The O-1 Visa is for a non-immigrant life. It is for people with extraordinary ability in any of these areas: science, the arts, education, business or sports; or for those who have proven that they possess a record of extraordinary achievement in the television or motion film industries. Likewise, such persons must have received national or international recognition for said achievements.
Those who apply for this visa must move temporarily into the United States and continue their work in the area of extraordinary achievement.
Given that what is understood as “extraordinary achievement” can be a very wide classification, this Visa has the following categories:
- O-1A: For those people who possess extraordinary abilities in science, education, business, sports, the arts, the motion film or television industries.
- O-1B: For those who possess special abilities in the arts or who have obtained significant achievements in the motion film or television industries.
- O-2: It is a sub-classification for those who accompany the holders of an O-1 Visa. For example, trainers in the case of athletes, etc.
Those who apply for an O-2 Visa will have to demonstrate that they are essential for the activities of the holder of the O-1 Visa and/or for the culmination of a given work project.
There is a main requirement to obtain the O-2 Visa: the accompanying worker must have qualities that will make them hard to replace by an American worker.
- O-3: Given to the spouses or children of holders of O-1 and O-2 Visas.
Who may qualify for the O-1 Visa?
The skills or extraordinary achievements of those who apply for an O-1 Visa, be it for business, sports, science, the arts, industries, etc., must be backed with evidence, both national and international. Additionally, it is required of them to work temporarily in the United States performing that ability, or by attaining those achievements that qualify them for that Visa.
Among the various types of Visa that there exist to work in the United States there is the O Visa, which is granted to people of extraordinary abilities.