NIW Bearings
dismissedJAN212025_09B52032025-01-21 · motion_reopen · 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, who listed his occupation as 'entrepreneur,' proposed an endeavor related to expanding access to higher education, which he claimed would promote job creation and serve the U.S. national interest, though his specific role in the endeavor was unclear.

Field: higher education / entrepreneurship (unspecified) · Read the decision (uscis.gov)

EB-2 threshold — not met

The Petitioner did not establish that he is a member of the professions holding an advanced degree. 'Entrepreneur' was not found to be a profession with an established educational requirement, his role in the proposed endeavor (inventor, creator, or educator) was unclear, and his claimed master's degree was not corroborated by an official diploma or transcript nor supported by a persuasive equivalency evaluation.

How the evidence was treated

  • degree · discounted
    the record still lacks evidence of an official academic record for the Petitioner, such as a diploma or transcript
    AAO decision text
  • recommendation letter · discounted
    We acknowledge the content of this letter, however, the record still lacks evidence of an official academic record
    AAO decision text
  • motion resubmission · discounted
    the evidence submitted by the Petitioner does not sufficiently address the evidentiary deficiencies listed in our initial decision
    AAO decision text

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Notable

This is a motion to reopen following a prior AAO appellate dismissal; the AAO's threshold finding that the Petitioner failed to establish he is an advanced-degree professional was dispositive, so it again declined to reach the national interest waiver prongs, citing INS v. Bagamasbad's rule against purely advisory findings. The occupation 'entrepreneur' was found not to constitute a profession under the regulatory definition.

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)(1)(ii)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.5(a)(2)
  • Matter of Coelho

Cases in adjacent profiles