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 22251–22260

EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

USCIS will not presume national or international recognition from the title of a competition. Even if competitions were nationally or internationally recognized, that recognition does not automatically transfer to the prizes awarded. National and international recognition results from awareness of the accolade in the eyes of the field, e.g., through media coverage, which the petitioner failed to provide.

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USCIS will not presume national or international recognition from the title of a competition. Even if competitions were nationally or internationally recognized, that recognition does not automatically transfer to the prizes awarded. National and international recognition results from awareness of the accolade in the eyes of the field, e.g., through media coverage, which the petitioner failed to provide.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_03_B2203; source_row=15540
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

foreign equivalent degree to U.S. baccalaureate

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the beneficiary's combination of an IEI Associate Certificate, a postgraduate diploma, and a technical diploma does not constitute a single foreign equivalent degree to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The IEI is not an academic institution that confers actual degrees with official college or university records.…

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AAO found that the beneficiary's combination of an IEI Associate Certificate, a postgraduate diploma, and a technical diploma does not constitute a single foreign equivalent degree to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The IEI is not an academic institution that confers actual degrees with official college or university records. EDGE confirmed the IEI certificate represents bachelor's-level knowledge but a formal degree from a college or university is required. The PGD was not established to be AICTE-approved or to require a three-year bachelor's degree for entry.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_06_B5203; source_row=15571
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

Evidence raised for the first time on motion after a NOID will not be considered. Regardless, the petitioner submitted only third-party letters rather than primary documentation of the prizes, and provided no evidence of the national or international recognition of the prizes.

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Evidence raised for the first time on motion after a NOID will not be considered. Regardless, the petitioner submitted only third-party letters rather than primary documentation of the prizes, and provided no evidence of the national or international recognition of the prizes.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_01_B2203; source_row=15522
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

There is no evidence the articles were peer-reviewed, contained references, or were otherwise scholarly, and no evidence Art Council is a professional or major trade publication. The regulation also requires authorship in publications (plural).

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There is no evidence the articles were peer-reviewed, contained references, or were otherwise scholarly, and no evidence Art Council is a professional or major trade publication. The regulation also requires authorship in publications (plural).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_01_B2203; source_row=15526
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 in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Art Council article is didactic material written by the petitioner about her own work, not published material about her, and there is no evidence Art Council qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or major media.

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The Art Council article is didactic material written by the petitioner about her own work, not published material about her, and there is no evidence Art Council qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_01_B2203; source_row=15523
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

The letter does not specify any actual remuneration, no financial documentation was submitted, and no comparison was offered to remuneration of others in the field.

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The letter does not specify any actual remuneration, no financial documentation was submitted, and no comparison was offered to remuneration of others in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_01_B2203; source_row=15528
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

The criterion was raised for the first time on motion after a NOID, so the evidence will not be considered. The reference letter also lacks specificity—failing to identify the works judged or the artists evaluated.

Why this is useful

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The criterion was raised for the first time on motion after a NOID, so the evidence will not be considered. The reference letter also lacks specificity—failing to identify the works judged or the artists evaluated.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_01_B2203; source_row=15524
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerPhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

occupation qualifies as a profession requiring baccalaureate degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the director erred in finding the petitioner qualified as a member of the professions. The intended occupation (SOC 11-9151) does not always require a baccalaureate degree — 10% of positions require only a high school diploma — and the record lacked sufficient evidence to show the specific position required a bachelor's degree at minimum.

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The AAO found the director erred in finding the petitioner qualified as a member of the professions. The intended occupation (SOC 11-9151) does not always require a baccalaureate degree — 10% of positions require only a high school diploma — and the record lacked sufficient evidence to show the specific position required a bachelor's degree at minimum.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_02_B5203; source_row=15539
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

Five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience in the specialty by priority date

Why AAO was not persuaded

Even assuming the Bangladeshi MBA satisfied the bachelor's degree requirement, it was awarded on January 19, 2006, making it impossible for the beneficiary to have accumulated five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience before the September 2, 2010 priority date.

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Even assuming the Bangladeshi MBA satisfied the bachelor's degree requirement, it was awarded on January 19, 2006, making it impossible for the beneficiary to have accumulated five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience before the September 2, 2010 priority date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_07_B5203; source_row=15573
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

Foreign equivalent degree to a U.S. baccalaureate in a required field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO relied on EDGE (AACRAO) data showing that a three-year Indian Bachelor of Science is comparable to only two to three years of U.S. university study and that the Bangladeshi MBA is comparable only to a U.S. bachelor's degree in business—neither of which qualifies in the required fields. The submitted credential evaluations were inconsistent, relied on non-peer-reviewed materials, and in one case distorted source articles.…

Why this is useful

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

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AAO relied on EDGE (AACRAO) data showing that a three-year Indian Bachelor of Science is comparable to only two to three years of U.S. university study and that the Bangladeshi MBA is comparable only to a U.S. bachelor's degree in business—neither of which qualifies in the required fields. The submitted credential evaluations were inconsistent, relied on non-peer-reviewed materials, and in one case distorted source articles. A three-year bachelor's degree cannot constitute the foreign equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-21_07_B5203; source_row=15572
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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