The petitioner, a neuropathology physician-researcher, proposed to continue research into the pathophysiology and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), alongside clinical work in pathology residency/fellowship positions.

Prong 1 — national importanceestablished

“As the Petitioner has documented both the substantial merit and national importance of his proposed neuropathology research, we conclude that he meets the first prong of the Dhanasar framework.”

AAO decision text

Prong 2 — well positionednot established · dispositive

“The Petitioner, however, has not demonstrated that this number of citations constitutes a record of success or a level of interest in his work from relevant parties sufficient to meet Dhanasar's second prong.”

“The Petitioner, however, has not shown that his findings have been implemented, utilized, or applauded by others in the field.”

“the record does not show the specific amount of research funding or grants he has received to undertake his proposed research.”

“As the record is insufficient to show that the Petitioner is well positioned to advance his proposed research endeavor, he has not established that he satisfies the second prong of the Dhanasar framework.”

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

• citations publications · discounted

  “has not demonstrated that this number of citations constitutes a record of success or a level of interest in his work from relevant parties”

  AAO decision text
• recommendation letter · discounted

  “the Petitioner has not shown that his findings have been implemented, utilized, or applauded by others in the field”

  AAO decision text
• funding · discounted

  “the record does not show the specific amount of research funding or grants he has received”

  AAO decision text
• resume experience · discounted

  “not every individual who has performed original research will be found to be well positioned to advance his proposed endeavor”

  AAO decision text
• certification membership · ignored

  “has not documented the reputation of these journals or offered other documentation demonstrating that his peer review experience rises to the level of rendering him well positioned”

  AAO decision text

Where this case turned

• Citations insufficient · p2 — citation counts without qualitative account of impact
• Funding absent · p2 — no documented funding or resources behind the plan
• No progress evidence · p2 — no documented movement toward the endeavor since filing
• Record of success insufficient · p2 — a claimed track record the documents do not establish
• Derivative of Prong 1/2 failure · p3 — prong three fails only because prongs one or two did — no independent ground

Notable

The petitioner argued he had a stronger citation record than the petitioner in Matter of Dhanasar itself; the AAO rejected this comparison, clarifying that citation count was not the basis for Dhanasar's own second-prong finding and that citations are only one factor among many.

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.

• INA 203(b)(2)
• INA 291
• Poursina v. USCIS

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