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 17311740

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 found the Petitioner submitted insufficient evidence to establish the articles appeared in professional or major trade publications or other major media, as she did not provide objective circulation statistics and did not adequately explain how the claimed circulation figures demonstrated the publications were major media.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found the Petitioner submitted insufficient evidence to establish the articles appeared in professional or major trade publications or other major media, as she did not provide objective circulation statistics and did not adequately explain how the claimed circulation figures demonstrated the publications were major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_03_B2203; source_row=42586
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

AAO found the Union of Theater Workers of Kazakhstan's membership requirements—age, citizenship, creative work experience, and years of service—did not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts, but only basic eligibility requirements.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found the Union of Theater Workers of Kazakhstan's membership requirements—age, citizenship, creative work experience, and years of service—did not require outstanding achievements judged by recognized national or international experts, but only basic eligibility requirements.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_03_B2203; source_row=42585
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The cited articles concern the field generally, not the petitioner's specific endeavor; the expert letter focused on the industry and the petitioner's credentials rather than the endeavor's national impact; and the business plan's projections (4 to 19 employees, ~$2M sales by year five) lacked explanation and would not rise to national importance even if supported.

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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The cited articles concern the field generally, not the petitioner's specific endeavor; the expert letter focused on the industry and the petitioner's credentials rather than the endeavor's national impact; and the business plan's projections (4 to 19 employees, ~$2M sales by year five) lacked explanation and would not rise to national importance even if supported.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_08_B5203; source_row=42621
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Major awardNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences23 papers224 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Major award

one-time major internationally recognized award

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the record does not establish a one-time major internationally recognized award, and the Petitioner did not contest this on appeal.

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AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the record does not establish a one-time major internationally recognized award, and the Petitioner did not contest this on appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_02_B2203; source_row=42568
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences23 papers224 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director. The Clarivate Analytics citation data uses overly broad categories, is internally skewed, and is unreliable for recent-year publications per its own disclaimer. The OpenAlex documents are unauthenticated and internally inconsistent. Citations alone are not evidence of favorable attention since citations may identify faulty or superseded research.…

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed with the Director. The Clarivate Analytics citation data uses overly broad categories, is internally skewed, and is unreliable for recent-year publications per its own disclaimer. The OpenAlex documents are unauthenticated and internally inconsistent. Citations alone are not evidence of favorable attention since citations may identify faulty or superseded research. Letters of recommendation speak only vaguely of 'value,' 'influence,' and 'importance' without establishing major significance in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_02_B2203; source_row=42573
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations or establishments

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner on appeal still failed to identify any organization or establishment for which he performed in a leading or critical role, and the additional client letters merely identified clients' employers without establishing a leading or critical role for those employers.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found that the Petitioner on appeal still failed to identify any organization or establishment for which he performed in a leading or critical role, and the additional client letters merely identified clients' employers without establishing a leading or critical role for those employers.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_04_B2203; source_row=42598
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO expressly reserved determination on the second prong because the failure to establish the first prong was dispositive of the appeal.

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 expressly reserved determination on the second prong because the failure to establish the first prong was dispositive of the appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_07_B5203; source_row=42619
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive the job offer requirement

What the decision said

AAO expressly reserved determination on the third prong because the failure to establish the first prong was dispositive of the appeal.

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 expressly reserved determination on the third prong because the failure to establish the first prong was dispositive of the appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_07_B5203; source_row=42620
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWten years experienceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

ten years experience

Ten years full-time experience (criterion B)

Why AAO was not persuaded

Only two of the submitted employer letters included the required specific description of duties, and those letters only accounted for full-time employment beginning in November 2017—well short of ten years as of the January 2024 petition filing date.

Why this is useful

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

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Only two of the submitted employer letters included the required specific description of duties, and those letters only accounted for full-time employment beginning in November 2017—well short of ten years as of the January 2024 petition filing date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_06_B5203; source_row=42611
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

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

What the decision said

AAO did not separately address prong three, finding the petition failed on prong one and EB-2 eligibility, making further prong analysis unnecessary.

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 did not separately address prong three, finding the petition failed on prong one and EB-2 eligibility, making further prong analysis unnecessary.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-01-08_06_B5203; source_row=42617
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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