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 9921–9930

NIWexceptional ability otherNot addressedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

license to practice the profession

What the decision said

AAO did not separately reevaluate the licensure criterion, leaving the issue for the Director to address on remand.

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AAO did not separately reevaluate the licensure criterion, leaving the issue for the Director to address on remand.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-10_01_B5203; source_row=29756
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

membership in professional associations

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO observed that the submitted evidence reflected memberships in amateur athletic federations as a teenager and that the Petitioner made no affirmative claim those federations were professional associations.

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AAO observed that the submitted evidence reflected memberships in amateur athletic federations as a teenager and that the Petitioner made no affirmative claim those federations were professional associations.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-10_01_B5203; source_row=29758
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWexceptional ability otherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

exceptional ability other

ten years of full-time experience

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO observed the Director never addressed this criterion, and noted that the Petitioner was 24 years old at filing with only about three years of documented experience, undermining her unelaborated claim to meet it.

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AAO observed the Director never addressed this criterion, and noted that the Petitioner was 24 years old at filing with only about three years of documented experience, undermining her unelaborated claim to meet it.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-10_01_B5203; source_row=29755
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Saude News article lacked required author information and appeared autobiographical or promotional. The JB Littoral article lacked a required translation of the Portuguese-language interview. Neither website qualified as a professional or major media publication.

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The Saude News article lacked required author information and appeared autobiographical or promotional. The JB Littoral article lacked a required translation of the Portuguese-language interview. Neither website qualified as a professional or major media publication.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_01_B2203; source_row=29743
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The four institution-based awards were limited to candidates within those institutions and not recognized beyond them. The ABNc award was not sufficiently verified by independent evidence beyond three expert letters, none of which provided rules, guidelines, or official statements from ABNc confirming national or international recognition.

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The four institution-based awards were limited to candidates within those institutions and not recognized beyond them. The ABNc award was not sufficiently verified by independent evidence beyond three expert letters, none of which provided rules, guidelines, or official statements from ABNc confirming national or international recognition.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_01_B2203; source_row=29741
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

Membership requirements for all associations were consistent with minimum requirements for employment as a neurosurgeon and did not show outstanding achievement criteria. Voting members' national or international recognition was not demonstrated, and the residency program was similarly unsupported.

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Membership requirements for all associations were consistent with minimum requirements for employment as a neurosurgeon and did not show outstanding achievement criteria. Voting members' national or international recognition was not demonstrated, and the residency program was similarly unsupported.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_01_B2203; source_row=29742
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

Letters showed leadership of specific teams but not of the organizations overall; no organizational charts placed the Petitioner's roles in the broader hierarchy. Evidence of distinguished reputation for both organizations was self-promotional or limited to local/regional recognition rather than standing among similar institutions in neurosurgery.

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Letters showed leadership of specific teams but not of the organizations overall; no organizational charts placed the Petitioner's roles in the broader hierarchy. Evidence of distinguished reputation for both organizations was self-promotional or limited to local/regional recognition rather than standing among similar institutions in neurosurgery.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_01_B2203; source_row=29747
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

successor-in-interest: full description and documentation of transfer of ownership

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to adequately document the transfer and assumption of ownership. The CFO letter on appeal did not address the Director's concerns, no Articles of Acquisition were submitted, and the record contained an unexplained inconsistency about the date of acquisition (2016 vs. 2017).

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The AAO agreed that the Petitioner failed to adequately document the transfer and assumption of ownership. The CFO letter on appeal did not address the Director's concerns, no Articles of Acquisition were submitted, and the record contained an unexplained inconsistency about the date of acquisition (2016 vs. 2017).
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_02_B5203; source_row=29752
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

ability to pay proffered wage from priority date

What the decision said

The AAO explicitly reserved this issue as unnecessary to decide given that the successor-in-interest finding was dispositive.

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The AAO explicitly reserved this issue as unnecessary to decide given that the successor-in-interest finding was dispositive.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_02_B5203; source_row=29753
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner met the scholarly articles criterion; no further analysis was provided beyond the agreement statement.

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AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner met the scholarly articles criterion; no further analysis was provided beyond the agreement statement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2022-08-09_01_B2203; source_row=29746
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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