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 19231–19240

NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

benefit to national interest substantially greater than an available U.S. worker (past record of achievement/influence on the field)

Why AAO was not persuaded

Letters were from people with local ties to the petitioner; evidence of student competition scores and superior teaching methods was anecdotal and did not show his methods had been adopted by others or that his students consistently outperformed comparable peers; reputation was limited to the local cultural community.

Why this is useful

See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.

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Letters were from people with local ties to the petitioner; evidence of student competition scores and superior teaching methods was anecdotal and did not show his methods had been adopted by others or that his students consistently outperformed comparable peers; reputation was limited to the local cultural community.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-16_03_B5203; source_row=19009
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWacademic recordEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

academic record

academic record

Why the evidence was persuasive

Petitioner documented a Bachelor of Music degree from 2002, satisfying the plain wording of the regulation.

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Petitioner documented a Bachelor of Music degree from 2002, satisfying the plain wording of the regulation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-16_03_B5203; source_row=19000
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AIMaster’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

beneficiary holds advanced degree or equivalent

Why AAO was not persuaded

Per EDGE/AACRAO, the Indian M.Sc. (IT) is comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree only, not a master's degree. The credential evaluations were unpersuasive: the first evaluator failed to analyze the beneficiary's bachelor's degree or compare coursework to U.S.…

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Per EDGE/AACRAO, the Indian M.Sc. (IT) is comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree only, not a master's degree. The credential evaluations were unpersuasive: the first evaluator failed to analyze the beneficiary's bachelor's degree or compare coursework to U.S. master's programs; the second evaluator's general equivalency formula lacked peer-reviewed supporting material, and neither evaluation was accompanied by the beneficiary's bachelor's degree or transcripts.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-13_02_B5203; source_row=18990
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Continuing ability to pay proffered wage from priority date

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner failed to provide complete tax returns for 2010 and 2013, and bank statements contradicted the claimed monthly expense figure. As a sole proprietorship sponsoring multiple beneficiaries, the petitioner must show ability to cover all combined proffered wages; shortfalls were identified in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The totality-of-circumstances analysis under Sonegawa did not overcome these deficiencies.

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The petitioner failed to provide complete tax returns for 2010 and 2013, and bank statements contradicted the claimed monthly expense figure. As a sole proprietorship sponsoring multiple beneficiaries, the petitioner must show ability to cover all combined proffered wages; shortfalls were identified in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The totality-of-circumstances analysis under Sonegawa did not overcome these deficiencies.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-13_01_B5203; source_row=18989
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

beneficiary's progressive post-baccalaureate experience

Why AAO was not persuaded

Experience gained with the petitioner cannot count under Delitizer absent a showing of dissimilarity, the beneficiary's affidavits are self-serving and unsupported, and even crediting them the total documented experience is less than five years.

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Experience gained with the petitioner cannot count under Delitizer absent a showing of dissimilarity, the beneficiary's affidavits are self-serving and unsupported, and even crediting them the total documented experience is less than five years.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-13_03_B5203; source_row=18992
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

beneficiary's education meets labor certification minimum requirements

Why AAO was not persuaded

The credential evaluations establish that the beneficiary holds the equivalent of two U.S. bachelor's degrees, not a Master's degree, and the labor certification does not allow substitution of education and experience.

Why this is useful

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The credential evaluations establish that the beneficiary holds the equivalent of two U.S. bachelor's degrees, not a Master's degree, and the labor certification does not allow substitution of education and experience.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-13_03_B5203; source_row=18991
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Artistic displayNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Artistic display

display of work at artistic exhibitions or showcases

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO reversed the director's positive finding, concluding that a violinist performing is not displaying his work in the same sense as a visual artist displaying work in a gallery. Performances do not satisfy this criterion, which covers tangible pieces of art on display at exhibitions or showcases.

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AAO reversed the director's positive finding, concluding that a violinist performing is not displaying his work in the same sense as a visual artist displaying work in a gallery. Performances do not satisfy this criterion, which covers tangible pieces of art on display at exhibitions or showcases.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-12_01_B2203; source_row=18972
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found it unnecessary to conduct a formal final merits determination because the petitioner failed the step-1 threshold, but noted in the alternative that the aggregate evidence does not demonstrate the required level of expertise.

Why this is useful

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AAO found it unnecessary to conduct a formal final merits determination because the petitioner failed the step-1 threshold, but noted in the alternative that the aggregate evidence does not demonstrate the required level of expertise.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-12_01_B2203; source_row=18974
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner's self-published blog is not peer-reviewed or scholarly and has not been shown to have a following consistent with major media. The petitioner failed to establish how his blog equates to major media.

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The petitioner's self-published blog is not peer-reviewed or scholarly and has not been shown to have a following consistent with major media. The petitioner failed to establish how his blog equates to major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-12_01_B2203; source_row=18971
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 petitioner failed to submit primary evidence of receipt of the award. The biography reference alone does not establish national or international recognition of the award in the field, and evidence submitted for the first time on appeal after an RFE pointed to the deficiency cannot be considered.

Why this is useful

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The petitioner failed to submit primary evidence of receipt of the award. The biography reference alone does not establish national or international recognition of the award in the field, and evidence submitted for the first time on appeal after an RFE pointed to the deficiency cannot be considered.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-01-12_01_B2203; source_row=18969
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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