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

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EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations with a distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the Petitioner did not establish a leading or critical role for the organizations behind the short films, nor a distinguished reputation of those organizations.

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AAO agreed the Petitioner did not establish a leading or critical role for the organizations behind the short films, nor a distinguished reputation of those organizations.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_03_B2203; source_row=38613
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the award is regional, not nationally or internationally recognized, and additionally found the Petitioner was not the actual recipient — the film, production company, and executive producers were the named recipients, with the Petitioner only purchasing a Recognition Award after the ceremony.

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AAO agreed the award is regional, not nationally or internationally recognized, and additionally found the Petitioner was not the actual recipient — the film, production company, and executive producers were the named recipients, with the Petitioner only purchasing a Recognition Award after the ceremony.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_03_B2203; source_row=38609
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance in the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the letters described contributions to specific projects but failed to articulate how those contributions had remarkable influence or impact in the field; conclusory assertions of innovative influence were not supported by specific examples.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed the letters described contributions to specific projects but failed to articulate how those contributions had remarkable influence or impact in the field; conclusory assertions of innovative influence were not supported by specific examples.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_03_B2203; source_row=38611
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManagerBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found 12 of 18 articles lacked required title/date/author information; for the remaining 6, the Petitioner did not establish the websites qualify as major media; YouTube channel subscriber counts were not shown to be significant; and Arabic-language screenshots lacked certified translations.

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AAO found 12 of 18 articles lacked required title/date/author information; for the remaining 6, the Petitioner did not establish the websites qualify as major media; YouTube channel subscriber counts were not shown to be significant; and Arabic-language screenshots lacked certified translations.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_03_B2203; source_row=38610
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that while the endeavor has substantial merit (veterinary health and animal welfare), it does not rise to national importance because the mobile clinic's benefits are limited to its immediate clients and geographic area, the business plan projections lacked sufficient evidentiary support, and the work does not introduce novel methodologies or have broader implications for the veterinary medicine industry at a nati…

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AAO found that while the endeavor has substantial merit (veterinary health and animal welfare), it does not rise to national importance because the mobile clinic's benefits are limited to its immediate clients and geographic area, the business plan projections lacked sufficient evidentiary support, and the work does not introduce novel methodologies or have broader implications for the veterinary medicine industry at a national level.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_03_B5203; source_row=38616
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 found that providing data science services through a regional company does not demonstrate broader implications for the field or U.S. economy sufficient to constitute national importance. Alleged tech worker shortages do not satisfy the national importance requirement. The letters of recommendation addressed general importance of data analytics rather than the petitioner's specific endeavor.…

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AAO found that providing data science services through a regional company does not demonstrate broader implications for the field or U.S. economy sufficient to constitute national importance. Alleged tech worker shortages do not satisfy the national importance requirement. The letters of recommendation addressed general importance of data analytics rather than the petitioner's specific endeavor. Business plan projections were unsupported and did not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects at a national level.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_04_B5203; source_row=38619
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 agreed the proposed endeavor has substantial merit but found the Petitioner failed to show it would extend beyond her individual clientele to have broader national importance. The business plan projected only six employees and modest income without explaining how these would have substantial positive economic effects, the recommendation letters praised the Petitioner's qualifications without addressing her specific prop…

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AAO agreed the proposed endeavor has substantial merit but found the Petitioner failed to show it would extend beyond her individual clientele to have broader national importance. The business plan projected only six employees and modest income without explaining how these would have substantial positive economic effects, the recommendation letters praised the Petitioner's qualifications without addressing her specific proposed endeavor, and the expert letter referenced national initiatives in general without explaining how the Petitioner's work with individual clients would impact those initiatives at a national level.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_01_B5203; source_row=38601
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 with the Director that the industry articles and reports did not discuss the Petitioner or her specific endeavor, so they did not establish that the prospective impact of her endeavor would rise to national importance.…

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AAO agreed with the Director that the industry articles and reports did not discuss the Petitioner or her specific endeavor, so they did not establish that the prospective impact of her endeavor would rise to national importance. The Petitioner's general statement that her company would 'generate jobs' was insufficient without details such as number of employees, salaries, or location, and the record did not establish substantial positive economic effects commensurate with national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_06_B5203; source_row=38625
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

Exceptional ability classification

What the decision said

AAO reserved determination because the NIW analysis was dispositive and it was unnecessary to reach the exceptional ability question.

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AAO reserved determination because the NIW analysis was dispositive and it was unnecessary to reach the exceptional ability question.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_02_B5203; source_row=38605
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 found the articles addressed the halal food industry generally rather than the Petitioner's specific endeavor, the business plan's earnings and employment projections were unsupported and not shown to be substantial, and the farm's operations would not extend beyond individual consumers to impact agriculture or food science more broadly.

Why this is useful

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AAO found the articles addressed the halal food industry generally rather than the Petitioner's specific endeavor, the business plan's earnings and employment projections were unsupported and not shown to be substantial, and the farm's operations would not extend beyond individual consumers to impact agriculture or food science more broadly.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-07-02_05_B5203; source_row=38622
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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