O-1 Visa (Extraordinary Ability)

 

 

An O-1 is an exclusive nonimmigrant visa reserved for people with extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. People who are eligible for an O-1 visa are generally well-known in their fields, including professional athletes or famous artists.

There’s a lot of work that goes into preparing an O-1 visa –– after all, applicants have to prove that they’re extraordinary!

So how do prove you qualify for an O-1 visa? It really depends on proving that you’re extraordinary.

Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards
One way to prove your extraordinary abilities is to show off your trophies! When preparing your O-1 application, you’ll want to collect copies of awards confirmation letters, certificates, pictures of award plaques or trophies, public announcements, etc.You’ll also want to include some information about the award itself. For example, who presented the award? Who did else did they consider? How many people compete for the award? How many of these awards are given out each year? Who else has won this award? 

 

Membership in exclusive associations

  1. Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards
  2. Membership in exclusive associations
  3. Published material about you or your work
  4. Original scientific, scholarly, or business contributions in your field
  5. Authorship of scholarly articles in professional journals or other major media in your field
  6. A high salary or other remuneration compared to others in the field
  7. Participation, either n a panel or individually, as a judge of others
  8. Employment in a leading or critical role for organizations that have a distinguished reputation