How would a new bootstrapped startup founder maximize his or her chances of being approved for an O-1 visa? Would it be better to focus on the E-2 visa instead, where the criterion is mostly money invested?
The E-2 is a more check the box kind of visa while the O-1 is a good bit more subjective and really just tougher to get. The issue with the E-2 for new companies is that a substantial portion of the investment (a typic minimum investment is at least $100k) must be spent before the E-2 applicant/investor can apply for the E-2.