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 47414750

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 found the Petitioner failed to show his specific endeavor has broader implications or substantial positive economic effects beyond benefiting his individual clients.

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AAO agreed the endeavor has substantial merit but found the Petitioner failed to show his specific endeavor has broader implications or substantial positive economic effects beyond benefiting his individual clients.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_01_B5203; source_row=37697
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 Petitioner established substantial merit (reversing the Director) but agreed he failed to establish national importance. The Petitioner's statements focused on his personal experience rather than the prospective impact of his specific endeavor, and his recommendation letters spoke to his technical competencies rather than the national importance of his proposed work.…

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The AAO found the Petitioner established substantial merit (reversing the Director) but agreed he failed to establish national importance. The Petitioner's statements focused on his personal experience rather than the prospective impact of his specific endeavor, and his recommendation letters spoke to his technical competencies rather than the national importance of his proposed work. Working in the oil and gas field as a petroleum engineer expert is insufficient, without more, to demonstrate national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_03_B5203; source_row=37709
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Business / ManagementBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO disagreed with the Director on the substantial merit sub-issue, finding that the English portions of the business plan, expert opinion, cited materials, and Petitioner's statements sufficiently established potential for revenues, U.S. jobs, and addressing a nursing shortage.…

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AAO disagreed with the Director on the substantial merit sub-issue, finding that the English portions of the business plan, expert opinion, cited materials, and Petitioner's statements sufficiently established potential for revenues, U.S. jobs, and addressing a nursing shortage. However, AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner failed to show national importance: the projected $1.8 million in revenues and 11 direct jobs did not demonstrate substantial national or regional economic impact, the HUBZone claim lacked evidentiary support, the indirect job projection was internally contradictory, and the record did not show that the business would advance the U.S. home health care field more broadly.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_02_B5203; source_row=37706
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
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EB-1AEB-1A · Artistic displayNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Artistic display

display of work at artistic exhibitions or showcases

What the decision said

The Petitioner argued on appeal that the Director failed to consider comparable evidence for this criterion, but AAO did not resolve the question because the Petitioner had already satisfied three criteria.

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The Petitioner argued on appeal that the Director failed to consider comparable evidence for this criterion, but AAO did not resolve the question because the Petitioner had already satisfied three criteria.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_02_B2203; source_row=37702
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

scholarly articles in professional publications

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the Director overlooked evidence that the Petitioner co-authored an article published in the International Annals of Criminology in 2018, confirmed both in the article itself and in a supporting co-author letter.

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AAO found the Director overlooked evidence that the Petitioner co-authored an article published in the International Annals of Criminology in 2018, confirmed both in the article itself and in a supporting co-author letter.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_02_B2203; source_row=37701
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

What the decision said

The Petitioner argued on appeal that the Director made factual errors in evaluating this criterion, but AAO did not resolve the question because the Petitioner had already satisfied three criteria.

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The Petitioner argued on appeal that the Director made factual errors in evaluating this criterion, but AAO did not resolve the question because the Petitioner had already satisfied three criteria.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-20_02_B2203; source_row=37704
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
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EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organization

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Director erred by failing to address whether F- has a distinguished reputation, and withdrew that determination. AAO found that the Petitioner did not substantiate F-'s reputation with sufficient documentary evidence, and that the evidence was also insufficient for K- and E-.

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AAO found the Director erred by failing to address whether F- has a distinguished reputation, and withdrew that determination. AAO found that the Petitioner did not substantiate F-'s reputation with sufficient documentary evidence, and that the evidence was also insufficient for K- and E-.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-17_01_B2203; source_row=37675
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 that while the endeavor has merit, the Petitioner failed to show that his specific proposed work as an area manager would have prospective impact beyond his clients and employers rising to the level of national importance. Expert letters discussed the importance of area managers generally but did not articulate how the Petitioner's specific endeavor has national implications.…

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AAO agreed that while the endeavor has merit, the Petitioner failed to show that his specific proposed work as an area manager would have prospective impact beyond his clients and employers rising to the level of national importance. Expert letters discussed the importance of area managers generally but did not articulate how the Petitioner's specific endeavor has national implications. Personal qualifications and experience are relevant to the second prong, not the first.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-17_04_B5203; source_row=37691
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 found the Petitioner failed to show its prospective impact rises to national importance. The record lacked adequate evidence of broader implications beyond her patients and customers, or substantial positive economic effects.…

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 has substantial merit but found the Petitioner failed to show its prospective impact rises to national importance. The record lacked adequate evidence of broader implications beyond her patients and customers, or substantial positive economic effects. AAO also noted that the Petitioner's personal qualifications and experience are relevant to prong two, not prong one, and that the importance of the broader nutrition field cannot substitute for showing the specific endeavor's national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-17_02_B5203; source_row=37687
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's evidence failed to connect her specific consulting endeavor to a demonstrably substantial economic benefit at the national or regional level. While the importance of government initiatives supporting SMEs and financial literacy is not disputed, working in an important field is insufficient to establish the national importance of the specific proposed endeavor.…

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's evidence failed to connect her specific consulting endeavor to a demonstrably substantial economic benefit at the national or regional level. While the importance of government initiatives supporting SMEs and financial literacy is not disputed, working in an important field is insufficient to establish the national importance of the specific proposed endeavor. The Petitioner provided no objective evidence of the projected impact of her business beyond generalized claims.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-17_05_B5203; source_row=37694
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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