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 4881–4890

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 record does not establish national importance: the publications are generalized and do not address the specific endeavor, and employing 20 workers does not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects.

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed the record does not establish national importance: the publications are generalized and do not address the specific endeavor, and employing 20 workers does not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_03_B5203; source_row=37470
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot established

Case facts

Business / ManagementBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the Petitioner's forest engineering qualifications did not substitute for evidence of entrepreneurial experience, external investor/client interest in her specific company, or concrete progress toward implementing the business plan. General industry demand does not establish interest in the specific proposed endeavor.

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 agreed that the Petitioner's forest engineering qualifications did not substitute for evidence of entrepreneurial experience, external investor/client interest in her specific company, or concrete progress toward implementing the business plan. General industry demand does not establish interest in the specific proposed endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_04_B5203; source_row=37474
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 agreed that while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to demonstrate national importance. The business plan's financial and staffing projections lacked adequate support, the projected hiring of 149 workers was not shown to have substantial economic effects, the use of innovative techniques was not shown to have broader industry implications beyond the company and its clients, and the expert opinion…

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 while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to demonstrate national importance. The business plan's financial and staffing projections lacked adequate support, the projected hiring of 149 workers was not shown to have substantial economic effects, the use of innovative techniques was not shown to have broader industry implications beyond the company and its clients, and the expert opinion letter did not sufficiently address the specific proposed endeavor's prospective impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_04_B5203; source_row=37473
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 with the Director that the Petitioner's assertions regarding economic and health benefits were not sufficiently supported by evidence, and that the relevant question is the prospective impact of the specific proposed endeavor rather than the importance of the field generally.…

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 with the Director that the Petitioner's assertions regarding economic and health benefits were not sufficiently supported by evidence, and that the relevant question is the prospective impact of the specific proposed endeavor rather than the importance of the field generally. The Petitioner on appeal merely restated prior claims without addressing the Director's specific findings or identifying legal or factual errors.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_07_B5203; source_row=37485
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 that while the proposed endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to establish national importance. The endeavor was described too broadly as offering automation expertise to U.S. companies without identifying a specific proposed undertaking, industry, or showing how his skills differ from those already available in the U.S.…

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 while the proposed endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to establish national importance. The endeavor was described too broadly as offering automation expertise to U.S. companies without identifying a specific proposed undertaking, industry, or showing how his skills differ from those already available in the U.S. The expert opinion was of little probative value as it was general and did not address the specific proposed endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_06_B5203; source_row=37482
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWacademic recordNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / ManagementManager

Issue evaluated

academic record

academic record relating to area of exceptional ability

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the diploma does not relate to the claimed area of exceptional ability in entrepreneurship and management, as the coursework consisted mainly of data processing, programming languages, and data technologies. The advisory evaluation's claim that the diploma indicated exceptional ability in management was unpersuasive.…

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed that the diploma does not relate to the claimed area of exceptional ability in entrepreneurship and management, as the coursework consisted mainly of data processing, programming languages, and data technologies. The advisory evaluation's claim that the diploma indicated exceptional ability in management was unpersuasive. Additional certificates also did not relate to management and entrepreneurship or were not shown to be official academic records from qualifying institutions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_08_B5203; source_row=37488
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWten years experienceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / ManagementManager

Issue evaluated

ten years experience

ten years of full-time experience in the occupation sought

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to demonstrate at least ten years of full-time experience. His arguments about the nature of entrepreneurship were unsupported assertions without corroborating evidence, which have no evidentiary value.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to demonstrate at least ten years of full-time experience. His arguments about the nature of entrepreneurship were unsupported assertions without corroborating evidence, which have no evidentiary value.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_08_B5203; source_row=37489
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWrecognitionNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / ManagementManager

Issue evaluated

recognition

recognition for achievements and significant contributions to the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO adopted and affirmed the Director's determination, finding that the Director's decision gave individualized consideration to the evidence and correctly concluded it did not satisfy criterion (F).

Why this is useful

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

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AAO adopted and affirmed the Director's determination, finding that the Director's decision gave individualized consideration to the evidence and correctly concluded it did not satisfy criterion (F).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_08_B5203; source_row=37492
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

What the decision said

AAO found the Director's analysis of criterion (v) fatally inadequate because it vaguely referenced letters without discussing their content, did not address any specific piece of evidence, and failed to evaluate the Petitioner's RFE response. AAO remanded for a proper re-evaluation rather than deciding the criterion itself.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found the Director's analysis of criterion (v) fatally inadequate because it vaguely referenced letters without discussing their content, did not address any specific piece of evidence, and failed to evaluate the Petitioner's RFE response. AAO remanded for a proper re-evaluation rather than deciding the criterion itself.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_01_B2203; source_row=37461
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO reserved the final merits determination for the Director to conduct on remand if the initial evidence threshold is met.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO reserved the final merits determination for the Director to conduct on remand if the initial evidence threshold is met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-05-09_01_B2203; source_row=37463
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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