O-1 Visa FAQs

Monday, February 6, 2023 - 01:03

Entering the U.S. on a visitor visa while green card is pending || qualifying for Visa Waiver Program (VWP) || Spouse visa through H-1, L-1, or O-1 || Any special visas for UK, EU, Singapore, Dubai or Australia

Question

Have any rules changed regarding getting a spouse visa through H1, L1, or O1? Also is traveling on a tourist visa to the US after marriage not ok, with a pending GC application? Finally, does the US have any special agreements with the UK, EU, Singapore, Dubai or Australia for visas that may qualify in this scenario?

Answer

Video URL

Sunday, June 19, 2022 - 10:58

Currently on O-1; EB-1A filing resume review

Question

I am on a O1-A visa for 3+ years. I am looking to file my EB1-A. 1. I have published and authored journal publications 2. Also, I have peer reviewed journal/conference papers. Following is the link to my google scholar : https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2OnK284AAAAJ&hl=en Please could you provide a feedback on my chances on EB1-A approval?

Answer

Rohit ji, if we have not already spoken, please email me your resume to help at immigration dot com. We do not charge for resume reviews. Usually, an O-1 is a good sign that you may qualify for an EB-1A or an EB-1B.

Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 08:31

Current Immigration/Visa Options for Entrepreneurs

Question

What are the requirements to get a visa and green card as an international entrepreneur? Is the start-up visa effective?

Answer

Watch the Video on this FAQ: Current immigration/visa options for entrepreneurs

Video Transcript

A few options for Entrepreneurial Visas:

You could come in on E visa, H visa, O visa or TN visa and eventually get a green card based upon various other options including EB-1A if you are extraordinary qualified individual or EB-5 if you are making the required amount of investment and creating the jobs necessary under the rule. 

You can also come in through L-1A if you have a foreign company you have worked outside for that company for at least one year as an executive or managerial employee, you can start a company or buy a company in the United States and transfer yourself or your key managerial employees or employee to the USA. L-1 is the fastest way of getting a green card because L-1 is potentially processed within a few weeks because you can file premium processing and once you are in the USA you can file a EB-1 based green card which will get you seen through the process normally within a year, sometimes as little as three to five months. More ...


Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.

Monday, January 11, 2016 - 07:23

The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - FAQ's

Question

Answer

Question 1: Redo the PERM or just the I-140. If redoing the PERM again then what's new in this regulation? 

Answer: After 180 days, you can extend H-1 even if 140 is withdrawn.

Question 2: It seems that there is no easy provision for EAD/AP for approved 140 applicants. So is there any point in waiting for this rule or Should I consider Visa stamping is only option for traveling outside US? Please suggest as I waited for a year or long thought they are going to give AP.

Answer: Your observation about EAD/AP is correct- no easier. I will be surprised if USCIS changes these proposed rules in any significant manner when they finalize.

Question 3: If I have consumed my 6 years of H-1B and I have approved I-140. If I go to India and of some reason I got stuck in India. After a while I want some other employer to file my H-1B petition other then with approved I-140 employer. Do the new employer can apply for my new H1b cap exempt petition based on approved i-140 from my old employer. OR New H-1B petition from the new employer comes under H-1 cap count?

Answer: You have raised two separate issues. One, the I-140 can be used to extend your H-1 through ANY employer, if it is not withdrawn within 180 days of approval. Two, you are exempt from H-1 cap if your H-1 was approved any time within the last 6 years.

Question 4: Is there any provision for promotions internally within a company that filed the petition and the I-140 is approved more than 180 days previously?

Answer: These regs will only clarify (I am not sure they really do that) what "same or similar" jobs are. That concept is crucial when your I-140 has been approved and I-485 has been pending 180 days. At that time, you can accept a same or similar job anywhere, including within the same company, and NOT have to start your green card all over again. That comes under the topic of AC21 portability.

Question 5: Is direct portability of I-140 across multiple employers, ever possible. because I-140 is a property of the Employer and not the Employee (unlike 1-485) ?.Can we suggest any other creative options, of working around this legal hurdle. a. Can PERM be made portable across multiple employers. So employees donot have to go through the hassle of the PERM filing, repeatedly. This will save, almost 4 months of pre PERM filing effort and another 8-10 months of PERM processing window.

b. Or, can the I 140 be made an Employee’s property after 180 days it is approved. If that can be done then portability of the same may be legally possible across different Employers

Answer: The Priority date IS the "property" of the employee, NOT of the employer. So, an employee can port it to any job, anywhere, any number of times. But, I do not think they are excusing us from having to refile the PERM.

Question 6: Does the 60 day grace period is accepted in this case; H-1 Ext filed before expiry of I-94, then Current H-1 and I-94 expired, then H-1 Ext denied. Can we use 60 day grace period for filing new H-1 with new employer? In what cases does this 10 day validity before and after petition dates is used. The 60-day grace period appears to apply only in those cases where an approved H-1 employment abruptly comes to an end. The proposed regs say, upto 60 days may be given: "on the basis of the cessation of the employment on which the alien’s classification was based".

Answer: The 10 days allow you enter (but, not work) upto 10 days before the date your "validity period" (approval of petition) begins, and another 10 days to leave the USA (but, not work), after that period ends.

Question 7: Emp A - I-140 Approved and Moved to Emp B. Got i-140 with Emp B and priority date retained. submitted Emp A Experience letter while fling PERM. Now I want to move to Emp C. Do I still need to get experience letter from Emp B? If I am not able to get experience letter from Emp B, Can Emp C file PERM. if so and filed new PERM and I-140 with Emp C, Can I still retain priority date even though if its not same or similar job?

Answer: There are two fundamental principles that you need to apply to your case:

1. Priority date transfer does NOT require that your jobs must be same or similar.

2. Experience letters are NOT required for priority date transfer or retention. 

Question 8: Now that it is clear that there is almost nothing much in the so called reform, how can the immigrant community represent themselves forcefully, while the public comment period is in place? I understand that each one of us can go and put our comments, but is your firm, or someone else, planning to represent us? For lack of proper words, these so called reforms are a piece of trash, and only done to pretend as if reforms are taking place. It could not be worse actually. 

Answer: There is a limit on what USCIS can do without action from the Congress. You can certainly write your comments and several organizations will place their comments on the record as well. NORMALLY, USCIS does not change the rules much once they have been proposed. I think US immigration policy in "skilled" immigration is distressingly short-sighted. Our adopted country does not recognize the value brought in by us.

Question 9: My I-140 already withdrawn/revoked after 180 days of initial approval date. Now after implements new rule, will it apply for my case to extend my H-1 beyond 6 years?

Answer: I cannot say for sure whether USCIS intends to apply these rules retroactively. I hope they do. 

Question 10: Can you comment on what date will this become effective ? Is it after the comment period is over?

Answer: The effective date is unpredictable. Usually, it is a few months after the comments are over. 

Question 11: I need to clarify regarding the I-140 EAD for H-4. If the principal applicant has I-140 approved but the priority date for that category and country in the visa bulletin is more than 10 years back, Can the dependents, such as H-4, apply for I-140 EAD without the documentation for compelling evidence? If no, what are the examples of compelling evidence?I think the regulation does very little incremental for the EB categories. As mentioned, it provides clarification rather than provide more flexibility to the household or family of EB categories. I am disappointed with the revisions that have been made.Also, the compelling evidence was not required till now. What happens to those H-4 EADs which were issued since USCIS started applications from May 27, 2015? How would those H-4 EADs which are approved on the basis of I-140 approval of principal applicant be dissolved?Also, if the spouse moves from H-4 to H-4 EAD. Can he/she move from H-4 EAD to H-1B or any other non-immigrant category? Does the form I-539 allows movement among all categories?

Answer: H-4 EAD does NOT require compelling evidence. That is a different rule: http://www.immigration.com/blogs/form-i-140-form-i-765/h-4-ead-rule-cont...

I-594 does allow movement between all categories. H-4 to H-1 is definitely no problem. I agree; I am not too thrilled with the regs. But there is a limit to what Pres. Obama can do, folks. 

Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 07:39

Enter USA while Green Card is Pending on B-1, B-2/H-1 Visa

Question

I am US citizen and planning to sponsor green card for my sibling. My sibling has already visited US in B-1/B-2 visa few times and holds that visa for another few years.
I know that this kind of application takes 10+ years to approve. From this context in mind, I have few questions -<br>

1) Can my sibling enter United States on the same B-1/B-2 visa after I apply immigration application?<br>
2) Can my sibling apply for renewal or new B-1/B-2/H-1 visa while application is being processed?

Answer

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baprYGs8IzQ&t=782

FAQ Transcription

There really is no statute law that specifically prohibits such an entry. Well maybe there is something that says you must have nonimmigrant intent but the question is can they do it. Theoretically  yes they can enter on a b visa while the green card is pending especially when something is pending for 13-14 years they maybe allowed an entry but they can be disallowed an entry at any point of time. So there is no guarantee that the B-1/B-2 option either the renewal of the visa or entry at the airport will be permitted on a indefinite basis. You could be stopped any time.  However H visa, L visa, E visa and O visa are some of the visas that are not subject to the problem of green card pendency. These visas can be utilized. Also remember a green card can be filed through several different categories at the same time. So if your sibling qualifies for other categories they can apply under all the categories available for them. So H-1 visa is no problem b but B-1/B-2 no guarantee.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - 01:17

O-1B Extension and Authorized Period of Stay

Question

I have been in the US for six years. First O-1B expired on Feb15, sent in application for the 2nd O-1B already in December. The itinerary wasn't sufficient, response due by April 26th, ready to send in the completed itinerary plus additional letters of intended employment. My household is in New York. I am still here. Am I illegal now? Is there a grace period?

Answer

As long as you had filed your extension application before expiration of the current status, you are not illegal as long as the case is pending. You are in authorized period of stay.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013 - 05:01

Changing from J-1 to O-1

Question

Can I change from J-1 to O-1 without meeting the home residency requirement or getting a waiver?

Answer

You can apply for the O-1 category and, upon receipt of the approval notice, you will be required to obtain the O-1 Visa at a U.S. consulate abroad.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - 06:18

O Visa Applicant Applying for Green Card

Question

I have an O-1 visa. Can I apply for a Green Card?

Answer

You may be able to apply for a Green Card if you meet the requirements of EB-1 (Aliens with Extraordinary Ability) based upon a job offer, or if a family-based possibility exists.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 03:03

Spouse of an O-1 - next step to Green Card

Question

I am the spouse of an O-1 visa holder and we live in the US (so I am on an O-3). His company is putting together the application for his green card, but do they need to do a separate one for me too? Or do I get one automatically if he gets one? Or do I have to wait until he gets one and then he applies for one for me? And what about our children - too young to work yet, but want to make sure they are ok too.

Answer

The way it works is that the company can file everyone's AOS (Form I-485) together OR they can first get your husband's I-140 approval and leave you to file the last step (AOS) for the family.

Friday, May 27, 2011 - 10:39

O-1 renewal

Question

I would like to know the travel restrictions to renew O-1 visa within the US. I heard that it is better to go back to your citizenship country to renew it in order to get the same visa as I have now where I can travel with no restrictions.

Answer

You should be able to get an O-1 visa stamping in any country.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 00:35

Australian Musician to perform in US

Question

An Australian Musician that is wanting to come to US for a few weeks to travel and play at approx 15-20 venues across the US. I am willing to sponsor him via my DJ entertainment service, and he will be paid for the shows. He is a professional musician in his country, has been for 15 yrs.
Which visa would be required in this case?

Answer

A "B" visa is appropriate if the artist will not be paid in USA, other than for travel and incidental expense.


An "O-1" Visa is for an individual artist of International Renown - well known outside their home country. A "P-1" is for a performing group that meets the same standard.


"P-2" Visas are issued on reciprocal basis between countries. You may want to contact the US consulate to see if they have programs for Australia.


"P-3" Visas are for groups that are Culturally Unique - for instance, folk musicicians.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - 13:59

Renewing O-1 visa

Question

My husband used to have visa O for 2 or 3 years, and we decide to come back to Mexico in 2001, now we want to come back to USA, could you renovate this visa or is easy apply for new different visa? He has a BA in Spanish Literature and I have BA in psychology, we have one eighteen and one 15 years old sons and 1 year old baby girl, and we live in Canada right now.

Answer

You will need to have the employer apply for a new O-1 petition with USCIS.