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 19041–19050

NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Foreign equivalent of U.S. baccalaureate degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

EDGE states a three-year Indian bachelor's degree is comparable to two to three years of U.S. university study and a post-secondary diploma to one year, yielding at most four to five years of study total. AACRAO's own evaluation confirmed the beneficiary's education is comparable to four years of undergraduate-level education but does not constitute the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree.…

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EDGE states a three-year Indian bachelor's degree is comparable to two to three years of U.S. university study and a post-secondary diploma to one year, yielding at most four to five years of study total. AACRAO's own evaluation confirmed the beneficiary's education is comparable to four years of undergraduate-level education but does not constitute the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. The two private evaluations were inconsistent with each other and not supported by objective evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-19_01_B5203; source_row=19194
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

Beneficiary meets minimum requirements of the offered position

Why AAO was not persuaded

The beneficiary lacks both the required educational credential (bachelor's equivalent) and the required years of qualifying experience (six years), making him ineligible for the proffered position under either alternate pathway in the labor certification.

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The beneficiary lacks both the required educational credential (bachelor's equivalent) and the required years of qualifying experience (six years), making him ineligible for the proffered position under either alternate pathway in the labor certification.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-19_01_B5203; source_row=19196
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

foreign equivalent of a U.S. advanced degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that credentialing organizations evaluated coursework in the aggregate rather than the single-degree foreign equivalent required by the regulation, and that EDGE classifies the five-year Filipino BS in physical therapy as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree.

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AAO found that credentialing organizations evaluated coursework in the aggregate rather than the single-degree foreign equivalent required by the regulation, and that EDGE classifies the five-year Filipino BS in physical therapy as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-18_01_B5203; source_row=19191
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Beneficiary holds advanced degree or foreign equivalent

Why AAO was not persuaded

The credentialing evaluations assess aggregated coursework from multiple sources to determine 'substantial equivalence,' not whether the beneficiary's single degree is a foreign equivalent of a U.S. master's degree. EDGE confirms the five-year Philippine bachelor's in physical therapy equates to undergraduate-level education. The discrepancy between the two evaluations (185.27 vs.…

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The credentialing evaluations assess aggregated coursework from multiple sources to determine 'substantial equivalence,' not whether the beneficiary's single degree is a foreign equivalent of a U.S. master's degree. EDGE confirms the five-year Philippine bachelor's in physical therapy equates to undergraduate-level education. The discrepancy between the two evaluations (185.27 vs. 234 total credits) was not explained by the petitioner. USCIS is not bound by credentialing organization determinations for immigration classification purposes.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-18_02_B5203; source_row=19192
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

other

Beneficiary meets minimum requirements of ETA Form 9089

Why AAO was not persuaded

The ETA Form 9089 requires a master's degree in physical therapy with no alternate combination accepted. The beneficiary's Philippine bachelor's degree, even supplemented by additional coursework, was not shown to be a single foreign equivalent to a U.S. master's degree in physical therapy.

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The ETA Form 9089 requires a master's degree in physical therapy with no alternate combination accepted. The beneficiary's Philippine bachelor's degree, even supplemented by additional coursework, was not shown to be a single foreign equivalent to a U.S. master's degree in physical therapy.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-18_02_B5203; source_row=19193
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

AAO withdrew the director's favorable finding on de novo review. Post-filing pay stubs could not be considered because eligibility must be established at the time of filing. The remaining evidence—average salary data, median wage data, prevailing wage data, and H-1B LCA data—only showed the petitioner earned above-average or above-median wages, not a high salary relative to others at the top of the field.

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AAO withdrew the director's favorable finding on de novo review. Post-filing pay stubs could not be considered because eligibility must be established at the time of filing. The remaining evidence—average salary data, median wage data, prevailing wage data, and H-1B LCA data—only showed the petitioner earned above-average or above-median wages, not a high salary relative to others at the top of the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-16_02_B2203; source_row=19182
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that for each employer, the petitioner failed either to demonstrate a leading or critical role (no organizational chart, no differentiation from other team leaders/managers) or to show the organization had a distinguished reputation (no documentary evidence supporting assertions about rankings or revenues).…

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AAO found that for each employer, the petitioner failed either to demonstrate a leading or critical role (no organizational chart, no differentiation from other team leaders/managers) or to show the organization had a distinguished reputation (no documentary evidence supporting assertions about rankings or revenues). The regulatory criterion requires both elements, and the petitioner's plain statement that technology firms may not have a distinguished reputation does not relieve him of the requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-16_02_B2203; source_row=19181
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that routine supervisory duties such as reviewing coworkers' performance, interviewing candidates, providing feedback, and testing/reviewing a software product purchased by the employer do not constitute formal participation as a judge of the work of others in the field as required by 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3)(iv).…

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AAO found that routine supervisory duties such as reviewing coworkers' performance, interviewing candidates, providing feedback, and testing/reviewing a software product purchased by the employer do not constitute formal participation as a judge of the work of others in the field as required by 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3)(iv). The criterion requires a formal judging designation, not informal staff supervision or internal review of coworkers.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-16_02_B2203; source_row=19180
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The competitions confer a substantial number of awards annually, the Silver award was presented to a magazine rather than the beneficiary, and there is no documentary evidence showing the awards are recognized beyond the competition organizers at a level commensurate with nationally or internationally recognized prizes for excellence in the field.

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The competitions confer a substantial number of awards annually, the Silver award was presented to a magazine rather than the beneficiary, and there is no documentary evidence showing the awards are recognized beyond the competition organizers at a level commensurate with nationally or internationally recognized prizes for excellence in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-16_01_B2203; source_row=19174
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

The October article did not identify its author as required by the regulation, and there is no documentary evidence showing that the publication is a form of major media in the United States or Israel.

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The October article did not identify its author as required by the regulation, and there is no documentary evidence showing that the publication is a form of major media in the United States or Israel.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-03-16_01_B2203; source_row=19175
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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