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.

Clear filters

10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 5141–5150

NIWlicense or certificationNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

license or certification

license to practice the profession or certification for a particular profession or occupation

What the decision said

The petitioner did not claim to meet this criterion and submitted no licenses or certifications, so AAO deemed the issue waived.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner did not claim to meet this criterion and submitted no licenses or certifications, so AAO deemed the issue waived.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37077
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWrecognitionNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

recognition

evidence of recognition for achievements and significant contributions to the industry or field

Why AAO was not persuaded

The award documentation was not supplemented with information about the competitions or their sponsors to demonstrate their industry significance. The competition list was of unclear origin and lacked corroborative documentation. Patent applications were not accompanied by independent documentation detailing their functionality. The record did not demonstrate recognition for significant contributions to the field.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The award documentation was not supplemented with information about the competitions or their sponsors to demonstrate their industry significance. The competition list was of unclear origin and lacked corroborative documentation. Patent applications were not accompanied by independent documentation detailing their functionality. The record did not demonstrate recognition for significant contributions to the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37080
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWten years experienceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

ten years experience

letters from employer(s) showing at least ten years of full-time experience

Why AAO was not persuaded

The business registration documents alone did not demonstrate ten years of full-time experience; the petitioner did not show the activities of the companies, his specific duties, or how his roles related to his area of claimed exceptional ability.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The business registration documents alone did not demonstrate ten years of full-time experience; the petitioner did not show the activities of the companies, his specific duties, or how his roles related to his area of claimed exceptional ability.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37076
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

advanced degree qualification

What the decision said

Neither the appeal nor the RFE response addressed advanced degree qualification, so AAO deemed the issue waived.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
Neither the appeal nor the RFE response addressed advanced degree qualification, so AAO deemed the issue waived.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37074
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWacademic recordNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

academic record

official academic record showing degree or award from institution of learning

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner did not submit supporting documentation showing a degree, diploma, certificate, or similar award from any institution of learning related to his claimed area of expertise.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner did not submit supporting documentation showing a degree, diploma, certificate, or similar award from any institution of learning related to his claimed area of expertise.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37075
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · High remunerationNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

evidence of commanding a salary or other remuneration demonstrating exceptional ability

What the decision said

The petitioner did not assert this criterion and submitted no salary or remuneration documentation, so AAO deemed the issue waived.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner did not assert this criterion and submitted no salary or remuneration documentation, so AAO deemed the issue waived.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37078
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · MembershipNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

evidence of membership in professional associations

What the decision said

The petitioner did not claim to meet this criterion and provided no evidence of membership in an association, so AAO deemed the issue waived.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner did not claim to meet this criterion and provided no evidence of membership in an association, so AAO deemed the issue waived.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-18_06_B5203; source_row=37079
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

The AAO agreed the Petitioner's description of the proposed endeavor was too generalized and lacked specificity even after the RFE response. The business plan's projections (27 employees, $2.5M revenue by year five) lacked evidentiary basis and did not rise to national importance. Recommendation letters addressed past accomplishments, not prospective impact.…

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 +
The AAO agreed the Petitioner's description of the proposed endeavor was too generalized and lacked specificity even after the RFE response. The business plan's projections (27 employees, $2.5M revenue by year five) lacked evidentiary basis and did not rise to national importance. Recommendation letters addressed past accomplishments, not prospective impact. The expert opinion letter was of little probative value as it did not meaningfully address the proposed endeavor's national importance. Industry reports discussed the field generally but not the specific endeavor's projected impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-17_02_B5203; source_row=37039
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that EMCOAN's Constitution opens membership to 'any' person who owns broadcast content without requiring outstanding achievements, and the admission process does not involve weighing achievements of applicants. The new claim about elite vetting was unsupported and conflicted with the Constitution's open membership language.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that EMCOAN's Constitution opens membership to 'any' person who owns broadcast content without requiring outstanding achievements, and the admission process does not involve weighing achievements of applicants. The new claim about elite vetting was unsupported and conflicted with the Constitution's open membership language.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-17_03_B2203; source_row=37042
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high remuneration for services

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that ₦3.6 million per year is mathematically equivalent to, not higher than, ₦300,000 per month; the bank statements did not establish salary as distinct from other income; and the four salary survey sources provided widely inconsistent figures with no basis for determining which was reliable.…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that ₦3.6 million per year is mathematically equivalent to, not higher than, ₦300,000 per month; the bank statements did not establish salary as distinct from other income; and the four salary survey sources provided widely inconsistent figures with no basis for determining which was reliable. AAO also noted the Petitioner compared his CEO compensation to salaries of those employed solely as creative directors without justification.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-17_03_B2203; source_row=37045
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
← Back to assessment