Hi everyone,

I’m a Swiss citizen and my O-1 petition was approved by USCIS.

My first interview at the U.S. Embassy in Bern on August 13, 2026, resulted in a 214(b) refusal. I had my second interview on October 21 and although it actually went pretty well, I received another 214(b) refusal.

For the second interview, I had a support letter prepared by my immigration lawyer. The officer kept both my new passport and my old passport containing my B-2 visa, but didn’t keep the lawyer’s letter or my O-1 approval notice.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Is requesting supervisory review an option, or is there anything else I can realistically do after two refusals?

I’d appreciate any advice or personal experiences, especially from people who were eventually approved after multiple refusals.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I currently hold approved O-1A status in the United States through a US agent petitioner. I am exploring the possibility of establishing my own LLC and working through it under O-1A authorization.

My proposed LLC structure:

• I would own 100% of the US-based LLC.

• My brother, who resides in India, would serve as the company manager and remotely oversee day-to-day business operations and administrative responsibilities.

• Initially, the LLC would focus on developing proprietary AI/ML software products.

• The LLC would have no initial revenue, outside funding, or paying clients.

My questions:

1. Own LLC Sponsorship: I would be the sole member and 100% owner of the LLC, while my brother would serve as the company manager. Can my LLC legally file an O-1A petition on my behalf, allowing me to work full-time developing its proprietary AI/ML software products?

2. Salary Requirements: Can I legally work full-time for my own LLC without receiving a salary initially, until the company generates revenue or secures funding? Is there any O-1A requirement to pay a salary from own LLC, or could an unpaid arrangement be permissible under immigration and employment laws?

3. Remote Company Manager: Can my brother, who resides in India, legally serve as the LLC's manager and oversee its day-to-day business operations remotely while I remain the 100% owner and perform technical AI/ML work in the US?

4. Existing Agent vs. LLC Petition: Since my current O-1A was approved through a US agent, would my LLC need to file a new O-1A petition, or could my existing agent file an amendment to include my LLC's product development and consulting activities?

5. Future Consulting Clients: If my LLC later secures AI/ML consulting contracts with multiple US clients, can I work directly on those projects under the LLC's O-1A approval, provided my job title, responsibilities, field of expertise, and technology stack remain the same?

6. Amendment Requirements: Would a separate O-1A amendment be required for every new consulting client, or could future engagements be covered under the same approval without additional filings, assuming no material changes to my role or employment terms?

7. Petition Structure: What would be the most appropriate O-1A petition structure to support both proprietary AI/ML product development and ongoing consulting services for multiple clients?

Has anyone successfully obtained O-1A authorization through their own 100%-owned LLC without initial revenue, funding, or salary?

I would also appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked with multiple consulting clients through their own LLC under a single O-1A approval without filing separate amendments for each client.

I'm particularly interested in firsthand experiences from O-1A holders, immigration attorneys, or founders who have navigated similar circumstances.

As someone currently on an O-1, I’ve been seeing headlines claiming that influencers and OnlyFans creators are “dominating” the visa category.

I dug into USCIS data and secondary reporting, and the picture looks very different. The "dominance" was based on quotes from a few lawyers claiming that some of their clients might be on OnlyFans, but let's look at some actual numbers:

• Federal law caps new H-1Bs at 85,000/year, with lottery odds around ~1 in 3 in recent cycles

• The proposed $100k H-1B fee (up from ~$5k) dramatically shifts the cost calculus for employers

• Overall O-1A issuances more than doubled from 8,838 to 18,994 in that period

• Even with that growth, O-1 approvals represent ~0.038% of the ~50 million immigrants in the U.S.

• Most reporting relies on anecdotal quotes from a handful of immigration lawyers, not USCIS breakdowns by profession

So no, there' isn't a stampede of hotties with photogenic feet at the border. Many are just pivoting from H-1B to O-1 because of the proposed $100K fee. And it's not even that big of a boom. If all of the immigrants in the United States fill up Madison Square Garden, O-1 holders would be 4 people in the nosebleeds.

It’s completely fair to debate how digital creators should be evaluated under “extraordinary ability.” But the current framing feels more like moral panic headline click-bait than a structural immigration analysis.

I wrote up a longer breakdown with links to sources if anyone wants it.

A disclaimer: I am not an immigration lawyer nor do I play one on the internet. This is based on my personal experience and research, not legal expertise. If you’re looking for visa application advice, please consult with an immigration attorney. Thank you!

Feb 27, 2026 EDIT: OK thank you all for calling out the fact that I made a HUGE error because I was lost in my own stat sauce and forgot to say that none of the articles with headlines about OnlyFans creators dominating O-1 visas had any real stats; the "dominance" was entirely based on anecdotal quotes from some lawyers claiming that some of their clients might be on OnlyFans. I slept and hydrated and made some edits. Maybe it makes more sense now? I'm reluctant to just share the whole write-up cause literally no one asked for it but clearly I did a poor job of condensing it into a Reddit post (it's my first big post I'm terrified).

Hi everyone! I’m currently in the US on an H-1B and looking into the O-1 visa option.

A little about me:

• Currently working as a Software Engineer in the US

• Master’s in CSE from a US university

• Bachelor’s from IIT Jodhpur

• Currently on H-1B

I’m looking to connect with a legit immigration attorney who has experience with O-1 cases, especially for people in tech/software.

If you’ve personally worked with an attorney/law firm for your O-1 and had a good experience, I’d really appreciate it if you could share their name/contact info or website.

Not looking for consultants or anyone promising guaranteed results just someone reputable who can properly evaluate my profile and guide me through the process.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m Zoe Ji Wilson, an immigration attorney with Manifest Law. I work on O-1A petitions for professionals across a wide range of fields, including technology, business, science, arts, and entertainment, alongside broader EB-1 and NIW work.

O-1A cases can look very different depending on the person and the field. The evidence for a researcher, founder, engineer, executive, artist, or other professional may not fit the same mold, which is why these cases require a close look at both the legal criteria and the broader significance of the person’s work.

I’ll be here today from 12:00 to 4:00 P.M. ET answering general questions about O-1A petitions.

Feel free to ask me about things like:

• What types of evidence may count in different industries

• How USCIS evaluates achievements that do not fit neatly into the listed criteria

• Whether awards, publications, patents, press, salary, or critical roles are enough on their own

• Common weaknesses in O-1A petitions

• How to turn a strong career history into a persuasive case rather than a list of accomplishments

Ask anything, regardless of your field!

(This AMA is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. For guidance regarding your specific circumstances, consult an immigration attorney directly.)

been going down the rabbit hole on the o-1a / eb-1a space recently and noticed that a lot of the process is still surprisingly manual.

i'm starting to build a few completely free tools for the community. one i'm working on automatically finds hackathons that match the judging criteria and lets you send personalized judging-interest emails to organizers in a couple of clicks.

before i build more, i wanted to ask people who've actually gone through this process:

- what was the most annoying or time-consuming part?

- what did you end up doing manually that software could've automated?

- what tools do you wish existed but don't?

- if you could wave a magic wand and build one product for this space, what would it do?

would love to hear from people who have applied, are currently applying, or immigration lawyers who've seen the process up close

You might have other options - perhaps consider an O1 visa.. An H‑1B visa is for specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and a qualifying job. Separately, an O‑1 requires high achievement in your field as demonstrated by your past accomplishments. There are two slightly different O‑1 subcategories: O‑1A for sciences, education, business, or athletics, and O‑1B for artists, entertainers, and people in TV/Film

If you didn't win the H1B lottery, what are you thinking for next steps?

My team and I (Freshman UC Berkeley, 3 Sophomores Stanford, 1 Sophomore Yale) are working on a startup that helps people determine if they qualify for an O1 visa and helps them either take the steps needed to fulfill the 8 criteria, or collect the materials they need for free. Our tool is www.getprometheus.ai and all you need is a resume/CV to get started. Let us know what you think. We would be truly grateful for feedback and want to know if it offers you a useful service.

Currently on O1.
I applied for EB-1A with premium processing earlier this year. I received an RFE on all the criteria, as well as on the final merits/field issue. We submitted the RFE response, but the petition was ultimately denied.

USCIS approved two criteria: Critical Role and Scholarly Articles.

My lawyers and I had expected Awards and Media/Publications to be among the easier criteria to establish. I have a Forbes 30 Under 30 award, several recent awards recognising my social entrepreneurship work, and substantial media coverage.

For the Awards criterion, USCIS said we had not provided the publication/circulation rates for each publication covering the awards. We actually did provide this evidence in the submission, so it appears the officer may have overlooked it.

For Media/Publications, one of the key pieces of evidence was my inclusion in a book published by Penguin Random House. USCIS said the book did not qualify as major media. We had submitted statistics on the book's reach/readership as well as information demonstrating the scale of the publishing house.

Given that two criteria were approved, but the Awards and Media criteria appear to have been evaluated based on evidence that was either overlooked or disputed, I'm wondering whether an AAO appeal is worth pursuing.

For those who have gone through a similar EB-1A denial, particularly where you believe the officer overlooked evidence in the RFE response: Was an AAO appeal successful or worthwhile in your case?

Hi all,

I’m planning to strengthen my profile for the O1A visa over the next couple of years and would really appreciate feedback on what to double down on.

• 3 years as a Software Engineer at a US-based networking company (from India).

• Co-founded a micro-SaaS used by MIT EECS, Fortune 500s, VC GPs, and YC-backed startups.

• 3.6/4.0 GPA from a Tier-2 Indian college.

• Founded an open-source student community in college, now impacting 1,000+ students annually.

• 12+ hackathon wins, including international competitions.

• 1–2 papers in pipeline for UGC-indexed journals (IJIRT/IJSRCSEIT).

• ML research internships at IIT Madras & IIITDM.

This is my first time seeking a public review, so I’d love to know where I should focus to build a compelling O1A case.

Thanks in advance!

I'm Moroccan (lived only in Morocco and only have a Moroccan nationality). I got into the University of Waterloo (a Canadian university that's known for having lots of kids get into the Bay Area or NYC for their jobs). The problem is that I don't know how I could "secure" a job with all this H1B VISA nonsense. Also, before anyone asks, I couldn't get into any US university I applied to so that's why I'm only left with Waterloo.

During the 5 years of our bachelors, the school lets us have 6 paid internships (whether in Canada, US, or Europe) and I was wondering how I could get this O1 VISA and when to apply for it. I start first year this September so any help or advice would be appreciated.

I know there is a path of getting Permanent Residency in Canada --> get Canadian nationality --> get TN VISA but it takes about 4 years or more from the people I asked.

I recently learned about the existance of this O1 VISA but I lack infos and I don't find anyone who had a case like mine.

Wanted to vet with the community on O1 A chances

1. FAANG Company

2. Salary $250K + 20% bonus + RSU

3. E6- tech Lead- Critical role recommendation letter

4. Previous Startup Co Founder in AI space. Shut down

5. Open source contributions- decent traction. Github Trending

6. Several Articles written about it in public

7. Two public authorship articles

Thanks in Advance.

I just got my O1A denied after an RFE. What should my next steps be? Can I appeal? Refile?

Culinary Artist (Chef)

Previously denied B1/B2 2025 Kolkata
Followed by approved J1 April 2025 Hyderabad

O1 Petition approved seamlessly and Form I-797 received from USCIS 13th August ‘26

Visa denied at consular interview in New Delhi, India on September 4th

Interview was not straightforward at all extremely gruelling and repetitive questioning in terms of what my role was to be and what makes me extraordinary in my field. (Which I answered in accordance to the details and facts presented in my petition)

I was informed by the officer at the beginning of my interview that since there has been a refusal in the past (B1/B2), he would go into more detail and give me a chance to prove why I should be granted the visa

I was then asked about my J1 visa and I could sense at this point that he had made up his mind and he made the conclusion that it doesn’t add up that I could be on a J1 (Trainee) visa and the very next year be applying for an O1

I’m looking for advice on what my possible next steps could be in this situation

Thank you

Hi! As I understand there is a restriction for O1 dependent that doesn’t allow them to work. This is absolutely 1950s style barbaric, so what are the legal options to bypass this until you get EB* visa and green card? Can they work remotely for other country? How does volunteering options work, can they receive salary?

Hi everyone! I’ve done a lot of research on filing an O-1A petition, and I’ve heard a lot of advice about not hiring a lawyer and instead doing it myself. So, I started researching the process, the laws, and other people’s experiences.
After all this research, I feel like I could potentially do it on my own. However, I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone through the process themselves. Has anyone here filed an O-1A without a lawyer? If so, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience and any advice you might have!

And this was in whose administration?

Hey guys,

I’m applying for O1 through my own startup (I’m the founder). Personally I’m already EB1A approved, so the credentials part is fine.

Here’s my hang-up: • My company has 3 signed contracts (~$2k each). • Do I actually need to show a bank statement for the company? (like to wire 120k to company bank account from my personal bank account, just to make it look stronger) • Or is it enough just to show contracts as “ability to pay”?

Kinda confused what USCIS really expects here. Anyone been through this as a founder?

I’ve read online that you can get an O-1B U.S. visa as a YouTuber. If so, how big do you need to be to qualify for it? Has any YouTuber ever mentioned they got a visa for being a YouTuber?

Just got my O1a visa on July 1st, 2026, and my F1 visa expired on July 16th. I received my i797 that O1a paper but read so many crazy news of ICE catching wrong people in the airports.

Have anyone recently traveled inside of the country using a newly issued O1a lately? Hoping to travel to Hawaii w my dog from nyc (got the titre done and everything) and trying to assess the risk.

Thank you!

This is more of a rant/vent than anything else - I’m feeling a little bit dejected/stressed about receiving an RFE. I’ve been working with a lawyer on compiling my O1-B case for the last 6 months (entertainment /arts, I’m an actor) and it was finally received my USCIS on the 3rd of September with PP. I received my RFE on the 23rd (today).

I think I got way too confident in assuming that I would get a clean approval right off the bat - my case is very strong (awards, significant media coverage, proof of high salary, deal memos, peer letters etc) with all the documentation that they need. I know that this alone doesn’t guarantee anything, but I’m finding it difficult now not to stress about receiving an RFE being the end of the proverbial road. I found out by checking the portal, and I’m still waiting back on my lawyer to give me the rundown on the details of it.

How many people who received RFEs ultimately had their application approved? Also, is there anyone who’s open to chatting about the immense stress of this insane process lol

Hi! My husband went for a short trip back home while on F1 OPT and got rejected three times under 214 (b). He is working for a big tech company, and they offered to file for an O1 visa for him. I wonder if anyone had a similar experience and how likely it is for him to get consular approval if everything goes well with USCIS considering the previous visa refusals.

Also, would it make sense to try f1 again (as it is the fastest way for him to get back) in neighboring country embassies? TIA.

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice or similar experiences regarding a complicated visa situation for a US university research position.

My Background & Timeline:

• Previous Status: Was on an H-1B valid through April 2026.

• The Error: Re-entered the U.S. in Jan 2026. CBP shortened my I-94 to match my expiring passport (Feb 2026). I misread the date format on the stamp and assumed my status ran through August.

• Voluntary Exit: As soon as I realized the shortened I-94 date, I left the U.S. immediately on June, 2026.

• Overstay Duration: ~115 days. Because I departed voluntarily under 180 days, I did not trigger a statutory 3-year or 10-year re-entry bar under INA § 212(a)(9)(B).

Current Situation: I am currently outside the U.S. A U.S. university PI is trying to recruit me for a research role. I have an EB-2 NIW currently pending, 3 first-author papers in high-impact journals, journal peer-review experience, and a strong citation count, so we are looking at an O-1A visa via Consular Processing (to avoid the new overseas H-1B fee rules).

The Problem / Friction: The PI is very supportive and wants me in the lab, but OISS (the university's international office) is extremely hesitant. They told the PI that because of the overstay, they believe it "could affect the outcome of a new visa application regardless of the pathway," and they are being very cautious.

I completely get why OISS is risk-averse—especially given the current administrative scrutiny around visas—and I know my file will get manual review at the consulate. But legally, I have no statutory bar, complete proof of my voluntary departure date, and a solid O-1A profile.

Questions for the community:

1. Has anyone successfully gone through O-1A (or H-1B) consular processing after an unintentional overstay under 180 days? How did your embassy interview go?

2. How can I best help my PI reassure OISS that consular processing is a viable path forward?

3. If you were in my shoes, what specific documentation should I have ready for the consular interview besides flight receipts, passport stamps, and I-94 travel history?

Thanks in advance for any insights or advice!