Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating O-1 visa requests

theguardian.com

9 points·Teever··6 comments

According the FT article [0] which the Guardian is secondhandedly reporting from, it's for O-1Bs - the O-1 reserved for "[I]ndividuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry" [1]

Based on the FT article, the reason law firms are doing this is because attribution metrics like followers and revenue are easier to use to show "exceptional ability".

It's the same reason why if YC or any employer wants to sponsor an employee for an O-1A, they tend to use a mix of conference presentations (eg. KubeCon), press releases (eg. TechCrunch articles), and other PR strategies to help build a case for "exceptional talent".

It usually costs around $10k-20k (including legal fees) to make a comprehensive O-1A/B application, and it's basically become what the L1/2 used to be until a decade ago. Meanwhile, L1 has become the new H1B, and H1B has basically morphed into it's own thing.

[0] - https://www.ft.com/content/8816fcec-4148-4cda-be7f-fc59d5bcb...

[1] - https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary...

> metrics like followers and revenue

Maybe I'm being naive here, but I kind of had the impression OnlyFans content was the sort of thing where physical location doesn't play much of a role? Do they really "go on tour" with that stuff these days? Sell out venues for the live act?

The home of the brave and the land of the 'B' Ark.

It's a progress as now they go through an official visa process and not through Little Saint James.

chatgpt says i have extraordinary talent, will we be next to qualify?

Depends. Can you stomach being an antisocial idiot, a shill, a liar? These are the talents we need.

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