Published AAO appeal decisions

Advanced degree professional in Islamic banking and finance seeking national interest waiver. Proposed ethical-finance toolkit for multistate adoption. USCIS and AAO found endeavor meritorious but lacked corroborating evidence of substantial economic effects, field-broad impact, or national importance required under Dhanasar framework.

A banking executive with a master's degree in monetary banking and three decades in finance proposed to develop a fintech platform providing replicable credit infrastructure to small and medium-sized enterprises. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding the endeavor addresses nationwide problems but lacks demonstrated field-wide impact required for national importance.

Advanced degree professional proposed financial workflow optimization for small and medium enterprises. AAO dismissed appeal because proposed endeavor lacked national importance; evidence of industry importance insufficient to establish specific endeavor's national significance under Dhanasar framework.

An employer petitions for a financial investor to receive an NIW for consulting services promoting U.S. business investment in China. The AAO found substantial merit but rejected national importance, concluding projected revenue, tax contributions, and job creation lacked evidence of broader regional or national economic impact.

An accountant specializing in finance management sought NIW for a financial literacy education business. The AAO dismissed the appeal because the petitioner failed to define his specific proposed endeavor with sufficient detail and evidence, preventing assessment of national importance.

Private equity firm sponsored senior associate beneficiary for EB-2 national interest waiver. Beneficiary has advanced degree and experience in agriculture and infrastructure sectors, but proposed endeavor lacks national importance; work scope limited to employer and clients despite alignment with national priorities.

Certified investment analyst with advanced degree seeks EB-2 with national interest waiver. Claimed endeavor has national importance for U.S. investment and capital markets. AAO affirmed denial, finding endeavor lacks national importance; tailored consulting services lack broadly applicable measures and evidence of substantial economic ripple effects or national-level impact.

Chief financial officer sought EB-2 national interest waiver for credit recovery services business with machine learning technology. AAO affirmed SCOPS denial, finding petitioner failed national importance prong despite business plans. Unsupported employment projections and lack of evidence showing technology improvements or national economic significance precluded eligibility.

A financial services professional with expertise in operational risk management sought EB-2 classification with national interest waiver. The AAO dismissed the appeal because his proposed endeavor to modernize fraud prevention and compliance infrastructure lacked demonstrated national importance. His plan would benefit limited stakeholders and offered insufficient evidence of substantial positive economic effects.

Financial engineer with advanced degree seeking NIW to develop personalized retirement planning services and hire 49 employees. Claimed financial education is urgent national priority. AAO held working in important field insufficient; proposed endeavor lacks unique methodologies or national implications; impacts only clientele, not field broadly.

Actuarial associate sought EB-2 with national interest waiver to provide AI and machine learning solutions improving pension program solvency for public servants. The AAO dismissed, holding the petitioner failed to demonstrate the proposed endeavor has national importance; letters of support and general field importance do not establish the specific endeavor's broader implications.

Commercial bank manager with 30 years experience sought EB-2 NIW classification under Dhanasar framework. AAO affirmed that proposed endeavor, though substantially meritorious, lacked national importance. Evidence showed company sales projections and job creation at 16 employees but failed to demonstrate substantial positive economic effects at national level required by Dhanasar.

Management analyst with advanced degree sought EB-2 national interest waiver for endeavor improving financial services in underserved areas. AAO found substantial merit but insufficient national importance; impact was not shown to extend broadly to industry level, so dismissed the appeal.

A financial director and entrepreneur with an advanced degree in finance sought NIW for work as finance director at a used car dealership. The AAO found her original endeavor lacked substantial merit and national importance due to vague descriptions and generic claims about economic benefits without specific, prospective impact evidence.

A relationship manager with advanced degree seeks NIW claiming to improve financial access and security through Islamic finance services. AAO affirmed denial because the petitioner failed to establish national importance of the specific proposed endeavor, lacking sufficient detail about strategies and prospective nationwide impact.

Financial analyst sought EB-2 NIW with advanced degree in finance. AAO affirmed denial, holding petitioner did not establish national importance of continuing financial analyst work; general claims of supporting resilience and aligning with federal priorities, or referencing critical emerging technologies list, insufficient without specific evidence of proposed endeavor impact. Second and third prongs reserved.

An investment advisor seeks EB-2 NIW as advanced degree professional with national interest waiver. SCOPS found her qualified for underlying EB-2 but denied waiver. AAO affirmed, finding her proposed endeavor lacks national importance because working as investment trust manager would not impact her field broadly or generate substantial positive economic effects.

Finance specialist in power generation seeks NIW for EB-2 classification to advance M&A endeavor channeling capital into power and battery storage projects. AAO affirmed EB-2 eligibility but rejected NIW because petitioner failed to demonstrate her specific proposed endeavor has national importance; industry-wide evidence insufficient without showing individual impact.

A finance professional self-petitioned for EB-2 NIW as anti-money laundering compliance specialist. The AAO dismissed the appeal, finding her proposed endeavor lacks sufficient national importance despite alignment with federal priorities.

A financial planning consultant sought EB-2 national interest waiver for a consulting company serving small and medium-sized enterprises. The AAO affirmed denial, finding the petitioner established substantial merit but failed to demonstrate national importance because he did not show his individual company would reach the level of national-level economic impact required by Dhanasar.

Quantitative analyst with advanced degree sought EB-2 national interest waiver. SCOPS found petitioner qualified for underlying classification but denied waiver. AAO affirmed, finding petitioner presented inconsistent and changing proposed endeavors, preventing determination of national importance under Dhanasar first prong. Remaining prongs reserved.

Quantitative finance analyst self-petitioner sought EB-2 NIW. Claimed substantial merit and national importance of financial risk modeling work. AAO affirmed denial, finding no demonstrated national importance of the specific proposed endeavor despite industry importance; opinion letters lacked sufficient specificity.

Finance manager filed combined motions to reopen and reconsider a dismissed NIW appeal. AAO found motion to reconsider untimely under regulations; motion to reopen also untimely, and even if excused, contained no evidence of national importance of proposed work, the dispositive issue in prior dismissal. Both motions dismissed.

Financial analyst seeking EB-2 with NIW for financial advisory services initiative. AAO found petitioner lacks advanced degree meeting regulatory standard and proposed endeavor lacks national importance under Dhanasar. Insufficient evidence demonstrated prospective impact on field, employment, or economic benefits at national level.

Financial advisor and entrepreneur seeking EB-2 with national interest waiver proposes to grow small and medium-sized enterprises and improve tax systems. AAO held she lacked advanced degree eligibility; also did not establish national importance of the specific endeavor, as projections were uncorroborated and methods lacked demonstrated innovation or broader field implications.