NIW Bearings
remandedAUG052024_07B52032024-08-05 · combined · Nebraska Service Center

This is an AAO appeal decision — a case denied once and appealed. It shows how the framework is applied; it is not the filing population.

The Petitioner, a sound engineer technician, sought to work in the United States, claiming eligibility as an advanced degree professional or individual of exceptional ability with a national interest waiver.

Field: sound engineering · Read the decision (uscis.gov)

EB-2 threshold — addressed

Director found Petitioner met only 2 of 6 exceptional-ability criteria and erroneously overlooked advanced-degree evidence; AAO found Director's review incomplete and remanded rather than affirming failure.

How the evidence was treated

  • certification membership · credited
  • degree · discounted
    the Petitioner submitted no evidence that he has an advanced degree
    AAO decision text
  • motion resubmission · discounted
    the Petitioner did not submit any new evidence, but only resubmitted the identical evidence
    AAO decision text
  • resume experience · ignored

This record is one of thousands, each coded for the reasons it turned. A placement shows where your profile sits in that record, not what it predicts. See where your profile sits — 90 seconds

Notable

AAO found the Director made two significant oversights: erroneously stating no advanced-degree evidence was submitted, and erroneously stating no new evidence was submitted on motion to reopen (two membership cards were in fact new). AAO withdrew and remanded without reaching the Dhanasar national interest waiver prongs, though it noted in a footnote that the current record does not appear to show the Petitioner meets all prongs of that framework.

Authorities this decision leans on

From the doctrinal survivor set — 187 authority tests across 47 distinct authorities cleared the differential-lift gates. Only those appear here.

  • 8 C.F.R. 103.5(a)(2)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.5(a)(3)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.5(a)(4)
  • 8 C.F.R. 204.5(k)(2)
  • Flores v. Garland
  • Matter of Coelho

What this case teaches

Analyst reading of the decision text.

Decisive factor

Director committed factual/procedural errors: overlooked new membership evidence and ignored advanced-degree evidence, so AAO could not confirm full record review, requiring remand rather than merits ruling.

Transferable lesson

On motions to reopen, clearly flag any new evidence submitted and directly rebut the denial's stated reasons; ensure advanced-degree/exceptional-ability threshold evidence is unambiguous before addressing Dhanasar prongs.

Endeavor framing

vague

Evidence targeting

person_focused

Cases in adjacent profiles