NIW Bearings
remandedJUN212021_03B52032021-06-21 · 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, an IT professional, sought a national interest waiver of the job offer requirement in connection with his EB-2 petition, though the decision does not detail the specific proposed endeavor.

Field: information technology management · Read the decision (uscis.gov)

EB-2 threshold — not met

AAO withdrew the Director's finding that the Petitioner qualifies as an advanced degree professional, finding the evaluator mischaracterized certificate programs as master's degrees, misstated program lengths, and did not address an unresolved discrepancy in the Petitioner's bachelor's degree transcript showing incomplete credits.

How the evidence was treated

  • degree · discounted
    the submitted documents clearly state that these two extension programs resulted only in a "certificate,"
    AAO decision text
  • resume experience · discounted
    The job duties listed in the "professional expeiience" section of the evaluation are taken directly from the Petitioner's resume.
    AAO decision text

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Notable

The remand turned entirely on threshold EB-2 eligibility (degree/education discrepancies), not on the Dhanasar prongs; the AAO's endorsement of the Director's prong findings was a single conclusory sentence without independent analysis. The AAO flagged a discrepancy between the Petitioner's transcript (181 of 197 required credits) and his diploma, plus perjury concerns regarding the ETA-9089 form's characterization of certificates as 'graduate degrees.'

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)
  • 8 C.F.R. 204.5(k)(3)(ii)
  • INA 203(b)(2)
  • Matter of Ho
  • Poursina v. USCIS

What this case teaches

Analyst reading of the decision text.

Decisive factor

Director's finding that Petitioner held an advanced degree was flawed: evaluator mischaracterized certificates as master's degrees and unresolved transcript inconsistencies undermined bachelor's degree completion, requiring threshold reassessment before any Dhanasar analysis.

Transferable lesson

Ensure foreign credential evaluations accurately reflect degree type/length and resolve any transcript discrepancies with independent evidence before pursuing NIW merits arguments.

Endeavor framing

vague

Evidence targeting

person_focused

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