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 18671–18680

EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other2,014 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that most submitted articles were about the circus and its acts and did not identify or focus on the petitioner, some articles lacked identified authors, post-filing articles could not be considered to establish eligibility at the time of filing, foreign language articles lacked certified translations, and the petitioner failed to establish that publications constituted major media.

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AAO found that most submitted articles were about the circus and its acts and did not identify or focus on the petitioner, some articles lacked identified authors, post-filing articles could not be considered to establish eligibility at the time of filing, foreign language articles lacked certified translations, and the petitioner failed to establish that publications constituted major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-10_01_B2203; source_row=19596
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other2,014 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found multiple certificate inconsistencies unresolved, noted missing certified English translations for Chinese-language documents, and found that provincial and local awards do not constitute nationally or internationally recognized prizes. The official competition results available online did not list the petitioner as a winner.

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AAO found multiple certificate inconsistencies unresolved, noted missing certified English translations for Chinese-language documents, and found that provincial and local awards do not constitute nationally or internationally recognized prizes. The official competition results available online did not list the petitioner as a winner.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-10_01_B2203; source_row=19595
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other2,014 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others in the same or allied field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO reversed the director's favorable finding, concluding that submitting certificates of appreciation without evidence of whose work the petitioner judged was insufficient to meet the plain language of the criterion. Post-filing judging events could not be considered, and certificate inconsistencies from criterion (i) cast doubt on the reliability of the appreciation certificates.

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

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AAO reversed the director's favorable finding, concluding that submitting certificates of appreciation without evidence of whose work the petitioner judged was insufficient to meet the plain language of the criterion. Post-filing judging events could not be considered, and certificate inconsistencies from criterion (i) cast doubt on the reliability of the appreciation certificates.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-10_01_B2203; source_row=19597
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other2,014 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations or establishments with a distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the paymaster letter did not demonstrate the author's qualifications to assess the petitioner's role, the program book showed the petitioner was one of many performers without more prominent placement, and post-filing articles could not be considered. The petitioner did not provide an organizational chart or differentiate himself from other circus performers.

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 paymaster letter did not demonstrate the author's qualifications to assess the petitioner's role, the program book showed the petitioner was one of many performers without more prominent placement, and post-filing articles could not be considered. The petitioner did not provide an organizational chart or differentiate himself from other circus performers.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-10_01_B2203; source_row=19599
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why the evidence was persuasive

The petitioner's work was described as being used by private aerospace companies and recognized by industry standards committees, indicating national scope.

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 petitioner's work was described as being used by private aerospace companies and recognized by industry standards committees, indicating national scope.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-06_01_B5203; source_row=19593
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial intrinsic merit

Why the evidence was persuasive

The director found the petitioner qualifies as a member of the professions holding an advanced degree and did not contest this prong. The AAO did not separately analyze this prong but noted the sole issue in contention was whether a waiver would be in the national interest.

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 director found the petitioner qualifies as a member of the professions holding an advanced degree and did not contest this prong. The AAO did not separately analyze this prong but noted the sole issue in contention was whether a waiver would be in the national interest.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-06_01_B5203; source_row=19592
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

national interest substantially greater than available U.S. worker

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that letters from private companies confirming use of the petitioner's research and evidence of recognition by industry standards bodies demonstrated sufficient influence on the field of shot peening to justify projecting that the petitioner would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than an available U.S. worker with the same minimum qualifications.

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 found that letters from private companies confirming use of the petitioner's research and evidence of recognition by industry standards bodies demonstrated sufficient influence on the field of shot peening to justify projecting that the petitioner would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than an available U.S. worker with the same minimum qualifications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-06_01_B5203; source_row=19594
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AotherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

willful misrepresentation

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found willfulness established by the petitioner's signed I-140 affirmation under penalty of perjury and his signed personal statement in English claiming inventorship and authorship. Deliberate avoidance of the petition's contents does not negate willfulness.

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AAO found willfulness established by the petitioner's signed I-140 affirmation under penalty of perjury and his signed personal statement in English claiming inventorship and authorship. Deliberate avoidance of the petition's contents does not negate willfulness.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-05_01_B2203; source_row=19590
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AotherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

false representation to government official

Why the evidence was persuasive

The petitioner submitted a patent and two scholarly articles listing himself as inventor/author, confirmed by publicly available records to be false, and presented conflicting salary information. His personal statement in English also falsely claimed inventorship and authorship.

Why this is useful

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

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The petitioner submitted a patent and two scholarly articles listing himself as inventor/author, confirmed by publicly available records to be false, and presented conflicting salary information. His personal statement in English also falsely claimed inventorship and authorship.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-05_01_B2203; source_row=19589
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AotherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

materiality of misrepresentation

Why the evidence was persuasive

The misrepresentations were material because they directly related to the petitioner's claimed eligibility under multiple EB-1A criteria, cutting off lines of inquiry relevant to eligibility that might well have resulted in denial.

Why this is useful

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

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The misrepresentations were material because they directly related to the petitioner's claimed eligibility under multiple EB-1A criteria, cutting off lines of inquiry relevant to eligibility that might well have resulted in denial.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-08-05_01_B2203; source_row=19591
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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