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 22281–22290

EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the director's favorable finding because the petitioner did not initially claim this criterion and all judging/reviewing activities post-dated the March 28, 2011 petition filing date, making them ineligible to establish eligibility at time of filing.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

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AAO withdrew the director's favorable finding because the petitioner did not initially claim this criterion and all judging/reviewing activities post-dated the March 28, 2011 petition filing date, making them ineligible to establish eligibility at time of filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_01_B2203; source_row=15487
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner's roles as graduate student and postdoctoral researcher were subordinate positions not shown to be leading or critical to the institutions. No organizational chart or evidence showed how his position differed from other researchers, and postdoctoral appointments are standard training positions.

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

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The petitioner's roles as graduate student and postdoctoral researcher were subordinate positions not shown to be leading or critical to the institutions. No organizational chart or evidence showed how his position differed from other researchers, and postdoctoral appointments are standard training positions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_01_B2203; source_row=15490
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

Articles citing the petitioner's work are about the authors' own work, not about the petitioner. The Life Extension Magazine report does not mention the petitioner. The Editorial Focus article discusses the petitioner's article but is not 'about' the petitioner personally and lacks independent journalistic coverage.…

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

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Articles citing the petitioner's work are about the authors' own work, not about the petitioner. The Life Extension Magazine report does not mention the petitioner. The Editorial Focus article discusses the petitioner's article but is not 'about' the petitioner personally and lacks independent journalistic coverage. The NewsRx release lacked an identified author and was a press release summarizing multiple authors' research, not about the petitioner.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_01_B2203; source_row=15486
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The citation counts were minimal to moderate (no article independently cited more than twenty times). Letters of support did not provide specific examples of how findings had been applied in the field and speculated about future impact. Post-filing accomplishments could not be considered. Mere publication and citation is insufficient without evidence of major significance.

Why this is useful

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

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The citation counts were minimal to moderate (no article independently cited more than twenty times). Letters of support did not provide specific examples of how findings had been applied in the field and speculated about future impact. Post-filing accomplishments could not be considered. Mere publication and citation is insufficient without evidence of major significance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_01_B2203; source_row=15488
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree or foreign equivalent under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(2)

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the Pace evaluation unpersuasive (and internally conceded the Indian system omits elective coursework), preferred the peer-reviewed EDGE entry indicating the Indian MBA is comparable only to a U.S. bachelor's degree, and concluded the beneficiary does not hold the equivalent of a U.S. master's degree.

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

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The AAO found the Pace evaluation unpersuasive (and internally conceded the Indian system omits elective coursework), preferred the peer-reviewed EDGE entry indicating the Indian MBA is comparable only to a U.S. bachelor's degree, and concluded the beneficiary does not hold the equivalent of a U.S. master's degree.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_06_B5203; source_row=15508
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

beneficiary's qualifying advanced degree / education

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO independently consulted a credentials database that did not equate the beneficiary's credentials to a U.S. master's degree and dismissed when no responsive evidence was submitted.

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

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AAO independently consulted a credentials database that did not equate the beneficiary's credentials to a U.S. master's degree and dismissed when no responsive evidence was submitted.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_02_B5203; source_row=15499
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Possession of U.S. baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent degree

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found that a three-year Indian bachelor's degree and an ICAI professional certification, alone or combined, do not constitute a 'foreign equivalent degree' to a U.S. baccalaureate. The regulations require a single degree from an academic institution awarding an official college or university record.…

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The AAO found that a three-year Indian bachelor's degree and an ICAI professional certification, alone or combined, do not constitute a 'foreign equivalent degree' to a U.S. baccalaureate. The regulations require a single degree from an academic institution awarding an official college or university record. The ICAI is not such an institution, and the credential evaluations were inconsistent, lacked methodology, and were therefore unpersuasive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_03_B5203; source_row=15501
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

foreign equivalent of U.S. baccalaureate plus five years progressive experience

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO held that a three-year foreign degree is categorically not a 'foreign equivalent degree' and that combining multiple lesser credentials produces only an 'equivalent of' rather than a foreign equivalent degree, so the beneficiary cannot qualify under section 203(b)(2).

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

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AAO held that a three-year foreign degree is categorically not a 'foreign equivalent degree' and that combining multiple lesser credentials produces only an 'equivalent of' rather than a foreign equivalent degree, so the beneficiary cannot qualify under section 203(b)(2).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_09_B5203; source_row=15514
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree or foreign equivalent

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the credential evaluations unpersuasive and unsubstantiated, preferred EDGE's conclusion that a three-year Indian B.Sc. equates to only two-to-three years of U.S. study, and held the NIIT post-graduate diploma could not be combined with the bachelor's degree to reach the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found the credential evaluations unpersuasive and unsubstantiated, preferred EDGE's conclusion that a three-year Indian B.Sc. equates to only two-to-three years of U.S. study, and held the NIIT post-graduate diploma could not be combined with the bachelor's degree to reach the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_08_B5203; source_row=15511
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Beneficiary meets minimum education on labor certification (master's degree or foreign equivalent)

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO credited AACRAO EDGE over the private credential evaluator, finding that under EDGE the beneficiary's three-year Bachelor of Commerce is comparable to only two to three years of U.S. university study, and the Master of Commerce is comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree — not a master's degree. The private evaluation was unpersuasive because the evaluator conceded the Indian system omits elective components present in U.S.…

Why this is useful

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

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AAO credited AACRAO EDGE over the private credential evaluator, finding that under EDGE the beneficiary's three-year Bachelor of Commerce is comparable to only two to three years of U.S. university study, and the Master of Commerce is comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree — not a master's degree. The private evaluation was unpersuasive because the evaluator conceded the Indian system omits elective components present in U.S. programs and the evaluation was neither peer-reviewed nor relied on peer-reviewed materials. The labor certification required a master's degree with no alternate combination permitted.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-12-19_07_B5203; source_row=15510
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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