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 861870

EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot established

Case facts

Business / Management

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the article is not scholarly, as it is very general in tone, offers advice in layperson's terms to anyone who desires to buy international property, and does not presume that the reader has any prior experience in international real estate investment.

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AAO agreed the article is not scholarly, as it is very general in tone, offers advice in layperson's terms to anyone who desires to buy international property, and does not presume that the reader has any prior experience in international real estate investment.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_06_B2203; source_row=43990
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

Final merits determination — sustained national or international acclaim at the very top of the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the Petitioner's over a dozen convention awards lacked evidence of broader impact or high-level recognition; his publications had minimal sales (104 copies) with no corroborated industry impact; his judging activities at six competitions lacked specific selection criteria showing elite status; and media coverage merely listed him among other artists without discussing his individual contributions.…

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AAO found that the Petitioner's over a dozen convention awards lacked evidence of broader impact or high-level recognition; his publications had minimal sales (104 copies) with no corroborated industry impact; his judging activities at six competitions lacked specific selection criteria showing elite status; and media coverage merely listed him among other artists without discussing his individual contributions. Taken in totality, the evidence did not reflect a career of acclaimed work at the very top of the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B2203; source_row=43971
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot established

Case facts

Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the Director's favorable determination because the record lacked evidence that the publication was one of the required types or even that the journal existed; the Petitioner presented only a work title without identifying the publication name.

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AAO withdrew the Director's favorable determination because the record lacked evidence that the publication was one of the required types or even that the journal existed; the Petitioner presented only a work title without identifying the publication name.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_05_B2203; source_row=43984
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major media

Why the evidence was persuasive

Both the Director and AAO agreed that the Petitioner submitted sufficient evidence of published material about him and his work under this criterion.

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Both the Director and AAO agreed that the Petitioner submitted sufficient evidence of published material about him and his work under this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_01_B2203; source_row=43944
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration relative to others

What the decision said

AAO reserved consideration of this criterion because the Petitioner could only meet one of the ten criteria regardless, making the high salary criterion unnecessary to the ultimate decision.

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AAO reserved consideration of this criterion because the Petitioner could only meet one of the ten criteria regardless, making the high salary criterion unnecessary to the ultimate decision.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_01_B2203; source_row=43948
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO formally declined to reach the final merits determination because the Petitioner did not satisfy the step-one threshold of at least three qualifying criteria. AAO did note in dicta that the aggregate record does not support a finding of sustained national or international acclaim.

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AAO formally declined to reach the final merits determination because the Petitioner did not satisfy the step-one threshold of at least three qualifying criteria. AAO did note in dicta that the aggregate record does not support a finding of sustained national or international acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_03_B2203; source_row=43967
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Finance

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO withdrew the Director's affirmative finding. The Petitioner's role was reviewing presentations from undergraduate students who are not 'in the field,' and the Petitioner failed to demonstrate his evaluation was equivalent to serving on a PhD dissertation committee. Additionally, supporting materials could not be located in the 600-page record due to poor organization.

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AAO withdrew the Director's affirmative finding. The Petitioner's role was reviewing presentations from undergraduate students who are not 'in the field,' and the Petitioner failed to demonstrate his evaluation was equivalent to serving on a PhD dissertation committee. Additionally, supporting materials could not be located in the 600-page record due to poor organization.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_03_B2203; source_row=43965
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWten years experienceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

ten years experience

ten years of full-time experience

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO confirmed in footnote 2 that the Petitioner submitted sufficient evidence demonstrating at least ten years of full-time experience.

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AAO confirmed in footnote 2 that the Petitioner submitted sufficient evidence demonstrating at least ten years of full-time experience.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B5203; source_row=43973
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

Per footnote 3, the Petitioner did not assert eligibility or provide evidence under this criterion.

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Per footnote 3, the Petitioner did not assert eligibility or provide evidence under this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B5203; source_row=43975
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWrecognitionReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

recognition

recognition for achievements and significant contributions

What the decision said

AAO expressly reserved this criterion as unnecessary because the Petitioner had already failed to meet the three-criteria threshold under the other criteria.

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AAO expressly reserved this criterion as unnecessary because the Petitioner had already failed to meet the three-criteria threshold under the other criteria.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2025-04-09_04_B5203; source_row=43977
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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