O-1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability

The O-1 Visa for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability is used to sponsor foreign workers who are recognized as having sustained national or international acclaim for extraordinary ability in their field of endeavor. Foreign workers who meet the O-1 requirements are generally considered to be in that small percentage who have risen to the very top of their field. Documents to support the petition will vary depending on the field of endeavor.

The O-1 Visa is an employer-specific visa. There is no maximum time limit on the O-1 Visa. The first petition may be filed for a period of three years. Thereafter, petitions may be filed in one-year increments. Employers may file an O-1 Visa petition as early as six months in advance of the begin date of employment.

To qualify for O-1 Visa status in science, education, business or athletics the individual's extraordinary ability must be evidenced by a nomination for, or receipt of significant national or international award or prize, OR the individual can provide documented evidence of at least three of the following eight "extraordinary ability" criteria:

Earned a nationally or internationally recognized award or prize for excellence in the field, e.g., academic prizes or recognitions;
Membership in associations in the field for which the classification is sought, which require for membership outstanding achievement, as judged by national or international experts in their disciplines or fields;
Published material in professional or major trade publications or other media about the individual and related to the individual's work in the field for which the classification is sought;
Participation on a panel or as a judge of the work of others in the same or an allied field of specialization for which the classification is sought;
The individual's original scientific, scholarly or business-related contributions of major significance in the field, e.g., conference proceedings, government-funded or corporate-funded research grants, patents;
Authorship of scholarly articles in the field published in professional journals or in other major media;
Employed in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments having a distinguished reputation, e.g., research for the National Science Foundation or Department of Defense research grants; and
Commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to others in the field, as proven by contracts or other evidence.

How to Initiate a Request for Sponsorship

Departments have the option to pay the filing fee costs connected with the employment-based I-129 petition associated with an O-1 worker. IFSS recommends that departments pay this employer-based petition filing fee, as necessary for the performance and operation of the university.

University Payment of Visa Petition Fees & Premium Processing Guidelines

Current University Petition Filing Fees for Form I-129 (Nonimmigrant Worker)