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 23371–23380

EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life SciencesFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination — sustained national or international acclaim at the very top of the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found that the totality of the evidence shows the petitioner is a productive and effective researcher respected by local and former colleagues, but this falls short of demonstrating she is among the small percentage at the very top of the field or that she has sustained national or international acclaim. Her research activities ceased in 2003 and her acclaim is at most regional.

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The AAO found that the totality of the evidence shows the petitioner is a productive and effective researcher respected by local and former colleagues, but this falls short of demonstrating she is among the small percentage at the very top of the field or that she has sustained national or international acclaim. Her research activities ceased in 2003 and her acclaim is at most regional.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_09_B2203; source_row=14194
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Mathematics / StatisticsPhysician

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

The record lacked documentary evidence of the U.S. News rankings cited, and the letters failed to demonstrate that the petitioner's assistant professorship was leading or critical for the university or its departments. No organizational chart or other comparative evidence was provided to show his differentiation from other faculty.

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The record lacked documentary evidence of the U.S. News rankings cited, and the letters failed to demonstrate that the petitioner's assistant professorship was leading or critical for the university or its departments. No organizational chart or other comparative evidence was provided to show his differentiation from other faculty.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_08_B2203; source_row=14186
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Mathematics / StatisticsPhysician

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The NSF grant was designed to fund future research, not to honor past achievement. Research grants fund a scientist's work and are not prizes or awards for excellence. A post-filing NSF grant could not be considered as eligibility must be established at the time of filing.

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The NSF grant was designed to fund future research, not to honor past achievement. Research grants fund a scientist's work and are not prizes or awards for excellence. A post-filing NSF grant could not be considered as eligibility must be established at the time of filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_08_B2203; source_row=14181
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Mathematics / StatisticsPhysician

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner's independent citation counts were minimal (none exceeding three), and the expert letters, while laudatory, failed to provide specific examples of how the petitioner's work was being widely utilized or had already made a demonstrable impact on the field. Publishing novel research does not inherently constitute a contribution 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 petitioner's independent citation counts were minimal (none exceeding three), and the expert letters, while laudatory, failed to provide specific examples of how the petitioner's work was being widely utilized or had already made a demonstrable impact on the field. Publishing novel research does not inherently constitute a contribution of major significance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_08_B2203; source_row=14184
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 in major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO withdrew the director's finding because items 1–6 lacked full and certified translations as required by 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(b)(3); items 3–6 also lacked required date and/or author information; no evidence was submitted that any foreign publication qualified as major media; item 7 was an advertisement rather than published material about the petitioner; item 8 (Farrier Magazine) lacked date and author and was unsupport…

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The AAO withdrew the director's finding because items 1–6 lacked full and certified translations as required by 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(b)(3); items 3–6 also lacked required date and/or author information; no evidence was submitted that any foreign publication qualified as major media; item 7 was an advertisement rather than published material about the petitioner; item 8 (Farrier Magazine) lacked date and author and was unsupported by evidence of major-media status; and the regulation's use of the plural requires more than one qualifying publication. The documentary evidence was prospective at the time of filing and, in any event, television content does not constitute 'published material' under the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_03_B2203; source_row=14176
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Petitioner holds an advanced degree or equivalent

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner enrolled in the master's program in January 2007, after the petition's 2006 filing date, so it could not be considered. On motion, the petitioner claimed to have obtained the degree but provided no evidence of when it was earned or that it was held as of the filing date.

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The petitioner enrolled in the master's program in January 2007, after the petition's 2006 filing date, so it could not be considered. On motion, the petitioner claimed to have obtained the degree but provided no evidence of when it was earned or that it was held as of the filing date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_02_B5203; source_row=14171
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life SciencesFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with distinguished reputation

What the decision said

Although counsel asserted on appeal that the petitioner performed leading roles at prominent medical institutions, the AAO found this unsupported assertion insufficient and deemed the issue abandoned for failure to provide any legal argument or support.

Why this is useful

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

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Although counsel asserted on appeal that the petitioner performed leading roles at prominent medical institutions, the AAO found this unsupported assertion insufficient and deemed the issue abandoned for failure to provide any legal argument or support.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_09_B2203; source_row=14193
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life SciencesFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications

Why the evidence was persuasive

The director found this criterion met and the AAO did not disturb that finding, noting the petitioner's 2002 article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and 1999 abstract in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

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 director found this criterion met and the AAO did not disturb that finding, noting the petitioner's 2002 article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and 1999 abstract in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_09_B2203; source_row=14192
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life SciencesFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

Both the director and the AAO agreed that the petitioner met this criterion based on her teaching, supervising, and evaluating residents and medical students at the Mayo Clinic.

Why this is useful

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

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Both the director and the AAO agreed that the petitioner met this criterion based on her teaching, supervising, and evaluating residents and medical students at the Mayo Clinic.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_09_B2203; source_row=14190
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life SciencesFaculty

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

What the decision said

The director found this criterion not met, and the petitioner did not challenge that finding on appeal. The AAO concluded the issue was abandoned.

Why this is useful

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

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The director found this criterion not met, and the petitioner did not challenge that finding on appeal. The AAO concluded the issue was abandoned.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-19_09_B2203; source_row=14189
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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