AAO Appeal Outcome Statistics
Last updated 2026-10-16
The AAO dismissed 88.5% of 10,126 published non-precedent appeals across EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, O-1A, and O-1B visa types from 1999 to 2025.
By Visa Type
EB-1A4,547 appealsDismissed: 88.2%
EB-2 NIW5,037 appeals
(Dhanasar era: 2017–present)Dismissed: 88.2% O-1A286 appealsDismissed: 91.6% O-1B256 appealsDismissed: 96.1%
(Dhanasar era: 2017–present)Dismissed: 88.2% O-1A286 appealsDismissed: 91.6% O-1B256 appealsDismissed: 96.1%
Dismissal Rates by Year
| Year | EB-1A | EB-2 NIW | O-1A | O-1B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78.5% (51/65) | 93.6% (190/203) | — (2/2) | — (1/1) |
| 2024 | 68.6% (234/341) | 93.9% (1514/1612) | — (11/12) | — (11/11) |
| 2023 | 75.2% (152/202) | 89.3% (807/904) | — (10/12) | — (10/10) |
| 2022 | 81.5% (128/157) | 84.2% (186/221) | — (9/10) | — (10/11) |
| 2021 | 85.3% (157/184) | 82.9% (252/304) | — (18/18) | — (13/13) |
| 2020 | 91.1% (277/304) | 84.8% (56/66) | — (5/5) | — (9/9) |
| 2019 | 87.8% (195/222) | 72.9% (35/48) | — | — |
| 2018 | 90.5% (153/169) | 85.9% (55/64) | — (5/5) | — (14/14) |
| 2017 | 88.1% (119/135) | 88.2% (45/51) | — (8/8) | — (14/14) |
| 2016 | 84.5% (93/110) | 81.7% (58/71) | — (3/3) | — (6/6) |
| 2015 | 86.6% (110/127) | 80.8% (59/73) | — (11/12) | — (16/17) |
| 2014 | 93.9% (107/114) | 96.7% (145/150) | — (15/15) | — (12/12) |
| 2013 | 94.9% (168/177) | 91.5% (140/153) | — (11/12) | — (17/17) |
| 2012 | 94.4% (237/251) | 95.4% (104/109) | — (7/7) | — (5/5) |
| 2011 | 90.2% (156/173) | 95.7% (110/115) | — (12/16) | 95.2% (20/21) |
| 2010 | 91.8% (101/110) | 91.3% (42/46) | — (17/19) | — (17/19) |
| 2009 | 93.5% (229/245) | 78.2% (61/78) | — (7/9) | — (7/8) |
| 2008 | 88.4% (84/95) | 70.7% (29/41) | — (5/5) | — (3/3) |
| 2007 | 90.6% (77/85) | 72.6% (53/73) | — (17/17) | — (5/5) |
| 2006 | 88.8% (95/107) | 72.2% (39/54) | 90.5% (19/21) | — (6/6) |
| 2005 | 93.6% (427/456) | 69.0% (129/187) | 92.0% (23/25) | 100.0% (21/21) |
| 2004 | 100.0% (23/23) | — (11/15) | — (7/7) | — (5/6) |
| 2003 | — (16/16) | — (7/11) | — (4/4) | — |
| 2002 | — (2/2) | — | — | — (0/1) |
| 2001 | — (5/6) | — (9/14) | — (1/1) | — (3/3) |
| 2000 | — (2/2) | — | — | — |
| 1999 | — (1/1) | — | — | — |
Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 1999–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.
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