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 31713180

NIWexceptional ability otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

License to practice the profession or occupation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's business plan shows he will be president and senior manager, hiring truck drivers as staff — not working as a truck driver himself — so the CDL does not establish a required license for his claimed profession. Additionally, he plans to operate in New York and did not address how a temporary Florida CDL is required for that occupation.

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AAO found that the Petitioner's business plan shows he will be president and senior manager, hiring truck drivers as staff — not working as a truck driver himself — so the CDL does not establish a required license for his claimed profession. Additionally, he plans to operate in New York and did not address how a temporary Florida CDL is required for that occupation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B5203; source_row=40212
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

Membership in professional associations

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the Director's finding because neither TVC Marketing Associates, Inc. nor OOIDA was shown to have a membership body requiring a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent, and neither organization otherwise meets the regulatory definition of a professional association.

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AAO withdrew the Director's finding because neither TVC Marketing Associates, Inc. nor OOIDA was shown to have a membership body requiring a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent, and neither organization otherwise meets the regulatory definition of a professional association.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B5203; source_row=40214
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

Official academic record (degree/diploma)

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the diploma, transcript, and summer session documentation satisfy the academic record criterion.

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AAO agreed the diploma, transcript, and summer session documentation satisfy the academic record criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B5203; source_row=40211
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 in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that the Director's reliance on Braga v. Poulos was misplaced because that case involved an unsupported boastful claim, whereas here the Petitioner provided concrete circulation data. Additionally, the Director overlooked independent third-party evidence (e.g., a Wall Street Journal article about 21st Century Business Herald) establishing the publications' major media status.…

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AAO found that the Director's reliance on Braga v. Poulos was misplaced because that case involved an unsupported boastful claim, whereas here the Petitioner provided concrete circulation data. Additionally, the Director overlooked independent third-party evidence (e.g., a Wall Street Journal article about 21st Century Business Herald) establishing the publications' major media status. The press coverage of the Petitioner's corporate work satisfied the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_02_B2203; source_row=40218
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (vi).

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AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (vi).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_02_B2203; source_row=40221
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (iv).

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AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (iv).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_02_B2203; source_row=40219
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other14 papers58 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or remuneration

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the record supports the Director's conclusion that the Petitioner satisfied the high salary criterion.

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AAO agreed the record supports the Director's conclusion that the Petitioner satisfied the high salary criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B2203; source_row=40209
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other14 papers58 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the record supports the Director's conclusion that the Petitioner satisfied the scholarly articles criterion.

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed the record supports the Director's conclusion that the Petitioner satisfied the scholarly articles criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B2203; source_row=40208
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other14 papers58 citations

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 initial evidence threshold of at least three criteria.

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AAO declined to reach a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidence threshold of at least three criteria.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_01_B2203; source_row=40210
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's research on emotion detection and human-robot interaction has substantial merit and national importance.

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's research on emotion detection and human-robot interaction has substantial merit and national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-23_05_B5203; source_row=40233
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
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