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 20771–20780

NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / ManagementMaster’s

Issue evaluated

other

Beneficiary meets minimum requirements of the offered position

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner failed to establish the required master's degree. The experience letters were inadequate: one described duties inconsistent with the proffered position, another lacked required identifying information and showed inconsistent duties compared to the labor certification, and a supplemental affidavit failed to meet regulatory requirements and conflicted with the employer's own experience letter.

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The petitioner failed to establish the required master's degree. The experience letters were inadequate: one described duties inconsistent with the proffered position, another lacked required identifying information and showed inconsistent duties compared to the labor certification, and a supplemental affidavit failed to meet regulatory requirements and conflicted with the employer's own experience letter.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-21_02_B5203; source_row=17256
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree or equivalent (bachelor's + 5 years progressive experience)

Why AAO was not persuaded

The beneficiary's self-authored employment letter was self-serving and contradicted by IRS records showing a solo video rental business with no employees and no matching salary. Customer letters were inconsistent with the claimed managerial duties at a video rental store, did not establish a full-time work schedule, and did not demonstrate advancing levels of responsibility in the specialty.…

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The beneficiary's self-authored employment letter was self-serving and contradicted by IRS records showing a solo video rental business with no employees and no matching salary. Customer letters were inconsistent with the claimed managerial duties at a video rental store, did not establish a full-time work schedule, and did not demonstrate advancing levels of responsibility in the specialty. The petitioner failed to resolve these inconsistencies with independent objective evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-19_02_B5203; source_row=17250
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

other

beneficiary meets minimum requirements of labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner failed to establish the required 60 months of experience in the proffered position or as a computer systems technician for the same reasons the progressive experience requirement was not met.

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The petitioner failed to establish the required 60 months of experience in the proffered position or as a computer systems technician for the same reasons the progressive experience requirement was not met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-19_02_B5203; source_row=17251
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found one qualifying instance ([REDACTED] of America) but the plural requirement was not met; other letters either failed to establish a leading/critical role or did not establish the organization's distinguished reputation, and several letters contained suspiciously similar language reducing their probative value.

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AAO found one qualifying instance ([REDACTED] of America) but the plural requirement was not met; other letters either failed to establish a leading/critical role or did not establish the organization's distinguished reputation, and several letters contained suspiciously similar language reducing their probative value.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17249
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found only one award was claimed, failing the plural requirement, and the petitioner did not establish national or international recognition of the prize beyond the issuing organization and a blog.

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AAO found only one award was claimed, failing the plural requirement, and the petitioner did not establish national or international recognition of the prize beyond the issuing organization and a blog.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17243
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found expert letters used boilerplate or conclusory language without specific examples of impact, the award documentation indicated the prize hoped to enable future work rather than recognizing realized contributions, and similarities among letters reduced their probative value.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found expert letters used boilerplate or conclusory language without specific examples of impact, the award documentation indicated the prize hoped to enable future work rather than recognizing realized contributions, and similarities among letters reduced their probative value.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17247
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the translation defective, the statute did not show outstanding-achievement membership requirements, and trainer certification did not satisfy the criterion.

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AAO found the translation defective, the statute did not show outstanding-achievement membership requirements, and trainer certification did not satisfy the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17244
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO accepted the January 2010 article as qualifying but found the March 2011 article merely mentioned the petitioner in one sentence; a single qualifying article cannot satisfy the plural requirement.

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AAO accepted the January 2010 article as qualifying but found the March 2011 article merely mentioned the petitioner in one sentence; a single qualifying article cannot satisfy the plural requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17245
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1Aprocedural or otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

procedural or other

standard of proof

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found no evidence that the director applied an elevated standard.

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AAO found no evidence that the director applied an elevated standard.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-15_01_B2203; source_row=17242
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AIBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Single foreign equivalent bachelor's degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

A single foreign equivalent degree is required; combination of a three-year bachelor's degree, a distance-learning diploma, and a vocational certificate cannot substitute for a single foreign equivalent degree. The three-year degree is only comparable to three years of U.S. university study per EDGE.…

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A single foreign equivalent degree is required; combination of a three-year bachelor's degree, a distance-learning diploma, and a vocational certificate cannot substitute for a single foreign equivalent degree. The three-year degree is only comparable to three years of U.S. university study per EDGE. The postgraduate diploma was not shown to be from an AICTE-accredited institution or to require a three-year degree for admission. The certification is vocational, not academic. Private correspondence from an INS official is not binding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-11-14_05_B5203; source_row=17239
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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