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 6831–6840

NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

Advanced degree professional qualification

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the record lacked transcripts to verify the 2013 degree was earned after four years of undergraduate study equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The credentials evaluation report was internally inconsistent with the expert opinion letter, and there was no evidence that 26 credit hours equals a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree.…

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The AAO found the record lacked transcripts to verify the 2013 degree was earned after four years of undergraduate study equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The credentials evaluation report was internally inconsistent with the expert opinion letter, and there was no evidence that 26 credit hours equals a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree. If the 2018 degree represented the bachelor's equivalent, five years of post-baccalaureate experience could not have been accumulated before the October 2021 filing date.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_02_B5203; source_row=34432
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO reserved this prong as unnecessary to the disposition, given the dispositive failure on prong 1, though it noted in a footnote that it would disagree with the director's finding based on deficiencies in the claimed experience.

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AAO reserved this prong as unnecessary to the disposition, given the dispositive failure on prong 1, though it noted in a footnote that it would disagree with the director's finding based on deficiencies in the claimed experience.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_01_B5203; source_row=34430
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, waiving the job offer requirement would benefit the United States

What the decision said

AAO reserved this prong as unnecessary to the disposition given the dispositive failure on prong 1.

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 reserved this prong as unnecessary to the disposition given the dispositive failure on prong 1.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_01_B5203; source_row=34431
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

Well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

The AAO did not reach this prong, remanding for a new decision applying the proper Dhanasar framework to the original 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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The AAO did not reach this prong, remanding for a new decision applying the proper Dhanasar framework to the original proposed endeavor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_02_B5203; source_row=34434
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

Substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Director's favorable finding was based on an entrepreneurial endeavor introduced only in the RFE response, which was a material change from the original petition. Because a petitioner may not make material changes to cure a deficient petition, the altered endeavor should not have formed the basis of the NIW analysis.

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The Director's favorable finding was based on an entrepreneurial endeavor introduced only in the RFE response, which was a material change from the original petition. Because a petitioner may not make material changes to cure a deficient petition, the altered endeavor should not have formed the basis of the NIW analysis.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_02_B5203; source_row=34433
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

On balance, beneficial to the United States to waive the job offer requirement

What the decision said

The AAO did not reach this prong, remanding for a new decision applying the proper Dhanasar framework.

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 did not reach this prong, remanding for a new decision applying the proper Dhanasar framework.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_02_B5203; source_row=34435
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 the United States

What the decision said

AAO declined to reach this prong because the prong-one failure 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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AAO declined to reach this prong because the prong-one failure was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-14_03_B5203; source_row=34438
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

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 national importance was not established. The personal statement and sample program at most show benefit to the Petitioner's clients without broader field implications. Expert opinion letters conflate the importance of physical fitness generally with the national importance of the Petitioner's specific endeavor.…

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AAO agreed with the Director that national importance was not established. The personal statement and sample program at most show benefit to the Petitioner's clients without broader field implications. Expert opinion letters conflate the importance of physical fitness generally with the national importance of the Petitioner's specific endeavor. Research articles similarly address physical fitness in general rather than the proposed endeavor specifically.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-13_01_B5203; source_row=34419
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · EB-2 baselineNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · EB-2 baseline

EB-2 advanced degree qualification (foreign equivalent bachelor's + 5 years progressive experience)

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the credential evaluation unreliable because it misstates the duration of coursework completed, does not address credit hour requirements or typical program length, and transcripts suggest only 3.5 years of coursework rather than the requisite 4 years. AACRAO EDGE indicates Brazilian teaching degrees vary from 2 to 4 years, with only a 4-year program being equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree.

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

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AAO found the credential evaluation unreliable because it misstates the duration of coursework completed, does not address credit hour requirements or typical program length, and transcripts suggest only 3.5 years of coursework rather than the requisite 4 years. AACRAO EDGE indicates Brazilian teaching degrees vary from 2 to 4 years, with only a 4-year program being equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-13_01_B5203; source_row=34418
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 Petitioner failed to define a specific proposed endeavor, did not show how working as a commercial pilot has substantial merit in any Dhanasar-listed area, and did not show the endeavor would impact the field or U.S. economy beyond his prospective employer. A claimed occupational shortage does not establish 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.

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The Petitioner failed to define a specific proposed endeavor, did not show how working as a commercial pilot has substantial merit in any Dhanasar-listed area, and did not show the endeavor would impact the field or U.S. economy beyond his prospective employer. A claimed occupational shortage does not establish national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-11-13_03_B5203; source_row=34425
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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