Published AAO appeal decisions

Jewelry and luxury watch designer sought NIW for EB-2. Petitioner claimed custom jewelry and watch design as art form with national importance and job creation potential. AAO dismissed, finding petitioner failed to establish endeavor has national importance because record lacked specific data showing jewelry production rises to national or global level beyond the company.

Director and producer sought EB-2 with national interest waiver. Petitioner did not establish five years of post-baccalaureate experience required for advanced degree professional classification due to inconsistent employment documentation and lack of proper employer letters. AAO dismissed appeal.

Architect sought NIW for EB-2 advanced degree classification for proposed architectural and design projects. AAO held petitioner failed to establish specific consistent proposed endeavor and did not demonstrate national importance beyond general field significance, thus failing Dhanasar first prong.

Architect sought national interest waiver for EB-2 classification. Appeal summarily dismissed because petitioner failed to file brief or statement identifying errors in director's decision within required timeframe, only asserting general eligibility without substantive analysis of Dhanasar prongs.

A woodcarving artist sought EB-2 exceptional ability classification together with a national interest waiver. The AAO found only the academic record criterion satisfied and rejected experience, salary, membership and recognition claims. Because the threshold classification failed, it did not analyze the waiver under the Dhanasar framework, and dismissed the appeal.