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Visas and Green Cards for Artists, Musicians and Performers
[custom:eb-1-classification-introduction]
Profession/Occupation
Green Card
Recording for December 05, 2024 Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Citizenship and Naturalization
Nonimmigrant Visas
Topics Discussed:
Updated Policy Manual Guidance on O-1 Nonimmigrants of Extraordinary Ability
On Jan. 8, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued guidance in the Policy Manual, Vol.
USCIS Publishes Memo On T And U Visa Extensions
USCIS policy memo providing guidance about the extension of status for T and U nonimmigrant visas , including any related adjustment of status applications.
USCIS Data on Victims of Trafficking I-914 (T) in Person and Victims of Crime I-918 (U)
I-914 (T) and I-918 (U) Visa Statistics
This report contains information on the Victims of Trafficking (T visa) applications and the Victims of Crime (U visa) petitions. The number of receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases are displayed by fiscal year and by office.
USCIS Updates Policy Manual Guidance for T Visa
USCIS is revising the guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for “T” Nonimmigrant Status Final Rule. This rule was published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024.
Recording for February 20, 2025, Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Immigration.com
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
FAQs:
1. Can I volunteer with a Non-Profit while on any temporary visa (for example, F-1 OPT)?
2. Options after layoff on approved EB-1 - Compelling circumstances EAD and GC EAD conversion
3. NIW I-485 rejected: Refiling options and priority date usage?
USCIS Issues Statistics On T and U visas for Fiscal Years 2002-2012
USCIS performance data containing information on the Victims of Trafficking (T visa) applications and the Victims of Crime (U visa) petitions. The number of receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases are displayed by office for FY2002 to FY2012.
Please check the attachment to view T and U visa statistics.
Entrepreneur. Can I start a company on STEM OPT? O-1A visa and maintaining legal status
I have a specific question about building a startup in the US. I am currently on a STEM OPT (expires Sep, 2026), and am currently unemployed. My unemployment days (90 + 60) run out around April 30. I want to build a startup as a solo founder in the tech space, and go the O1A route.
My question is, can I start a company as a solo founder? What if I create a board to show employer-employee relationships? I am planning on raising money and also applying for grants as I build out the product and acquire users.
Alternatively, I am part of another company with two American cofounders (I have <40% equity), but we have no revenue as of yet. Can I leverage my involvement with that company to maintain legal status?
Answer: You can start a company as a solo founder and pursue an O-1A visa, but there's no guarantee of approval. While structuring your company with a board to show an employer-employee relationship might work for O-1A, it won't work for STEM OPT unless someone senior is supervising you. Involvement in another company with American co-founders and less than 40% equity doesn't directly help maintain legal status, except possibly for the O-1A visa or considering CPT.
You can start a company as a solo founder and pursue an O-1A visa, but there's no guarantee of approval. While structuring your company with a board to show an employer-employee relationship might work for O-1A, it won't work for STEM OPT unless someone senior is supervising you. Involvement in another company with American co-founders and less than 40% equity doesn't directly help maintain legal status, except possibly for the O-1A visa or considering CPT.
Guestbook Entry for MVB, United States
USCIS Updating Policy to Protect Women’s Sports
Release Date
08/04/2025
Policy enhancements aim to prevent aliens who are males from being authorized to participate in women’s sports in the United States
T Visa
Victims of Human Trafficking: T Nonimmigrant Status
Nonimmigrant Visas
Guestbook Entry for Sanjay Chaudhary , United States
M.B.B.S., O1
We won an O1 Visa for the applicant who is known world wide for his expertise is in the area of solid organ transplant pathology. He was working as a surgeon at a prestigious institute. We offered evidence to show that he is part of the small percentage in his field that have achieved the highest level of success and thus is known throughout the world as one of the best surgeons in his specialty. We submitted opinion letters from various world-renowned experts describing the innovative and pioneering results of this applicant's work.
Nonimmigrant Visas
DOL to Support Of Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes Seeking Immigration Relief
In early 2015, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor will begin exercising its authority to certify applications for trafficking victims seeking T visas. In addition, WHD will expand its existing U visa program by certifying such requests when it detects three additional qualifying criminal activities in the course of its workplace investigations: extortion, forced labor, and fraud in foreign labor contracting.
National Hockey League (NHL) and Vermont Service Center Meeting
The National Hockey League (NHL) requested USCIS to hold a teleconference during its annual conference. During that teleconference, NHL counsel posed several questions to USCIS. The question and answers are provided below (see attachment) for the benefit of interested stakeholders.In order to avoid repetition in the answers, USCIS notes that it stated several times that each petition mustestablish visa eligibility on its own merits. The Vermont Service Center (VSC) does not maintain acentral document depository for O and P nonimmigrant visa petitions.
O1 followed by EB1 - Outstanding Researcher
We first obtained an O1 for this applicant by identifying his talents and expertise to be a cut-above his colleagues with similar educational and work experience. This applicant received a prestigious international award which set him apart from other research scientists in his field. He was noted for ground-breaking work in drug addiction research. We obtained recommendation letters from world experts and they noted that this applicant was one of the few researchers in the field who had achieved the highest level of success and had become
Nonimmigrant Visas
Profession/Occupation
O Visa Services and Fees
Fee schedule for O classification (USCIS requires all filing fees to be paid EITHER via ACH Transaction or Credit card)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Legal fees payable to our Office at the commencement of the case | $5,200 |
| Fedex Expenses | appx. $100 |
| Filing fees to the USCIS ( Form I-129): |
$1,055 (for companies with 26 or more employees) |