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 44414450

NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

The AAO declined to reach the third prong because the failure to establish national importance under the first prong was dispositive.

Why this is useful

See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.

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The AAO declined to reach the third prong because the failure to establish national importance under the first prong was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-14_05_B5203; source_row=38207
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

The AAO declined to reach the second prong because the failure to establish national importance under the first prong was dispositive.

Why this is useful

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

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The AAO declined to reach the second prong because the failure to establish national importance under the first prong was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-14_05_B5203; source_row=38206
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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 agreed the endeavor had substantial merit but found no national importance: the Petitioner proposes to serve individual clients without broader field impact, post-filing evidence (her 2023-formed company, related letters, bank statements) cannot be considered, the cited industry article does not concern her specific endeavor, and her employment/economic projections were unsupported and not in an economically depressed a…

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 the endeavor had substantial merit but found no national importance: the Petitioner proposes to serve individual clients without broader field impact, post-filing evidence (her 2023-formed company, related letters, bank statements) cannot be considered, the cited industry article does not concern her specific endeavor, and her employment/economic projections were unsupported and not in an economically depressed area.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_04_B5203; source_row=38183
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 agreed that the Petitioner had not established national importance, finding the record lacked probative evidence showing realistic potential for the company to operate, create jobs, or produce substantial positive economic effects at a national level. The Petitioner's general assertions about job creation and economic contribution were insufficient without supporting documentary evidence.

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 that the Petitioner had not established national importance, finding the record lacked probative evidence showing realistic potential for the company to operate, create jobs, or produce substantial positive economic effects at a national level. The Petitioner's general assertions about job creation and economic contribution were insufficient without supporting documentary evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_03_B5203; source_row=38179
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 agreed that the submitted evidence addressed general information about financial analysts and the industry, the financial illiteracy of small business owners broadly, and economic conditions in Brazil — none of which focused on the specific prospective impact of the Petitioner's particular proposed endeavor. The expert letter's focus on the Petitioner's expertise was also more relevant to prong two than prong one.

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 that the submitted evidence addressed general information about financial analysts and the industry, the financial illiteracy of small business owners broadly, and economic conditions in Brazil — none of which focused on the specific prospective impact of the Petitioner's particular proposed endeavor. The expert letter's focus on the Petitioner's expertise was also more relevant to prong two than prong one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_01_B5203; source_row=38173
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 evidence did not demonstrate broader implications of the Petitioner's proposed endeavor at a level of national importance; the personal statement and business plan did not show economic effects at a national scale, and the motion identified no specific legal or policy error.

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 evidence did not demonstrate broader implications of the Petitioner's proposed endeavor at a level of national importance; the personal statement and business plan did not show economic effects at a national scale, and the motion identified no specific legal or policy error.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_05_B5203; source_row=38186
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

What the decision said

AAO reserved prong 3 because failure on prong 1 was dispositive.

Why this is useful

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AAO reserved prong 3 because failure on prong 1 was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_04_B5203; source_row=38185
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated 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 reserved prong 2 because failure on prong 1 was dispositive.

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 reserved prong 2 because failure on prong 1 was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_04_B5203; source_row=38184
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Civil / Structural Engineering

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree professional qualification

What the decision said

AAO suggested the Petitioner's three-year engineering degree may not be equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate, but reserved the issue because the NIW denial is dispositive and she had no notice of this concern.

Why this is useful

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AAO suggested the Petitioner's three-year engineering degree may not be equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate, but reserved the issue because the NIW denial is dispositive and she had no notice of this concern.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_04_B5203; source_row=38182
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 opinion on the second Dhanasar prong because the first prong was not met, making this issue unnecessary to the outcome.

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 opinion on the second Dhanasar prong because the first prong was not met, making this issue unnecessary to the outcome.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-06-13_02_B5203; source_row=38177
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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