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 5321–5330

NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive the job offer requirement

What the decision said

AAO declined to reach the third prong on appeal, instructing the Director to reconsider it on remand as necessary following reconsideration of the first prong's national importance determination.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO declined to reach the third prong on appeal, instructing the Director to reconsider it on remand as necessary following reconsideration of the first prong's national importance determination.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_07_B5203; source_row=36811
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AIPhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

What the decision said

The Director conclusorily found substantial merit but not national importance, with no further merits discussion. AAO does not reach prong 1 in the first instance, but instructs the Director on remand not to limit national importance to economic factors such as job creation.

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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The Director conclusorily found substantial merit but not national importance, with no further merits discussion. AAO does not reach prong 1 in the first instance, but instructs the Director on remand not to limit national importance to economic factors such as job creation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_06_B5203; source_row=36806
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AIPhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the endeavor

What the decision said

AAO reserves the second prong but flags concerns for remand: the Petitioner's claim about peer-review prestige is undercut by his having served as a reviewer in 2010 as a first-year graduate student before publishing; and not all government funding is equally probative under Dhanasar's footnote 11. AAO also notes the lack of demonstrated interest from a U.S. employer for the proposed tenure-track position.

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 reserves the second prong but flags concerns for remand: the Petitioner's claim about peer-review prestige is undercut by his having served as a reviewer in 2010 as a first-year graduate student before publishing; and not all government funding is equally probative under Dhanasar's footnote 11. AAO also notes the lack of demonstrated interest from a U.S. employer for the proposed tenure-track position.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_06_B5203; source_row=36807
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AIPhD

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

AAO does not reach the third prong; the matter is remanded to the Director to issue a new decision addressing the framework after a proper merits analysis.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO does not reach the third prong; the matter is remanded to the Director to issue a new decision addressing the framework after a proper merits analysis.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_06_B5203; source_row=36808
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

AAO did not reach the merits of prong two, instead noting the Director's inconsistency between the RFE and the final decision, and remanding for a proper evaluation.

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 did not reach the merits of prong two, instead noting the Director's inconsistency between the RFE and the final decision, and remanding for a proper evaluation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_02_B5203; source_row=36798
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to waive job offer and labor certification

What the decision said

AAO did not reach the merits of prong three, remanding the entire Dhanasar analysis to the Director for a coherent evaluation.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO did not reach the merits of prong three, remanding the entire Dhanasar analysis to the Director for a coherent evaluation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-04_02_B5203; source_row=36799
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Advanced degree or equivalent qualification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the Director and noted the Petitioner did not contest this finding on appeal. The Petitioner's bachelor's degree was received in June 2018, meaning he could not have accumulated five years of progressive experience by the November 2022 filing date.

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AAO agreed with the Director and noted the Petitioner did not contest this finding on appeal. The Petitioner's bachelor's degree was received in June 2018, meaning he could not have accumulated five years of progressive experience by the November 2022 filing date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-03_05_B5203; source_row=36786
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · High remunerationNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

Commanding a high salary or other remuneration (criterion D)

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner did not point to specific evidence in the record showing that he has commanded a salary or other remuneration for services demonstrating exceptional ability.

Why this is useful

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The Petitioner did not point to specific evidence in the record showing that he has commanded a salary or other remuneration for services demonstrating exceptional ability.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-03_05_B5203; source_row=36788
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · MembershipNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

Membership in professional associations (criterion E)

Why AAO was not persuaded

The evidence was insufficient to demonstrate that AMA has a membership body comprised of individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent, or that AMA otherwise constitutes a qualifying professional association.

Why this is useful

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The evidence was insufficient to demonstrate that AMA has a membership body comprised of individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent, or that AMA otherwise constitutes a qualifying professional association.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-03_05_B5203; source_row=36789
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 Petitioner failed to show that his proposed trucking business would extend beyond its own customers and operations to impact the logistics industry, U.S. economy, or national workforce more broadly. He provided no evidence of projected economic impact or job creation reaching the level of national importance.

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 Petitioner failed to show that his proposed trucking business would extend beyond its own customers and operations to impact the logistics industry, U.S. economy, or national workforce more broadly. He provided no evidence of projected economic impact or job creation reaching the level of national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2024-04-03_05_B5203; source_row=36791
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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