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 7181–7190

NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalPhysician

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that while the Petitioner's endeavor has substantial merit (improving oral health), it does not rise to national importance. The work of one dentist or dental clinic does not have broader implications beyond its patients; a professional shortage does not render any individual's work nationally important; economic projections lacked substantiation and did not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects; and…

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AAO agreed that while the Petitioner's endeavor has substantial merit (improving oral health), it does not rise to national importance. The work of one dentist or dental clinic does not have broader implications beyond its patients; a professional shortage does not render any individual's work nationally important; economic projections lacked substantiation and did not demonstrate substantial positive economic effects; and the expert letter did not establish nationally significant employment or economic impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_04_B5203; source_row=33894
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 Petitioner's initial evidence showed substantial merit for supply chain management but found she failed to establish national importance. The alleged labor shortage does not render her individual endeavor nationally important (such shortages are addressed through labor certification), and the record lacked evidence showing her work would impact the industry or U.S. economy broadly.…

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AAO agreed the Petitioner's initial evidence showed substantial merit for supply chain management but found she failed to establish national importance. The alleged labor shortage does not render her individual endeavor nationally important (such shortages are addressed through labor certification), and the record lacked evidence showing her work would impact the industry or U.S. economy broadly. AAO also refused to consider the materially changed proposed endeavor (opening her own company) introduced post-filing. The expert letter offered little analysis of the specific proposed endeavor's prospective economic impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_05_B5203; source_row=33897
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 proposed marketing work lacks national importance, finding she has not shown her endeavor extends sufficiently beyond her employer's customer base to impact her field broadly or demonstrate significant potential to employ U.S. workers or substantial positive economic effects. AAO withdrew the Director's finding on substantial merit but affirmed the lack of national importance.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's proposed marketing work lacks national importance, finding she has not shown her endeavor extends sufficiently beyond her employer's customer base to impact her field broadly or demonstrate significant potential to employ U.S. workers or substantial positive economic effects. AAO withdrew the Director's finding on substantial merit but affirmed the lack of national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_01_B5203; source_row=33880
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO reviewed the aggregate record and found it does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or a career of acclaimed work consistent with the classification sought.

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AAO reviewed the aggregate record and found it does not demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim or a career of acclaimed work consistent with the classification sought.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_02_B2203; source_row=33887
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the evidence addressed the significance of the chatbot to a single company and its client, not to the broader field of ERP. AAO also noted the Petitioner acknowledged his chatbot was developed around the same time as prevalent platforms like Siri, Watson, Google Assistant, Cortana, and Alexa, and the record did not reconcile how a single-client platform constitutes major significance to the field.

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 evidence addressed the significance of the chatbot to a single company and its client, not to the broader field of ERP. AAO also noted the Petitioner acknowledged his chatbot was developed around the same time as prevalent platforms like Siri, Watson, Google Assistant, Cortana, and Alexa, and the record did not reconcile how a single-client platform constitutes major significance to the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_02_B2203; source_row=33884
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that while not all who judge the work of others hold the title 'judge,' a role defined by helping others evaluate their own progress and bringing out their own wisdom is inconsistent with the plain-language meaning of 'judge of the work of others.' The foundation's own document confirmed the mentor should not offer solutions but rather support the mentee's self-reflection.

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AAO agreed that while not all who judge the work of others hold the title 'judge,' a role defined by helping others evaluate their own progress and bringing out their own wisdom is inconsistent with the plain-language meaning of 'judge of the work of others.' The foundation's own document confirmed the mentor should not offer solutions but rather support the mentee's self-reflection.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_02_B2203; source_row=33883
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 the Petitioner failed to show national importance. While her work has substantial merit, the expert letters and evidence addressed the national importance of the field of special education generally rather than her specific proposed endeavor. She did not demonstrate that her work would have implications beyond her school, impact the field more broadly, or produce substantial positive economic effects.…

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AAO agreed the Petitioner failed to show national importance. While her work has substantial merit, the expert letters and evidence addressed the national importance of the field of special education generally rather than her specific proposed endeavor. She did not demonstrate that her work would have implications beyond her school, impact the field more broadly, or produce substantial positive economic effects. The claimed national teacher shortage does not by itself establish national importance because she has not shown her endeavor would significantly reduce it.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_03_B5203; source_row=33891
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalPhysician

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States

What the decision said

AAO reserved the third prong as unnecessary to the outcome, given that the first prong was not met.

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AAO reserved the third prong as unnecessary to the outcome, given that the first prong was not met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_04_B5203; source_row=33896
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalPhysician

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well-positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO reserved the second prong as unnecessary to the outcome, given that the first prong was not met.

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 reserved the second prong as unnecessary to the outcome, given that the first prong was not met.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_04_B5203; source_row=33895
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 expressly reserved the second prong because the first prong was dispositive and detailed discussion of remaining prongs could not change the outcome.

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 expressly reserved the second prong because the first prong was dispositive and detailed discussion of remaining prongs could not change the outcome.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-10-02_05_B5203; source_row=33898
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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