Apply For An O-1 Visa
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About Service
Get a free eligibility check. See if you're eligible for the O-1 Visa.
What is the O-1 Visa?
The O-1 Visa is divided into two categories.
A Gateway for Individuals with Extraordinary Abilities
Most Popular
O-1A Visa
For those excelling in science, business, education, or athletics.
For Artists
O-1B Visa
Tailored for individuals with outstanding achievements in the arts and entertainment.
While both H-1B and O-1 allow you to work in the US, the O-1 Visa is quite different from the H-1B.
The O-1 visa offers the following advantages
Merit-Based Selection
The O-1 visa is only offered to individuals who prove extraordinary ability in their field.
No Cap
Unlike the H-1B, there’s no annual quota or cap. This means that virtually unlimited number of O-1 visas can be given out every year.
No Lottery
The O-1 visa is offered on the basis of merit.
Apply Anytime
Unlike the H-1B, there’s no specific time of year to apply for the O-1.
No Minimum Salary
Unlike the H-1B, the O-1 is not subject to Labor Condition Application, and hence, there’s no minimum salary requirements.
Unlimited Extensions
The O-1 visa is initially offered for 3 years but offers unlimited 1-year extensions after this period. Unlike the H-1B, there is no dependency on an I-140
Ability to work for multiple Employers
There are ways to work with multiple employers or clients on the O-1.
Entrepreneur Friendly
While the O-1 visa is employer sponsored, entrepreneurs can often create an entity and sponsor themselves through their entity.
Wider Eligibility
Unlike the H-1B, the O-1 is not limited to specialty occupations such as IT and Finance. O-1 can be applied for virtually any field. This includes culinary experts, artists, engineers, accountants, and many other fields.
Offers Access to EB-1 Green Card
The requirements of the O-1 and EB-1 visas are quite similar. For nationals of India and China, where backlogs of EB-2 and EB-3 result in long wait times, the EB-1 pathway offers the ability to get Permanent Residence in just 3-4 years.
The O-1 visa has the following disadvantages
Non-Transferable
Unlike the H-1B, you may not transfer from one employer to the other on the O-1. However, a repetition from the new employer allows you to switch employers. Having an entity owned by the applicant allows them to overcome this con through C2C (contractual) employment.
No Employment Authorization for Dependants
Dependents of the O-1 Visa (O-3 visa holders) cannot work in the US during their stay. However, this disadvantage can be overcome in many cases by applying for the EB-1 visa.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for an O-1A visa, which recognizes extraordinary ability in fields such as sciences, athletics, and business, applicants must demonstrate a level of expertise that places them among the small percentage at the very top of their profession. This is similar to the standards for the EB-1A visa. Applicants can either show a one-time achievement of a major caliber, such as a Nobel Prize or Olympic Medal, or meet at least three of the following criteria:
- 1
Nationally or internationally recognized awards for excellence in the field.
- 2
Membership in prestigious associations that require extraordinary achievements for membership, as evaluated by field experts.
- 3
Published material about the applicant in professional or major trade publications, or other prominent media outlets.
- 4
Participation as a judge (either independently or in panels) of the work of others in the field, including peer review or advisory roles.
- 5
Original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic or business-related contributions of major significance in the field.
- 6
Authorship of scholarly articles published in professional or major trade publications or other respected media outlets.
- 7
Serving in a critical role for distinguished organizations or enterprises.
- 8
Commanding a high salary or substantial remuneration for services, indicating exceptional skill compared to others in the field.
- 9
Comparable evidence when the listed criteria are not directly applicable to the applicant's occupation.
Most applicants do not meet these criteria by default. Almost every candidate puts in the work and builds their profile before they are petition-ready.
Why Choose YMGrad for Your O-1 Visa Application?
Our services in the end-to-end application for the O-1 visa are unlike any other firm’s.
Timeline
Here’s how long it takes to get the O-1 visa.
Profile Building
Get closer to USCIS’ definition of Extraordinary.
Duration - 6 Months
Petitioning
Build an unbreakable petition.
Duration - 1-2 Months
Filing with USCIS
Filing the I-129.
Duration - 1-2 Months
Decision from USCIS
Receive your I-797 approval notice.
Duration
Success Rate & Pathways
Understand what you need on your profile to get approved.
O-1 Visa Success Rate
Based on petition outputs of our clients (Jul 2025 to Dec 2025)
71%
82%
87%
93%
98%
Other Pathways for working overseas
United States (EB-1 Visa)
Fastest Green Card by Employment.
United Kingdom (Global Talent Visa)
UK Work Visa Without Employer & PR Pathway.
Australia (National Innovation Visa)
Australia Work Visa & Direct PR (No Employer).
United States (EB-2 NIW Visa)
No Employer Needed, Direct PR Pathway.
Singapore ONE Pass
No Employer Needed. Live & Work in Singapore.
The Help YOU Need
Frequently Asked Questions!
We support applications to most countries including but not limited to USA, Canada, Germany, Ireland, UK, Australia, India, and Singapore.
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