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 Beneficiary, an assistant research scientist, intended to continue managing and analyzing data for a decades-long epidemiological study of mental health in Puerto Rican youth, part of the NIH's ECHO Program, and to continue related longitudinal research with the Petitioner's foundation.
Field: epidemiological/psychiatric research, longitudinal data management · Read the decision (uscis.gov)
EB-2 threshold — addressed
Director found and AAO confirmed Beneficiary qualifies as an advanced degree professional.
Prong 1 — national importanceestablished
“Upon review of the record, we conclude that the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance.”
AAO decision text
Prong 2 — well positionedestablished
“The Beneficiary's education in psychiatry and medical psychology and his deep involvement in the research demonstrate that he is well positioned to advance the endeavor”
AAO decision text
Prong 3 — balance of factorsestablished
“Based on the Beneficiary's research history and the significance of his work to advance U.S. scientific and public health interests, we conclude that he offers contributions of such value that, on balance, they would benefit the United States even assuming other qualified U.S. workers are available.”
AAO decision text
How the evidence was treated
- recommendation letter · credited
- resume experience · credited
- other · credited
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Notable
The Director's decision was internally inconsistent, initially finding substantial merit and national importance under prong 1 but later contradicting that finding under prong 3; AAO resolved this in Petitioner's favor and reversed the Director on all three Dhanasar prongs, sustaining the appeal in full.
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. 103.3
- Poursina v. USCIS
What this case teaches
Analyst reading of the decision text.
Director conflated prongs and mischaracterized Beneficiary as mere data analyst; detailed letters showed his unique, integral expertise in a nationally significant NIH-affiliated longitudinal study.
Pair concrete, detailed expert letters on both the endeavor's national-scale significance and the beneficiary's irreplaceable specific role to satisfy all three Dhanasar prongs.
specific
public_health · government_interest · field_advancement
mixed
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