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 29612970

NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO agreed that the Petitioner conflated the importance of the field with the importance of his specific proposed endeavor. The record did not show how the Petitioner's services would extend beyond his prospective clients, nor did the business plan provide sufficient evidence of funding, job creation, or economic impact at a national level.

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Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

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The AAO agreed that the Petitioner conflated the importance of the field with the importance of his specific proposed endeavor. The record did not show how the Petitioner's services would extend beyond his prospective clients, nor did the business plan provide sufficient evidence of funding, job creation, or economic impact at a national level.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-09_05_B5203; source_row=40573
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's unsupported assertion that BISA's building-size membership requirement constitutes an outstanding achievement lacked evidentiary support. The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that BISA's requirements constitute outstanding achievements as a condition of regular membership.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found that the Petitioner's unsupported assertion that BISA's building-size membership requirement constitutes an outstanding achievement lacked evidentiary support. The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that BISA's requirements constitute outstanding achievements as a condition of regular membership.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40557
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner had not demonstrated contributions of major significance. The record did not support that the Petitioner's work was unusually influential or widely applied in the field, and the connection between legislative advocacy and actual field-wide impact was not adequately established.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner had not demonstrated contributions of major significance. The record did not support that the Petitioner's work was unusually influential or widely applied in the field, and the connection between legislative advocacy and actual field-wide impact was not adequately established.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40558
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the proposed endeavor had substantial merit but not national importance, because the record did not show how a CEO role at a small consulting firm would extend beyond benefits to its individual client businesses to have broader national or global implications or substantial positive economic effects.

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 found the proposed endeavor had substantial merit but not national importance, because the record did not show how a CEO role at a small consulting firm would extend beyond benefits to its individual client businesses to have broader national or global implications or substantial positive economic effects.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_03_B5203; source_row=40562
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

AAO found the record does not support the Director's favorable determination because the Petitioner did not provide evidence of the relative circulation, readership, or viewership of the publications, and did not provide screenshots, links, or airing dates for television interviews.

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 record does not support the Director's favorable determination because the Petitioner did not provide evidence of the relative circulation, readership, or viewership of the publications, and did not provide screenshots, links, or airing dates for television interviews.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_01_B2203; source_row=40547
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

What the decision said

The Petitioner did not contest the Director's denial of this criterion on appeal, so AAO considered it abandoned/waived.

Why this is useful

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

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The Petitioner did not contest the Director's denial of this criterion on appeal, so AAO considered it abandoned/waived.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40553
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO declined to consider the Petitioner's new arguments and evidence raised for the first time on appeal, finding the Petitioner had been put on notice and given reasonable opportunity to submit these arguments before the denial. Without those new arguments, no evidence met the criterion's plain language requirements.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO declined to consider the Petitioner's new arguments and evidence raised for the first time on appeal, finding the Petitioner had been put on notice and given reasonable opportunity to submit these arguments before the denial. Without those new arguments, no evidence met the criterion's plain language requirements.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40556
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO declined to reach a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the Step 1 threshold, but noted in dicta that the record does not support a finding of sustained national or international acclaim.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO declined to reach a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the Step 1 threshold, but noted in dicta that the record does not support a finding of sustained national or international acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40559
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner met the published material criterion and declined to disturb that finding.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner met the published material criterion and declined to disturb that finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_02_B2203; source_row=40554
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive the job offer requirement

What the decision said

AAO declined to reach the third prong as unnecessary given the first-prong failure.

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 declined to reach the third prong as unnecessary given the first-prong failure.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-09-06_03_B5203; source_row=40564
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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