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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.
Beneficiary holds required Master's degree or foreign equivalent
Why AAO was not persuaded
The Beneficiary's Philippine Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is not the foreign equivalent of a U.S. Master's degree, as confirmed by EDGE and inconsistencies among credential evaluations. The labor certification expressly bars alternate combinations of education and experience, so neither the INS memorandum nor the combined education-plus-experience evaluations can establish eligibility.…
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The Beneficiary's Philippine Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is not the foreign equivalent of a U.S. Master's degree, as confirmed by EDGE and inconsistencies among credential evaluations. The labor certification expressly bars alternate combinations of education and experience, so neither the INS memorandum nor the combined education-plus-experience evaluations can establish eligibility. The record does not demonstrate the Beneficiary holds the required degree.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-13_04_B5203; source_row=19744 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Beneficiary has 12 months of qualifying experience in Occupational Therapy
Why AAO was not persuaded
The employment statements and certifications are vague and do not describe the specific duties performed, failing to comply with 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(g)(1). The Beneficiary's unilateral amendment of her résumé is insufficient to establish qualifying employment, and unsupported claims on a résumé do not meet the petitioner's burden of proof. The record therefore does not establish the claimed years of qualifying employment.
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The employment statements and certifications are vague and do not describe the specific duties performed, failing to comply with 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(g)(1). The Beneficiary's unilateral amendment of her résumé is insufficient to establish qualifying employment, and unsupported claims on a résumé do not meet the petitioner's burden of proof. The record therefore does not establish the claimed years of qualifying employment.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-13_04_B5203; source_row=19745 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Possession of advanced degree or foreign equivalent (or bachelor's + 5 years progressive experience)
Why AAO was not persuaded
The AAO agreed with the Director that the Beneficiary's combined Indian bachelor's and master's degrees equate only to a U.S. bachelor's degree per EDGE and corroborating evaluations.…
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The AAO agreed with the Director that the Beneficiary's combined Indian bachelor's and master's degrees equate only to a U.S. bachelor's degree per EDGE and corroborating evaluations. The AAO rejected the Petitioner's claim that the degree was earned in May 2007 or August 6, 2007, noting the actual diploma reflects a convocation date of February 23, 2008 and the registrar's letter did not assert the degree was awarded before convocation. Even accepting August 6, 2007 as the qualifying date, the record only documented 16 months of post-baccalaureate experience, far short of the required 60 months.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-02_01_B5203; source_row=19732 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other39 papers10 citations
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Final merits
final merits determination
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found that the Beneficiary's single peer review instance, limited citation impact (10 total citations, four case reports and one retrospective analysis), support letters discussing only future potential rather than recognized field-wide impact, administrative scheduling role with insufficient organizational context, and salary compared only to general physicians (not interventional radiologists specifically) collectivel…
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AAO found that the Beneficiary's single peer review instance, limited citation impact (10 total citations, four case reports and one retrospective analysis), support letters discussing only future potential rather than recognized field-wide impact, administrative scheduling role with insufficient organizational context, and salary compared only to general physicians (not interventional radiologists specifically) collectively failed to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or placement among the small percentage at the very top of the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-01_01_B2203; source_row=19731 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The director found and AAO confirmed that several of the Beneficiary's scholarly articles published in journals, including the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, established that the Beneficiary meets this criterion.
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The director found and AAO confirmed that several of the Beneficiary's scholarly articles published in journals, including the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, established that the Beneficiary meets this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-01_01_B2203; source_row=19729 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other39 papers10 citations
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · High remuneration
high salary
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO withdrew the director's determination, finding that the Beneficiary's salary is high in relation to others in the wider field of medicine, satisfying the plain language of the criterion.
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AAO withdrew the director's determination, finding that the Beneficiary's salary is high in relation to others in the wider field of medicine, satisfying the plain language of the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-01_01_B2203; source_row=19730 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The director found and AAO confirmed that documentation of the Beneficiary's peer review duties for a publication established that he meets this criterion.
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The director found and AAO confirmed that documentation of the Beneficiary's peer review duties for a publication established that he meets this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-01_01_B2203; source_row=19728 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
final merits determination — sustained national or international acclaim
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found the Petitioner's memberships, peer review activity, citation record, and reliance by others on his research all fell short of demonstrating sustained national or international acclaim or placement among the small percentage at the top of the field. His peer review was routine, his citation count modest, and the keyword-based article ranking evidence was not probative of recognition in the field.
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AAO found the Petitioner's memberships, peer review activity, citation record, and reliance by others on his research all fell short of demonstrating sustained national or international acclaim or placement among the small percentage at the top of the field. His peer review was routine, his citation count modest, and the keyword-based article ranking evidence was not probative of recognition in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-09-30_01_B2203; source_row=19726 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Foreign equivalent of U.S. master's degree through education alone
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO relied on EDGE (AACRAO) data and two of the four credential evaluations showing the Beneficiary's combined Indian bachelor's and master's degrees equate only to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The remaining two evaluations required supplementing the degrees with five years of work experience to reach U.S. master's equivalence, but the labor certification did not permit an education-plus-experience alternate.…
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AAO relied on EDGE (AACRAO) data and two of the four credential evaluations showing the Beneficiary's combined Indian bachelor's and master's degrees equate only to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The remaining two evaluations required supplementing the degrees with five years of work experience to reach U.S. master's equivalence, but the labor certification did not permit an education-plus-experience alternate. No evidence established that the Beneficiary's second year of master's study alone constituted a U.S. master's equivalent.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-09-30_01_B5203; source_row=19727 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Biomedical / Life Sciences
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO found that, in the aggregate, the Petitioner's evidence—including articles cited by other researchers, patents citing his work, and reference letters describing laboratories using his crystal structure findings to develop tuberculosis drug discovery initiatives—met the plain language of this criterion.
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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AAO found that, in the aggregate, the Petitioner's evidence—including articles cited by other researchers, patents citing his work, and reference letters describing laboratories using his crystal structure findings to develop tuberculosis drug discovery initiatives—met the plain language of this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-09-30_01_B2203; source_row=19724 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c