TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGES

IMMIGRANT VISAS

NON IMMIGRANT VISAS

ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS

BURDEN OF PROOF FOR VISA PETITIONS

PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE

Except where a different standard is specified by law, a petitioner or applicant in administrative immigration proceedings must prove by a preponderance of evidence that he or she is eligible for the benefit sought.

Matter of Martinez, 21 I&N Dec. 1035, 1036 (BIA 1997)

Noting that the petitioner must prove eligibility by a preponderance of evidence in visa petition proceedings.

Matter of Soo Hoo, 11 I&N Dec. 151, 152 (BIA 1965)

Finding that the petitioner had not established eligibility by a preponderance of the evidence because the submitted evidence was not credible.

Matter of Patel, 19 I&N Dec. 774, 782-3 (BIA 1988)

Noting that section 204(a)(2)(A) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1154(a)(2)(A) (Supp. IV 1986), requires a higher standard of clear and convincing evidence to rebut the presumption of a fraudulent prior marriage.

Matter of Chawathe, 25 I&N Dec. 369 (AAO 2010)

”In most administrative immigration proceedings, the applicant must prove by a preponderance of evidence that he or she is eligible for the benefit sought.”

“MORE LIKELY THAN NOTE”

INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421 (1987)

Defining “more likely than not” as a greater than 50 percent probability of something occurring.

1 See INA 291.

2 See INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421 (1987) (defining “more likely than not” as a greater than 50 percent probability of something occurring).

3 See Chapter 6, Evidence, Section F, Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny [1 USCIS-PM E.6(F)] for more information.

4 See INA 245(e)(3). See INA 309(a)(1).


IMMIGRANT VISAS

Immigrant Visas

Marriage-based

Immediate Relative

Family Preference

Self-Petitions

Employment-based

NONIMMIGRANT VISAS

Nonimmigrant Visas

Visitor

Employment-based

U-nonimmigrant

SPECIAL

VAWA

SIJS

U Visa

K visa

EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISAS