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 21191–21200

EB-1AEB-1A · Commercial successNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Commercial success

commercial successes in the performing arts

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner's field is not the performing arts, so this criterion does not apply on its face. The petitioner did not establish grounds for applying the comparable evidence provision at 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(4), and even if she had, letters attesting to undocumented revenue amounts are not comparable to objective box-office or sales records.

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The petitioner's field is not the performing arts, so this criterion does not apply on its face. The petitioner did not establish grounds for applying the comparable evidence provision at 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(4), and even if she had, letters attesting to undocumented revenue amounts are not comparable to objective box-office or sales records.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B2203; source_row=16773
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner did not show the RSS implementation was an original contribution (counsel conceded she did not invent RSS), did not submit documentary evidence that the field was not already using the technology, and the letters were conclusory or contained near-identical language suggesting they were not authored independently.…

Why this is useful

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

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The petitioner did not show the RSS implementation was an original contribution (counsel conceded she did not invent RSS), did not submit documentary evidence that the field was not already using the technology, and the letters were conclusory or contained near-identical language suggesting they were not authored independently. Front-page articles also do not automatically constitute original contributions of major significance. Additionally, the regulation requires plural contributions and the petitioner showed at most one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B2203; source_row=16769
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

serve national interest to substantially greater degree than available U.S. worker with same minimum qualifications

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO rejected counsel's argument that a known shortage of qualified educators for the Hispanic population makes the petitioner more influential than a similarly qualified U.S. worker, observing that labor certification is itself designed to identify and address worker shortages. AAO also gave reduced weight to witness letters with strikingly similar wording suggesting a common drafter.

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 rejected counsel's argument that a known shortage of qualified educators for the Hispanic population makes the petitioner more influential than a similarly qualified U.S. worker, observing that labor certification is itself designed to identify and address worker shortages. AAO also gave reduced weight to witness letters with strikingly similar wording suggesting a common drafter.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B5203; source_row=16778
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

What the decision said

The petitioner conceded during the RFE response that her articles were not scholarly and made no claim on appeal, so the issue was considered abandoned.

Why this is useful

See how AAO evaluated whether the work qualified as scholarly authorship and what it showed in the full record.

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The petitioner conceded during the RFE response that her articles were not scholarly and made no claim on appeal, so the issue was considered abandoned.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B2203; source_row=16770
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial intrinsic merit

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO accepted that the petitioner's occupation, addressing barriers facing immigrant and U.S.-born children of immigrants, has substantial intrinsic merit.

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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AAO accepted that the petitioner's occupation, addressing barriers facing immigrant and U.S.-born children of immigrants, has substantial intrinsic merit.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B5203; source_row=16776
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

qualification as alien of exceptional ability

What the decision said

AAO treated the exceptional-ability ground as abandoned because the appellate brief addressed only the national interest waiver.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO treated the exceptional-ability ground as abandoned because the appellate brief addressed only the national interest waiver.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B5203; source_row=16775
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that giving conference presentations in several states did not establish national impact, that claims about the petitioner's role in a White House-related summit lacked supporting evidence, and that 'countrywide potential' is speculative and insufficient at the time of filing.

Why this is useful

Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.

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AAO found that giving conference presentations in several states did not establish national impact, that claims about the petitioner's role in a White House-related summit lacked supporting evidence, and that 'countrywide potential' is speculative and insufficient at the time of filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_01_B5203; source_row=16777
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed its prior appellate determination that the petitioner failed to qualify under this criterion.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO affirmed its prior appellate determination that the petitioner failed to qualify under this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-18_03_B2203; source_row=16779
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherFaculty

Issue evaluated

other

beneficiary meets minimum experience requirements of labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The RIBS Integrations letter contradicts information on the ETA 750B; the second employment letter fails to describe duties; H-1B letters are prospective only; and the beneficiary's affidavit is self-serving. Regulations require employer letters with name, address, title, and specific duty descriptions, none of which were adequately provided.

Why this is useful

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

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The RIBS Integrations letter contradicts information on the ETA 750B; the second employment letter fails to describe duties; H-1B letters are prospective only; and the beneficiary's affidavit is self-serving. Regulations require employer letters with name, address, title, and specific duty descriptions, none of which were adequately provided.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-17_01_B5203; source_row=16764
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherFaculty

Issue evaluated

other

ability to pay proffered wage from priority date

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner paid the full proffered wage in 2004 but paid less than the full wage in 2005–2007. The predecessor's 2005 tax return was never submitted; the petitioner's 2005 tax return showed $0 in wages and income. Net income was $0 or negative for 2005–2007, and net current assets were insufficient in 2005.…

Why this is useful

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

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The petitioner paid the full proffered wage in 2004 but paid less than the full wage in 2005–2007. The predecessor's 2005 tax return was never submitted; the petitioner's 2005 tax return showed $0 in wages and income. Net income was $0 or negative for 2005–2007, and net current assets were insufficient in 2005. Management-fee arguments and the totality-of-circumstances argument were rejected because no supporting tax returns confirmed the fees and the petitioner showed no historical growth or reputation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-07-17_01_B5203; source_row=16763
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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