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 40114020

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 business projections lacked objective evidentiary support, that her previous work's positive influence on clients in Brazil did not demonstrate national impact in the United States, that her single compounding pharmacy and wellness products business could not be shown to have a prospective national-level impact, and that the importance of the pharmaceutical industry generally is not the same…

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AAO found that the Petitioner's business projections lacked objective evidentiary support, that her previous work's positive influence on clients in Brazil did not demonstrate national impact in the United States, that her single compounding pharmacy and wellness products business could not be shown to have a prospective national-level impact, and that the importance of the pharmaceutical industry generally is not the same as the national importance of her specific proposed endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_11_B5203; source_row=38945
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 found the proposed endeavor was not defined with sufficient specificity—the Petitioner did not clarify whether she would work as a compliance manager, CEO, or both—and that even under a generous reading, the business plan's projected revenue and job creation figures did not rise to national importance. Industry-level importance cannot substitute for endeavor-level importance.

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The AAO found the proposed endeavor was not defined with sufficient specificity—the Petitioner did not clarify whether she would work as a compliance manager, CEO, or both—and that even under a generous reading, the business plan's projected revenue and job creation figures did not rise to national importance. Industry-level importance cannot substitute for endeavor-level importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B5203; source_row=38909
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO disagreed with the Director on substantial merit, finding the Petitioner sufficiently described her endeavor and it has substantial merit. However, AAO agreed the endeavor lacks national importance because the Petitioner failed to demonstrate how her individual nursing and teaching work would impact her field more broadly beyond her specific patients, students, and facilities.

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AAO disagreed with the Director on substantial merit, finding the Petitioner sufficiently described her endeavor and it has substantial merit. However, AAO agreed the endeavor lacks national importance because the Petitioner failed to demonstrate how her individual nursing and teaching work would impact her field more broadly beyond her specific patients, students, and facilities.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_09_B5203; source_row=38939
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner failed to show national importance. The submitted articles and industry reports did not mention the Petitioner's specific endeavor, and she provided no empirical data, economic projections, or job creation figures to demonstrate the endeavor's scale or impact on the national economy.

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AAO affirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner failed to show national importance. The submitted articles and industry reports did not mention the Petitioner's specific endeavor, and she provided no empirical data, economic projections, or job creation figures to demonstrate the endeavor's scale or impact on the national economy.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_10_B5203; source_row=38942
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 the endeavor has substantial merit but not national importance. The Petitioner's projected employment of three to five workers, modest revenue, and services to individual entities did not demonstrate broader impact on her field. Supporting letters were conclusory and failed to connect the company's services to broader national implications.

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AAO agreed the endeavor has substantial merit but not national importance. The Petitioner's projected employment of three to five workers, modest revenue, and services to individual entities did not demonstrate broader impact on her field. Supporting letters were conclusory and failed to connect the company's services to broader national implications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_06_B5203; source_row=38930
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

Leading or critical role for organizations with a distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

Employment at a PDR instruction company did not demonstrate a leading or critical role within the organization. As to the Petitioner's own businesses in Brazil and the U.S., the record lacked sufficient evidence of distinguished reputation; the mayor's letter contained only broad unsubstantiated claims without supporting specifics.…

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Employment at a PDR instruction company did not demonstrate a leading or critical role within the organization. As to the Petitioner's own businesses in Brazil and the U.S., the record lacked sufficient evidence of distinguished reputation; the mayor's letter contained only broad unsubstantiated claims without supporting specifics. Most testimonials were from businesses that used the Petitioner's services, not from employers, and did not show he performed in a leading or critical role.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B2203; source_row=38907
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

The Petitioner's NAPDRT membership evidence did not address the requirement that outstanding achievements be a prerequisite. The ARC certification, presented as a January 2024 printout, did not demonstrate membership existed at the time the petition was filed in March 2022.

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The Petitioner's NAPDRT membership evidence did not address the requirement that outstanding achievements be a prerequisite. The ARC certification, presented as a January 2024 printout, did not demonstrate membership existed at the time the petition was filed in March 2022.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B2203; source_row=38903
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

None of the testimonials specifically identified the claimed contribution or documented its impact on the automotive PDR field. The letters described personal experiences and business-level contributions, but contributions benefiting individual clients do not establish broad field-level impact.…

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None of the testimonials specifically identified the claimed contribution or documented its impact on the automotive PDR field. The letters described personal experiences and business-level contributions, but contributions benefiting individual clients do not establish broad field-level impact. Advisory opinions from associate professors also failed to explain how the Petitioner's contributions are original and significant, and one advisory opinion contained unexplained irrelevant references undermining its reliability.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B2203; source_row=38906
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Major awardNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Major award

One-time major internationally recognized award

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not claim or submit evidence of a major internationally recognized award.

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The Petitioner did not claim or submit evidence of a major internationally recognized award.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B2203; source_row=38902
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

High salary or remuneration relative to others in the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

Because the Petitioner is a business owner rather than an employee PDR technician, his earnings likely reflect administrative and management tasks in addition to PDR services. He did not offer evidence establishing his salary specifically as a PDR technician as distinct from his earnings as a business proprietor, making a valid salary comparison impossible.

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Because the Petitioner is a business owner rather than an employee PDR technician, his earnings likely reflect administrative and management tasks in addition to PDR services. He did not offer evidence establishing his salary specifically as a PDR technician as distinct from his earnings as a business proprietor, making a valid salary comparison impossible.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-11_02_B2203; source_row=38908
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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