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.
10,847 decisions /36,849 findings
Showing 851–860
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established
Case facts
Finance
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance in the field
Why AAO was not persuaded
The regulation requires direct contributions by the Petitioner, not tangential or secondary effects through students. The Petitioner's own claimed achievements—developing control systems at a joint venture—were not shown to have been broadly duplicated in the industry, and the support letter did not explain impact beyond the employer.
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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The regulation requires direct contributions by the Petitioner, not tangential or secondary effects through students. The Petitioner's own claimed achievements—developing control systems at a joint venture—were not shown to have been broadly duplicated in the industry, and the support letter did not explain impact beyond the employer.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_03_B2203; source_row=43966 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
The Petitioner failed to point to any specific portion of the bylaws showing the association uses nationally or internationally recognized experts to judge whether achievements are outstanding as a condition of membership.
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The Petitioner failed to point to any specific portion of the bylaws showing the association uses nationally or internationally recognized experts to judge whether achievements are outstanding as a condition of membership.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_03_B2203; source_row=43963 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
published material in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO withdrew the Director's affirmative finding. The newspaper article evidence was of inadequate quality and the publication was not shown to be a professional or major media outlet. The Sindicotnet article used an uncertified machine translation. The article from the major Brazilian newspaper was not about the Petitioner but rather about condominium management issues in which he was merely quoted.
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AAO withdrew the Director's affirmative finding. The newspaper article evidence was of inadequate quality and the publication was not shown to be a professional or major media outlet. The Sindicotnet article used an uncertified machine translation. The article from the major Brazilian newspaper was not about the Petitioner but rather about condominium management issues in which he was merely quoted.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_03_B2203; source_row=43964 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
AAO found that the Petitioner submitted conflicting proposed endeavors (consulting firm vs. district manager job offer), offered vague and generic business plans lacking specific documentation for any claimed service area, conflated personal expertise (relevant to prong two) with national importance of the endeavor, and failed to substantiate how the endeavor's economic effects—including 18 jobs and $154,000 in taxes—would…
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AAO found that the Petitioner submitted conflicting proposed endeavors (consulting firm vs. district manager job offer), offered vague and generic business plans lacking specific documentation for any claimed service area, conflated personal expertise (relevant to prong two) with national importance of the endeavor, and failed to substantiate how the endeavor's economic effects—including 18 jobs and $154,000 in taxes—would constitute a meaningful national-level impact. AAO noted that partial merit in the area of business was conceded but national importance was not shown.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_02_B5203; source_row=43960 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
comparable evidence under 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(k)(3)(iii)
Why AAO was not persuaded
Petitioner did not identify which criteria do not readily apply or explain why, and did not show how the submitted articles supplant the inapplicable criteria or demonstrate exceptional ability.
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Petitioner did not identify which criteria do not readily apply or explain why, and did not show how the submitted articles supplant the inapplicable criteria or demonstrate exceptional ability.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B5203; source_row=43978 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Trade union memberships are not memberships in a professional association as contemplated by the regulations; the record does not sufficiently describe whether the unions are composed of professionals.
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Trade union memberships are not memberships in a professional association as contemplated by the regulations; the record does not sufficiently describe whether the unions are composed of professionals.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B5203; source_row=43976 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
NIWNIW · National importanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Computer Science / AI
Issue evaluated
NIW · National importance
substantial merit and national importance
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO agreed with the Director that while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to show that the Beneficiary's specific tasks have national implications within the field. Working in an important field or for a large employer is insufficient; the Petitioner did not demonstrate how the Beneficiary's specific endeavor advances critical technologies or has broader implications beyond her employer.…
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AAO agreed with the Director that while the endeavor has substantial merit, the Petitioner failed to show that the Beneficiary's specific tasks have national implications within the field. Working in an important field or for a large employer is insufficient; the Petitioner did not demonstrate how the Beneficiary's specific endeavor advances critical technologies or has broader implications beyond her employer. The alleged STEM shortage and general workforce arguments also do not establish national importance under Dhanasar.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_01_B5203; source_row=43949 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
AAO agreed the Director misread the pay statement (the figure was a partial monthly amount, not annual), but found the evidence still insufficient because: the currency of the salary was not established (Kuwaiti dinar vs. Qatari riyal), and the pay receipt reflected work as a procurement specialist rather than in the field of sales and marketing.
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AAO agreed the Director misread the pay statement (the figure was a partial monthly amount, not annual), but found the evidence still insufficient because: the currency of the salary was not established (Kuwaiti dinar vs. Qatari riyal), and the pay receipt reflected work as a procurement specialist rather than in the field of sales and marketing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_06_B2203; source_row=43992 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established
Case facts
Business / Management
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found that the patent was never approved (contrary to the Petitioner's earlier claims), the expert letters lacked corroboration and specific details, the mobile app never came to fruition, unsolicited letters to government ministries were not shown to have been implemented, and the ATM advertising innovation's major significance was not established.…
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AAO found that the patent was never approved (contrary to the Petitioner's earlier claims), the expert letters lacked corroboration and specific details, the mobile app never came to fruition, unsolicited letters to government ministries were not shown to have been implemented, and the ATM advertising innovation's major significance was not established. Credibility concerns arising from discrepant claims about the patent further undermined the Petitioner's evidence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_06_B2203; source_row=43989 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
AAO agreed that the Petitioner did not establish that the honorary doctorate is from a nationally or internationally recognized institution. Embassy stamps are akin to notarizations and do not confer national or international recognition, and a prominent figure's autograph does not convey such recognition on the degree.…
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AAO agreed that the Petitioner did not establish that the honorary doctorate is from a nationally or internationally recognized institution. Embassy stamps are akin to notarizations and do not confer national or international recognition, and a prominent figure's autograph does not convey such recognition on the degree. General background evidence about honorary degrees does not suffice because recognition correlates with the awarding institution's reputation, which was not established.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_06_B2203; source_row=43987 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c