What is the O-1 Visa?
The O-1 visa is becoming a top choice for most professionals wishing to work in the United States. With the stricter U.S. immigration policies, this visa is increasingly popular, particularly among Indian applicants. It provides an alternative to the H-1B visa.
Eligibility: For Individuals with Exceptional Ability
The O-1 visa was established by the U.S. Immigration Act of 1990. It is granted to individuals who demonstrate exceptional work in certain areas. These are science, education, business, and sports under O-1A, and arts, film, or television under O-1B.
To be eligible, applicants should satisfy at least 3 of 8 very stringent requirements. These include awards, scholarly publications, membership in prestigious organizations, or media recognition of their work.
No Lottery Process Needed
One of the advantages of the O-1 visa is that it does not require a lottery process. In contrast to the H-1B visa, applicants are not at the mercy of random selection to get rejected. Almost 93% of applications for the O-1 visa are approved every year. The approval rate for H-1B stands at only 37%.
The O-1 visa itself has an initial validity of three years. It may be extended several times, providing long-term flexibility. Because of this, it is sometimes simply called a "non-lottery H-1B."
Increasing Numbers of O-1 Visas Granted
More individuals are receiving O-1 visas, according to the U.S. State Department. In 2020, 8,838 O-1 visas were granted. By 2023, this number had risen to 18,994.
Though the processing fee is higher. It costs between $10,000 to $30,000 for O-1 visa processing. For comparison, H-1B visas cost between $970 and $7,775.
India stands at the third position for issuing O-1 visas, behind the United Kingdom and Brazil. In 2020, 487 Indians were issued this visa. That figure increased to 1,418 in 2023.
Why Tech Giants and Universities Like the O-1 Visa
With H-1B visas becoming increasingly difficult to secure, Indian professionals are turning towards the O-1 visa. Cybersecurity specialists, AI researchers, athletes, and content creators are opting for this in greater numbers.
Major corporations like Google, Tesla, and OpenAI are also employing the O-1 visa to obtain best talent. Harvard and Columbia universities are also recruiting researchers and faculty members with this visa program. The much higher approval rate and lack of lottery make the O-1 visa more desirable for both employees and employers.
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