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 16721–16730

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

Case facts

OtherFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why the evidence was persuasive

The record supports the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfies this criterion, reflecting awards for superior hosting and voice acting in 2009 and 2010, festival awards, and a TV contest award in 2005.

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The record supports the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfies this criterion, reflecting awards for superior hosting and voice acting in 2009 and 2010, festival awards, and a TV contest award in 2005.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-28_01_B2203; source_row=21665
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Five years of experience 'in the specialty' for advanced degree classification

Why AAO was not persuaded

Legislative history establishes that the specialty is the position's profession, not its required field of study. Teaching is identified in the Act as a distinct profession from other educational occupations, so the Beneficiary's approximately 44 months of teaching experience and approximately 22 months of assistant principal experience represent two separate specialties, falling short of the five-year single-specialty requ…

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Legislative history establishes that the specialty is the position's profession, not its required field of study. Teaching is identified in the Act as a distinct profession from other educational occupations, so the Beneficiary's approximately 44 months of teaching experience and approximately 22 months of assistant principal experience represent two separate specialties, falling short of the five-year single-specialty requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-28_01_B5203; source_row=21673
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Bachelor's degree in a required field of study

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that the labor certification does not specify a field for the alternative bachelor's degree, and the Petitioner's recruitment evidence — including consideration of a candidate with a non-specified degree field — demonstrated acceptance of a bachelor's degree in any field.

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AAO found that the labor certification does not specify a field for the alternative bachelor's degree, and the Petitioner's recruitment evidence — including consideration of a candidate with a non-specified degree field — demonstrated acceptance of a bachelor's degree in any field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-28_01_B5203; source_row=21671
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Five years of post-baccalaureate qualifying experience (quantity)

Why AAO was not persuaded

An overseas investigation revealed that the principal of the first school denied writing or signing a letter and did not know anyone with the Beneficiary's name, while officials at the second school also could not confirm the Beneficiary's employment.…

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An overseas investigation revealed that the principal of the first school denied writing or signing a letter and did not know anyone with the Beneficiary's name, while officials at the second school also could not confirm the Beneficiary's employment. The Turkish work permits showed only part-time hours (15 and 20 hours per week), and despite affidavits attempting to explain away inconsistencies, the record lacked independent objective evidence to resolve them.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-28_01_B5203; source_row=21672
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

date of attainment of foreign equivalent bachelor's degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the degree was not established to have been attained before the March 7, 2008 diploma issuance, but reached this conclusion through a case-specific 'official academic record' analysis under Matter of O-A- rather than the Director's diploma-date arithmetic.

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AAO agreed the degree was not established to have been attained before the March 7, 2008 diploma issuance, but reached this conclusion through a case-specific 'official academic record' analysis under Matter of O-A- rather than the Director's diploma-date arithmetic.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-27_01_B5203; source_row=21661
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AIMaster’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

five years of post-baccalaureate experience equivalent to advanced degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the experience must be counted from September 7, 2010, as the Petitioner failed to provide an official academic record demonstrating that all substantive degree requirements were met and the degree approved prior to that date. The I/C Principal letter was not an official academic record as it was retroactively written, issued on request, and only stated the Beneficiary was 'eligible' for the degree.

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AAO agreed that the experience must be counted from September 7, 2010, as the Petitioner failed to provide an official academic record demonstrating that all substantive degree requirements were met and the degree approved prior to that date. The I/C Principal letter was not an official academic record as it was retroactively written, issued on request, and only stated the Beneficiary was 'eligible' for the degree.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-27_02_B5203; source_row=21663
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

labor certification supports advanced degree professional classification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director that the H.14 'in lieu of' language extended beyond Kellogg and permitted minimum qualifications below an advanced degree. The Petitioner's recruiting materials repeated the same language and did not clarify what 'suitable combination' meant, so even considering intent the record was insufficient.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the H.14 'in lieu of' language extended beyond Kellogg and permitted minimum qualifications below an advanced degree. The Petitioner's recruiting materials repeated the same language and did not clarify what 'suitable combination' meant, so even considering intent the record was insufficient.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-27_03_B5203; source_row=21664
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed that the Beneficiary did not possess at least five years of qualifying post-baccalaureate experience because his degree was not shown to have been attained before March 2008.

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AAO affirmed that the Beneficiary did not possess at least five years of qualifying post-baccalaureate experience because his degree was not shown to have been attained before March 2008.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-27_01_B5203; source_row=21662
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Commercial successNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Commercial success

commercial successes in the performing arts

Why AAO was not persuaded

Letters referencing international broadcast did not include objective ratings data or sales statistics, and the criterion requires evidence of volume of sales and receipts as a measure of commercial success.

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Letters referencing international broadcast did not include objective ratings data or sales statistics, and the criterion requires evidence of volume of sales and receipts as a measure of commercial success.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-26_02_B2203; source_row=21651
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

Providing instruction and training to acting students is not the same as participating as a judge. The regulation requires a formal judging designation, and the letter lacked specifics about actors whose work was judged or performances evaluated.

Why this is useful

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

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Providing instruction and training to acting students is not the same as participating as a judge. The regulation requires a formal judging designation, and the letter lacked specifics about actors whose work was judged or performances evaluated.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-07-26_02_B2203; source_row=21647
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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