The O1B visa checklist below provides a general idea of what is usually needed for a person who has extraordinary ability in the arts or the person who has extraordinary achievement in the motion picture (film) or television industry to obtain their O1B work visa. To have a better understanding of this list, please read the O1B visa overview for the big picture and then please review the O1B visa requirements and documents to get the details on what is usually included or not included as effective evidence.
Please click to download the O1B visa checklist for persons with extraordinary ability in the arts (or extraordinary achievements in the motion picture and television industry).
CONCLUSION (TLDR)
The overall emphasis on the documents and requirements/criteria of an O1B visa petition is that caliber at a national or international level must be shown. For example, the requirement that the person must have sustained national or international acclaim or that the person must be renowned, leading, or well known in the motion picture or television industry.
The requirements for an O1B visa petition are extensive and while ticking the boxes of requirements sounds simple enough, figuring out what items should be included and strategizing how the petition is presented is not. It is common practice and strongly encouraged to obtain an attorney for employment-based nonimmigrant visa petitions.
Alternatives to the O1B Visa Petition
For people who do not qualify for the O1B work visa petition yet, the closest alternatives for art performers (entertainers) may include filing for a P1B visa (Member of Internationally Recognized Entertainment Group), H1b visa petition (Australians can file for E-3 visa petitions), TN visa petition (for Canadian or Mexicans), or H1B3 visa petition (for fashion models) to work in the United States. Other related nonimmigrant visas for artists are tied to specific programs, such as the P2 visa (Artistic Reciprocal Exchange Program) or the P3 visa (Culturally Unique Program).
Another possible alternative to filing an O1B visa petition would be to file for a green card petition which is a permanent immigrant visa and not a temporary work visa like the O1B visa. Typically, a person who is qualifiable for an O1B visa would choose to file for an EB1a green card due to the similarities of the standards and requirements between the two visas. The EB1a green card petitions also uniquely allow the person to self-sponsor their own green card application without a specific U.S. employer. For more on green cards gained through work, please read the overview for employment-based green cards.
HAVE A O1B VISA IMMIGRATION QUESTION? CONTACT US
If you have an O1B work visa (Arts, Movies, Television) immigration question, please fill out our contact us form or send us an email with some basic information about your background and your immigration needs. We will do our best to respond within 48 hours.
How we can help?
Kylie Huang Law’s immigration attorney will help identify whether the O1B visa is the appropriate nonimmigrant visa category for the client’s (or the client’s beneficiary’s) professional background and if there are other visa options for the client (or the client’s beneficiary). We will work closely with our client to prepare a convincing case for their (or it’s) O1B visa petition and we will also strategize on how the O1B visa petition should be presented to achieve the best chances of approval. It is strongly advised and common practice to retain an immigration attorney for an O1B work visa petition due to the complexities in the immigration process and visa requirements.
What does the typical process look like to retain (hire) us?
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- Fill out the form (with some basic information on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule an appointment online
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom meeting)
- Retainment (signing a contract to hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming contents of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the status of the case
- Close the case when a final determination is issued
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- b.
- c.
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- Step 8:
- Fill out the form (on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule an appointment
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom)
- Retainment (signing a contract to hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming contents of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the status of the case
- Close the case when a final determination is issued
- Step 1:
- Step 2:
- Step 3:
- Step 4:
- Step 5:
- a.
- b.
- c.
- Step 6:
- Step 7:
- Step 8:
- Fill out the form (on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule appointment
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom)
- Retainment (hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming content of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the case status
- Close the case when a final determination is issued
RELATED ARTICLES
- O-1B Visa (Extraordinary Ability in Arts & Extraordinary Achievements in Motion Pictures or Television)
- O1B Visa Requirement & Documents
- O Visa Overview (Extraordinary Ability / Achievement)
- O1A Visa (Extraordinary Ability in Science, Education, Business, Athletics)
- O1A Visa Requirement & Documents
- O1A Visa Checklist
- O Visa Overview (Extraordinary Ability / Achievement)
- O2 Visa (Essential Support Personnel)
- O2 Visa Checklist
- H Visa Overview
- H1B Visa (Specialty Occupations)
- Employment-Based Green Card Overview
- EB1a Visa (Alien of Extraordinary Ability)
- EB1b Visa (Outstanding Professors and Researchers)
- EB1c Visa (Multinational Manager or Executive)
- P visa Overview (Athlete & Entertainer)
- P1A Visa (Internationally Recognized Athlete)
- P1B Visa (Member of Internationally Recognized Entertainment Group)
- L Visa Overview (Intra-Company Transferee)
- E Visa Overview (Treaty Trader & Investor)
- R1 Visa (Religious Worker)