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.

Clear filters

10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 39914000

EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director that while the Beneficiary held a leading role at the student-run clinic, the Petitioner did not establish that the clinic itself had a distinguished reputation, and the broader statewide program for which the Beneficiary did not show a leading role was distinct from the clinic.…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed with the Director that while the Beneficiary held a leading role at the student-run clinic, the Petitioner did not establish that the clinic itself had a distinguished reputation, and the broader statewide program for which the Beneficiary did not show a leading role was distinct from the clinic. AAO also discounted a faculty letter because it had been originally written in 2020 as a residency recommendation, not to address the regulatory criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_01_B2203; source_row=38954
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot established

Case facts

Environment / Energy

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

Evidence of commanding a high salary or other remuneration for services (8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(3)(ii)(D))

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not claim and did not provide evidence of commanding a salary or other remuneration for services demonstrating exceptional ability either in the record below or on appeal.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The Petitioner did not claim and did not provide evidence of commanding a salary or other remuneration for services demonstrating exceptional ability either in the record below or on appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_07_B5203; source_row=38976
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · Final meritsNot established

Case facts

Environment / Energy

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

Final merits determination — exceptional ability

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO agreed with the Director that the totality of evidence — including education, PMI membership, IEEE affiliation, recommendation letters, expert opinion letters, and training certificates — did not demonstrate that the Petitioner possesses a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the field.…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The AAO agreed with the Director that the totality of evidence — including education, PMI membership, IEEE affiliation, recommendation letters, expert opinion letters, and training certificates — did not demonstrate that the Petitioner possesses a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the field. The recommendation letters merely commended job performance; expert opinion letters were too general; and PMI membership lacked requirements above those commonly found among project managers.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_07_B5203; source_row=38979
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 found the record lacked probative evidence tying the Petitioner's specific proposed endeavor to national importance. No expert letters from government or senior industry figures described government interest in the Petitioner's specific platform. The business plan's financial and staffing projections lacked independent corroboration.…

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 found the record lacked probative evidence tying the Petitioner's specific proposed endeavor to national importance. No expert letters from government or senior industry figures described government interest in the Petitioner's specific platform. The business plan's financial and staffing projections lacked independent corroboration. The reference letters and letters of interest showed the Petitioner's skills were valuable to individual businesses but did not establish that his methodologies would affect the field more broadly or rise to the level of national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_04_B5203; source_row=38964
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

The AAO found the endeavor has substantial merit but lacks national importance. The Petitioner's projected staffing, revenue, tax contributions, and cross-border consulting activity do not rise to the level of substantial positive economic effects contemplated by Dhanasar, and she failed to show her work would impact the broader field beyond her clientele.

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 +
The AAO found the endeavor has substantial merit but lacks national importance. The Petitioner's projected staffing, revenue, tax contributions, and cross-border consulting activity do not rise to the level of substantial positive economic effects contemplated by Dhanasar, and she failed to show her work would impact the broader field beyond her clientele.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_06_B5203; source_row=38970
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree qualification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The foreign-language transcript had no certified English translation and was accorded no weight. Even if the bachelor's degree were qualifying, the Petitioner lacked the required five years of progressive post-degree experience prior to filing.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The foreign-language transcript had no certified English translation and was accorded no weight. Even if the bachelor's degree were qualifying, the Petitioner lacked the required five years of progressive post-degree experience prior to filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_03_B5203; source_row=38962
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 Petitioner's arguments restated previously analyzed assertions about indirect job creation without identifying any legal error in AAO's prior analysis.

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 +
The Petitioner's arguments restated previously analyzed assertions about indirect job creation without identifying any legal error in AAO's prior analysis.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_03_B5203; source_row=38963
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO notes the Director's favorable finding on the second prong but does not analyze it further given the dispositive ruling on the first prong.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO notes the Director's favorable finding on the second prong but does not analyze it further given the dispositive ruling on the first prong.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_02_B5203; source_row=38960
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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 found the Petitioner failed to show how his work as a financial and insurance manager would have broader national impact beyond the individual companies he works with. The professional plan's projections of job and revenue creation lacked supporting detail and methodology, and even if credited in full, would not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects at the national level.…

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 +
The AAO found the Petitioner failed to show how his work as a financial and insurance manager would have broader national impact beyond the individual companies he works with. The professional plan's projections of job and revenue creation lacked supporting detail and methodology, and even if credited in full, would not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects at the national level. The expert opinion letter and recommendation letters focused on the importance of the field rather than the specific endeavor's national impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_05_B5203; source_row=38967
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the authorship criterion was satisfied.

Why this is useful

See how AAO evaluated whether the work qualified as scholarly authorship and what it showed in the full record.

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed with the Director that the authorship criterion was satisfied.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-12_01_B2203; source_row=38953
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
Back to assessment