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 34213430

NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's evidence did not demonstrate that her proposed endeavor would extend beyond her company and its clientele to have broader national implications. The business plan's projections for job creation and revenue lacked sufficient supporting detail, and the expert opinion letter's assertions were unsubstantiated.…

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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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AAO found that the Petitioner's evidence did not demonstrate that her proposed endeavor would extend beyond her company and its clientele to have broader national implications. The business plan's projections for job creation and revenue lacked sufficient supporting detail, and the expert opinion letter's assertions were unsubstantiated. AAO also noted that the importance of the legal consulting industry generally is not the relevant inquiry; what matters is the specific prospective impact of the Petitioner's particular endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_06_B5203; source_row=39847
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherEngineer

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO disagreed with the Director, finding no evidence in the record reflecting that the Beneficiary made original contributions of major significance. The Director failed to explain or identify the evidence supporting this finding.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO disagreed with the Director, finding no evidence in the record reflecting that the Beneficiary made original contributions of major significance. The Director failed to explain or identify the evidence supporting this finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_01_B2203; source_row=39823
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 concluded that while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to show national importance because the letters and other evidence did not demonstrate broader impact beyond prospective clients, nor significant potential for U.S. job creation 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.

View full reasoning +
AAO concluded that while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to show national importance because the letters and other evidence did not demonstrate broader impact beyond prospective clients, nor significant potential for U.S. job creation or substantial positive economic effects.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_01_B5203; source_row=39826
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 agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's endeavor — improving nutrition and overall health of people in the U.S. through clinical work, combating misinformation, and collaborating with partners — lacked the broader implications required for national importance under Dhanasar.…

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 agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's endeavor — improving nutrition and overall health of people in the U.S. through clinical work, combating misinformation, and collaborating with partners — lacked the broader implications required for national importance under Dhanasar. While her patients and partners may find her work valuable, the Petitioner did not show implications within her field, improvement of human knowledge, research outcomes, scientific advancements, or a particularized economic impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_04_B5203; source_row=39842
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO concluded the evidence focused on the Petitioner's qualifications (relevant to prong 2) rather than the prospective impact of the endeavor, and did not show employment of U.S. workers, substantial economic effects, or broader industry-wide impact.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO concluded the evidence focused on the Petitioner's qualifications (relevant to prong 2) rather than the prospective impact of the endeavor, and did not show employment of U.S. workers, substantial economic effects, or broader industry-wide impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_09_B5203; source_row=39852
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 agrees the endeavor has substantial merit but finds the Petitioner improperly relies on the importance of the industry rather than the specific endeavor's prospective impact, and the projected employment of 16 direct/34 indirect jobs and policy advocacy lack independent evidence of broader impact.

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 agrees the endeavor has substantial merit but finds the Petitioner improperly relies on the importance of the industry rather than the specific endeavor's prospective impact, and the projected employment of 16 direct/34 indirect jobs and policy advocacy lack independent evidence of broader impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_02_B5203; source_row=39836
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree qualification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The policy manual requires at least a U.S. bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent; experience alone cannot substitute. The credential evaluator's reliance on the 'three-for-one' rule is inapplicable to immigrant employment petitions, making the evaluation of little probative value.

Why this is useful

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

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The policy manual requires at least a U.S. bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent; experience alone cannot substitute. The credential evaluator's reliance on the 'three-for-one' rule is inapplicable to immigrant employment petitions, making the evaluation of little probative value.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_05_B5203; source_row=39845
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO expressly reserved the remaining Dhanasar prongs as unnecessary given the failure on prong one.

Why this is useful

Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.

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AAO expressly reserved the remaining Dhanasar prongs as unnecessary given the failure on prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_03_B5203; source_row=39840
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

AAO expressly reserved this prong as unnecessary given the failure on prong one.

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 expressly reserved this prong as unnecessary given the failure on prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_03_B5203; source_row=39841
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance in the field

What the decision said

The AAO reserved this criterion because the Petitioner could not satisfy the three-criterion threshold regardless of the outcome on criterion (v), making it unnecessary to reach.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The AAO reserved this criterion because the Petitioner could not satisfy the three-criterion threshold regardless of the outcome on criterion (v), making it unnecessary to reach.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-08-12_02_B2203; source_row=39832
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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