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.
10,847 decisions /36,849 findings
Showing 24001–24010
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Mathematics / Statistics
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · High remuneration
high salary
Why AAO was not persuaded
The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The only salary evidence was a 2008 W-2, which post-dated the December 31, 2007 filing date. Additionally, the salary data compared the petitioner only to Level I entry-level analysts, not to the full range of experienced professionals in the field, and the petitioner's earnings fell below the 90th percentile for Levels II through V.
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Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.
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The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The only salary evidence was a 2008 W-2, which post-dated the December 31, 2007 filing date. Additionally, the salary data compared the petitioner only to Level I entry-level analysts, not to the full range of experienced professionals in the field, and the petitioner's earnings fell below the 90th percentile for Levels II through V.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_02_B2203; source_row=13464 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Mathematics / Statistics
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why AAO was not persuaded
The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The testimonial letters failed to demonstrate original contributions of major significance—they were vague, speculative about future impact, and lacked specific evidence of influence beyond the university or project level. Citation evidence was minimal (two citations) and largely post-filing.
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The testimonial letters failed to demonstrate original contributions of major significance—they were vague, speculative about future impact, and lacked specific evidence of influence beyond the university or project level. Citation evidence was minimal (two citations) and largely post-filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_02_B2203; source_row=13461 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
PMP certification is based on 35 hours of classroom training and passing an exam, which is not an outstanding achievement judged by recognized experts; the new PMI letter fails to identify any membership requirements demonstrating outstanding achievements.
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Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.
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PMP certification is based on 35 hours of classroom training and passing an exam, which is not an outstanding achievement judged by recognized experts; the new PMI letter fails to identify any membership requirements demonstrating outstanding achievements.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13451 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The petitioner relied mostly on recommendation letters and a degree/thesis from an unaccredited institution; the record fails to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or that he is among the small percentage at the very top of the field.
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Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.
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The petitioner relied mostly on recommendation letters and a degree/thesis from an unaccredited institution; the record fails to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or that he is among the small percentage at the very top of the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13456 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
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
The thesis is from an unaccredited institution, the letter does not explain how the thesis is of major significance, no business professionals outside AIU are identified as using it, and the regulation requires more than one contribution while only a single contribution was claimed.
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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The thesis is from an unaccredited institution, the letter does not explain how the thesis is of major significance, no business professionals outside AIU are identified as using it, and the regulation requires more than one contribution while only a single contribution was claimed.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13453 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The petitioner did not contest this criterion on appeal and the issue was deemed abandoned; in any event no documentary evidence of publication in professional or major media was submitted, and a single claimed publication does not satisfy the plural requirement.
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 did not contest this criterion on appeal and the issue was deemed abandoned; in any event no documentary evidence of publication in professional or major media was submitted, and a single claimed publication does not satisfy the plural requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13454 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established
Case facts
Business / Management
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Leading / critical role
leading or critical role
Why AAO was not persuaded
The new letters appear similarly written by a single author, are vague, repeat regulatory language, and lack organizational charts or evidence distinguishing petitioner's role from other project managers; nor was the distinguished reputation of the organizations established.
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The new letters appear similarly written by a single author, are vague, repeat regulatory language, and lack organizational charts or evidence distinguishing petitioner's role from other project managers; nor was the distinguished reputation of the organizations established.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13455 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The new letter lacks specific information such as dates, names of articles, or fields of work judged; mischaracterizes the AAO's prior findings; and the underlying judging at AIU is at an unaccredited institution.
Why this is useful
See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.
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The new letter lacks specific information such as dates, names of articles, or fields of work judged; mischaracterizes the AAO's prior findings; and the underlying judging at AIU is at an unaccredited institution.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B2203; source_row=13452 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The AAO withdrew the director's finding and concluded the petitioner met the plain language of this criterion by submitting sufficient evidence of scholarly article authorship. The director had improperly imposed a national or international acclaim requirement beyond the plain language.
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 AAO withdrew the director's finding and concluded the petitioner met the plain language of this criterion by submitting sufficient evidence of scholarly article authorship. The director had improperly imposed a national or international acclaim requirement beyond the plain language.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_02_B2203; source_row=13462 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The AAO found that while the three-year B.S. alone is only equivalent to two to three years of U.S. undergraduate education, the PGD—which requires a three-year baccalaureate for entry—when combined with the prior degree, is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate. This is because the beneficiary does not possess two unrelated lesser degrees, but a PGD that builds on the prior degree in a related field.
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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 that while the three-year B.S. alone is only equivalent to two to three years of U.S. undergraduate education, the PGD—which requires a three-year baccalaureate for entry—when combined with the prior degree, is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate. This is because the beneficiary does not possess two unrelated lesser degrees, but a PGD that builds on the prior degree in a related field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2011-12-07_01_B5203; source_row=13457 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c