with the Director's determination.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-09-22_01_B2203; source_row=21822
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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