NIW Bearings
dismissedMAR202023_01B52032023-03-20 · 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 electrical engineer with over 17 years of experience in Pakistan, initially proposed to work in the U.S. manufacturing/engineering sector, but later changed course to plan launching his own electrical engineering consulting and services company with multiple regional offices.

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

Prong 1 — national importancenot established · dispositive

The Director determined that the material change by the Petitioner to the proposed endeavor made its national importance and potential prospective impact questionable, and therefore, concluded that he did not demonstrate national importance.
Because the Petitioner has not provided consistent information regarding his proposed endeavor, we cannot conclude that his proposed endeavor would have national importance.
The information provided by the Petitioner in the response to the Director's NOID did not clarify or provide more specificity to the proposed endeavor as initially described, but rather materially changed its focus.

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

  • business plan · discounted
    the NOID response presented a new set of facts regarding the proposed endeavor, which is material to eligibility
    AAO decision text
  • resume experience · discounted

Where this case turned

  • Business plan speculative · p1projections without a documented basis or steps
  • Endeavor too vague · p1described as a job role, not a defined undertaking
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Notable

AAO dismissed based on a material-change theory: Petitioner switched from seeking U.S. engineering employment to proposing a new business venture in response to the NOID, which AAO treated as an impermissible material change under Matter of Izummi/Katigbak, undermining consistency needed to establish national importance under prong 1.

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. 103.2(b)(1)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.2(b)(12)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.2(b)(8)
  • Matter of Izummi
  • Matter of Katigbak
  • Matter of L-A-C-
  • Poursina v. USCIS
  • USCIS Policy Manual F.5(D)(2)

Cases in adjacent profiles