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 37213730

NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Civil / Structural Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner's projected $8.94 million revenue and 35 jobs over five years are dwarfed by the $236.2 billion construction management industry, the industry reports speak to the field generally not the specific endeavor, and the Petitioner failed to show broader implications for his field or the U.S. economy beyond his local business operations.

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AAO found the Petitioner's projected $8.94 million revenue and 35 jobs over five years are dwarfed by the $236.2 billion construction management industry, the industry reports speak to the field generally not the specific endeavor, and the Petitioner failed to show broader implications for his field or the U.S. economy beyond his local business operations.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-29_05_B5203; source_row=39417
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Civil / Structural Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States to waive the job offer requirement

What the decision said

AAO explicitly reserved its opinion on prong three because the Petitioner's failure to establish national importance under prong one was dispositive.

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AAO explicitly reserved its opinion on prong three because the Petitioner's failure to establish national importance under prong one was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-29_05_B5203; source_row=39419
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Civil / Structural Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO did not address this prong; the decision was resolved on prong one alone.

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

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AAO did not address this prong; the decision was resolved on prong one alone.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-29_05_B5203; source_row=39418
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

membership in professional associations (8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(3)(ii)(E))

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the record did not show that any of the three organizations require members to hold a U.S. baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent, and so they were not shown to be professional associations under the regulation.

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AAO found the record did not show that any of the three organizations require members to hold a U.S. baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent, and so they were not shown to be professional associations under the regulation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-29_14_B5203; source_row=39438
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Economics

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that substantial merit was met but found the Petitioner failed to establish national importance because the evidence—industry articles, recommendation letters, and authored pieces—addressed the importance of oil and gas/economics generally rather than the specific prospective impact of his proposed endeavor, and none showed his work would extend beyond individual employers or clients to impact the field more broa…

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AAO agreed that substantial merit was met but found the Petitioner failed to establish national importance because the evidence—industry articles, recommendation letters, and authored pieces—addressed the importance of oil and gas/economics generally rather than the specific prospective impact of his proposed endeavor, and none showed his work would extend beyond individual employers or clients to impact the field more broadly.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_02_B5203; source_row=39390
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

The AAO acknowledged that IT consulting and web design training services are valuable and in demand, but found the Petitioner failed to show that his endeavor's impact would be significant enough to reach national importance.…

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The AAO acknowledged that IT consulting and web design training services are valuable and in demand, but found the Petitioner failed to show that his endeavor's impact would be significant enough to reach national importance. The record did not establish that the benefits would extend beyond his own customers and employees to affect the IT industry more broadly, and pursuing a STEM-related endeavor does not automatically establish national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_01_B5203; source_row=39387
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

memberships

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the Petitioner failed to submit evidence that the association requires outstanding achievements as judged by recognized national or international experts, and that the Baidu Baike article lacked reliability and in any case described only a regionally scoped organization.

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The AAO found the Petitioner failed to submit evidence that the association requires outstanding achievements as judged by recognized national or international experts, and that the Baidu Baike article lacked reliability and in any case described only a regionally scoped organization.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_01_B2203; source_row=39383
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

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO agreed the Petitioner failed to provide circulation data to establish the publications qualify as professional, major trade, or major media, even after the Director specifically requested that information. New submissions post-dating the petition filing were not material.

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The AAO agreed the Petitioner failed to provide circulation data to establish the publications qualify as professional, major trade, or major media, even after the Director specifically requested that information. New submissions post-dating the petition filing were not material.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_01_B2203; source_row=39384
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO agreed the submitted articles do not establish that finishing fourth in the competition constitutes a nationally or internationally recognized prize or award, and noted petitioner's statements in the brief are not evidence.

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The AAO agreed the submitted articles do not establish that finishing fourth in the competition constitutes a nationally or internationally recognized prize or award, and noted petitioner's statements in the brief are not evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_01_B2203; source_row=39382
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the proposed endeavor lacks national importance. General articles about entrepreneurship and small businesses did not relate specifically to the Petitioner's endeavor; business plan revenue and job projections lacked evidentiary basis and did not rise to 'substantial positive economic effects'; the expert letter focused on the Petitioner's expertise rather than the endeavor's broader national impact; and client l…

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AAO agreed the proposed endeavor lacks national importance. General articles about entrepreneurship and small businesses did not relate specifically to the Petitioner's endeavor; business plan revenue and job projections lacked evidentiary basis and did not rise to 'substantial positive economic effects'; the expert letter focused on the Petitioner's expertise rather than the endeavor's broader national impact; and client letters addressed personal attributes rather than prospective national impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-26_05_B5203; source_row=39399
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
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