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 7771–7780

EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his authorship of scholarly articles in professional publications.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his authorship of scholarly articles in professional publications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-24_01_B2203; source_row=32979
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his peer reviewing of manuscripts for professional journals.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner satisfied this criterion based on his peer reviewing of manuscripts for professional journals.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-24_01_B2203; source_row=32977
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the proposed endeavor was inconsistently defined across submissions — shifting focus from commercial law to marketing and business development — with no timeline and no clarity on which role the Petitioner would actually pursue.…

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AAO found the proposed endeavor was inconsistently defined across submissions — shifting focus from commercial law to marketing and business development — with no timeline and no clarity on which role the Petitioner would actually pursue. The letters of recommendation focused on past accomplishments rather than the future endeavor, and the expert opinion letter addressed the importance of the industry generally rather than the specific proposed endeavor's prospective impact.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-21_04_B5203; source_row=32971
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

AAO concludes substantial merit is shown but national importance is not. The projected jobs and revenue lack supporting detail and would not substantially impact the regional or national economy; HUBZone claims are unsupported; training workshops would not have broader implications beyond participants; reference letters address past contributions rather than the proposed endeavor's national importance.

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AAO concludes substantial merit is shown but national importance is not. The projected jobs and revenue lack supporting detail and would not substantially impact the regional or national economy; HUBZone claims are unsupported; training workshops would not have broader implications beyond participants; reference letters address past contributions rather than the proposed endeavor's national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-21_02_B5203; source_row=32965
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the importance of the physical therapy field is not the relevant inquiry; the petitioner's specific endeavor of treating patients at a healthcare facility does not have national or global implications, broader implications, or substantial positive economic effects.…

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AAO found that the importance of the physical therapy field is not the relevant inquiry; the petitioner's specific endeavor of treating patients at a healthcare facility does not have national or global implications, broader implications, or substantial positive economic effects. Expert letters focused on the field generally rather than the specific endeavor, and reliance on academic/employment history was misplaced for prong 1.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-21_03_B5203; source_row=32968
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

What the decision said

AAO did not separately analyze prong two; the Director had found this prong met and AAO did not disturb that finding.

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AAO did not separately analyze prong two; the Director had found this prong met and AAO did not disturb that finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-21_02_B5203; source_row=32966
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO acknowledged the clinic has substantial merit as a pediatric practice but found no evidence of national importance. The business plan described a small operation (Petitioner plus two staff), the job creation figures lacked sufficient contextual support, and the described community programs were vague and underdeveloped. Evidence of the Petitioner's credentials was relevant to prong 2, not prong 1.

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AAO acknowledged the clinic has substantial merit as a pediatric practice but found no evidence of national importance. The business plan described a small operation (Petitioner plus two staff), the job creation figures lacked sufficient contextual support, and the described community programs were vague and underdeveloped. Evidence of the Petitioner's credentials was relevant to prong 2, not prong 1.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-20_04_B5203; source_row=32962
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceNot established

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to show his proposed work as a controller would extend beyond his employer or clientele to impact the financial management field, the accounting industry, or the U.S. economy more broadly.…

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AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to show his proposed work as a controller would extend beyond his employer or clientele to impact the financial management field, the accounting industry, or the U.S. economy more broadly. The expert letter discussed the national importance of the field/occupation generally rather than the Petitioner's specific proposed endeavor, and no corroborating evidence showed broader implications or substantial positive economic effects rising to national importance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-20_02_B5203; source_row=32949
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWten years experienceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

ten years experience

ten years of full-time experience (employer letters)

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the employer letters had minimal probative value because the Petitioner's stated U.S. physical presence since November 2019 was inconsistent with letters claiming he was performing hands-on aircraft maintenance duties in Venezuela through March 2020 and October 2022, and because two of the letters claimed simultaneous full-time work at different companies.

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AAO found the employer letters had minimal probative value because the Petitioner's stated U.S. physical presence since November 2019 was inconsistent with letters claiming he was performing hands-on aircraft maintenance duties in Venezuela through March 2020 and October 2022, and because two of the letters claimed simultaneous full-time work at different companies.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-20_03_B5203; source_row=32953
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWlicense or certificationEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

license or certification

license/certification

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO did not disturb the Director's conclusion that criterion (C) was satisfied.

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AAO did not disturb the Director's conclusion that criterion (C) was satisfied.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2023-07-20_03_B5203; source_row=32954
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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