O-1 Extraordinary Ability Work Visa
Do you possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics AND have a job offer from a U.S. employer?
The O-1 visa is a temporary work permit for people that can demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and must be seeking to work in the field in which they have extraordinary ability.
Dependent family members of the primary O-1 visa holder, such as spouses and children under 21, may obtain an O-3 status and move to the U.S. as well, but are not eligible for work authorization.
Many foreign nationals who qualify for the O-1 work permit subsequently qualify for the EB-1(a) when they are ready to immigrate and pursue a green card.
We recommend starting the O-1 as soon as possible as the application can take a month to prepare, plus processing times vary.
O-1 visa applicants must present one of two types of evidence: either a one-time, major international award such as a Nobel Prize or Pulitzer, or at least 3 of the 8 qualifications listed below.
Receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence,
Membership in associations in the field which demand outstanding achievement of their members
Material published about you in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Judging the work of others, either individually or on a panel
Proof of original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance to the field
Authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Performing a leading or critical role in distinguished organizations
Commanding a high salary or other significantly high remuneration in relation to others in the field
Check your eligibility now!
Use our free eligibility checker to quickly see all work permits that you may qualify for.
Or, start your O-1 application by creating an account. It is free and will check if you are eligible for an O-1 visa. Review all the information and documents you must provide, and see all the fees required - no surprises! With an account, you can schedule a call with one of our immigration experts.
- Quick and easy online application
- Preparation of submission package
- Expert review and representation
- $1 million in insurance
- Secure encrypted document storage
How It Works
- 1Create An Account
Do an eligibility check, or pick a visa, or just sign up directly to create an account. Then you can see all the documents needed, questions you must answer, and fee payments for our services and to the government. If you have any questions, it is easy to contact our sales team or to schedule a call.
- 2Eligibility Confirmation Before Payment
First you will answer a few questions to ensure you are eligible for the visa. Only if you are eligible will the payment unlock. Making payment assigns an immigration lawyer or regulated consultant to your application. We are transparent in our process and pricing, and clearly list all the fees and processing times for your visa. Read our Transparency Pledge. We use Stripe for credit or debit card payment processing, which is secure and encrypted.
- 3Complete Your Application Online
You can complete as many of the application tasks you wish before payment. Take your time. Some visas require a lot of information, which requires answering questionnaires and uploading of documents. Our system ensures everything necessary is gathered depending on your situation - preventing errors and omissions - and saving you time.
- 4Visa Preparation and Submission
Once all the tasks are completed, our experts will review your answers and start preparing your application so that the best case is best presented. Government fees are also due once the application is completed and we can correctly calculate the government fees due. After a final review by you, and by our experts, your application will be submitted! You will have peace of mind that only comes with an accurate application.
- 5Approval and Renewals
We notify you when your visa is approved! If there are any questions or rejections from the government, we will answer them and resubmit without any further fees from us. We securely store your immigration documents for 7 years and provide alerts well before any expiry dates. Renewing or taking the next step toward citizenship is easy when all your immigration history is in one place.
Required Documents
Some documents you will need to provide, and some documents we may prepare for you.
- Advisory Opinion / Consultation Letter
- Current I-94
- Job Description in US
- Major, internationally recognized award
- Passport Biographic Page
- Professional License, if any
- University Degree (s)
- University Transcripts