NIW Bearings
dismissedDEC062024_02B52032024-12-06 · appeal · Texas 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 sought to serve as CEO of his own company providing sports performance-enhancement programs, coaching development, and athlete training services, including research and development and corporate wellness offerings.

Field: sports training / athletic performance · Read the decision (uscis.gov)

Prong 1 — national importancenot established · dispositive

he has not explained or provided evidence to show how his company would impact these broad national initiatives on broader level, beyond the immediate benefit to his prospective clients.
the business plan does not provide sufficient explanation for the basis of these employment projections.
the business plan also does not explain the basis for the financial projections.
the relevant question is not the importance of the field, industry, or profession in which a petitioner may work
they primarily relate to the benefits to the Petitioner's prospective clients instead of the broader industry.

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

  • business plan · discounted
    the business plan does not provide sufficient explanation for the basis of these employment projections.
    AAO decision text
  • recommendation letter · discounted
    they primarily focus on the Petitioner's past experience without addressing the prospective impact of his endeavor.
    AAO decision text
  • contract revenue · discounted
    the business plan also does not explain the basis for the financial projections.
    AAO decision text
  • other · discounted
    they do not establish its national importance.
    AAO decision text

Where this case turned

  • Business plan speculative · p1projections without a documented basis or steps
  • Economic claims unsupported · p1job/revenue projections with no corroborating basis
  • Field importance conflated with endeavor · p1argues the field matters, not the specific endeavor
  • Letters conclusory · p1letters praise skills in general terms without tracing specific impact
  • Local, not national scope · p1impact confined to clients / a region
1,312coded decisions carry the failure named in this record. A placement shows where your profile sits among them, not what it predicts.See where your profile sits — 90 seconds

Notable

AAO noted the Petitioner's appeal largely restated arguments already addressed by the Director without identifying specific errors, and expressly reserved the threshold EB-2 classification issue and Dhanasar prongs two and three as unnecessary given the dispositive first-prong failure.

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. 204.5(k)(2)
  • Flores v. Garland
  • Matter of E-M-
  • Matter of L-A-C-

Cases in adjacent profiles