NIW Bearings
dismissedMAR252022_02B52032022-03-25 · combined · 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, a youth minister, sought to continue her religious youth-ministry work in the United States, which she claimed would reach communities across the country.

Field: youth ministry · Read the decision (uscis.gov)

Prong 1 — national importancenot established · dispositive

the record did not establish that the proposed endeavor has national importance, as required by the first prong of Matter of Dhanasar
her "activities will be of national importance and will undoubtedly reach all parts of the United States."

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

  • recommendation letter · discounted
    The letters from the respective organizations largely consist of language that is identical to language in letters already in the record
    AAO decision text
  • motion resubmission · discounted
    None of the new evidence presents new facts that are relevant to the issues raised on motion
    AAO decision text
  • other · discounted
    the letters and the Petitioner's new personal statement address the Petitioner's recent activities, occurring after the petition filing date
    AAO decision text

Where this case turned

  • Endeavor too vague · p1described as a job role, not a defined undertaking
  • Local, not national scope · p1impact confined to clients / a region
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Notable

This is a combined motion to reopen/reconsider following a prior AAO dismissal on prong 1 (national importance); the AAO reaffirmed that finding, holding new letters merely reasserted prior facts verbatim and that post-filing activities cannot establish eligibility under Matter of Katigbak, and declined to reach prongs 2-3 under Bagamasbad.

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. 103.5(a)(2)
  • 8 C.F.R. 103.5(a)(3)
  • Matter of Katigbak
  • Matter of L-A-C-

Cases in adjacent profiles