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O-1A Visa
A US work visa for Founders and Founding Teams

  • Applicable year round

  • Close to 10,000 approved cases in 2023

  • 90%+ historical approval rates in the last 5 years

  • Upon submission, decision in 15 working days with USCIS premium processing

  • Eligible for startup Founders and Founding Teams

Book a time slot to speak with our immigration expert for a free consultation.

What is the O-1A Visa?​

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Often overlooked, O1-A visa is a three-year visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability

or Achievement that can be utilized by Founders, key employees, research scientists, engineers and athletes.

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Startup Founders who have raised capital from Venture Capital funds or top startup Accelerators are likely eligible for the O-1A Visa.

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O1-A gives the Beneficiary a pathway to permanent residency via the Green Card process.

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Allowing unlimited extensions renewable in 1-year increment, with no academic requirements, no annual cap, and no wage requirements - O1-A is one of the most flexible and underutilized options for startup Founders and their key early employees.

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O-1A Qualification Criteria

The O-1A beneficiary must meet three of the eight criteria in order to qualify for the visa.

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Venture-backed startup Founders likely meet three criteria at the get go:

Awards

 

 

You've raised venture capital or won industry awards.

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Founders who have raised US$100,000+ have successfully received O1-A approval. 

Membership

 

 

You've gone through a well-regarded Accelerator,

such as Y Combinator, Techstars or 500 Startups

Critical Employment

You've founded a venture-backed startup, or held an important role at a distinguished company, such as a C-Suite or Executive.

High Remuneration

You own significant equity or have been paid a relatively high salary in your field, typically within top 5% of reported salaries for your roles and city.

Press

 

 

You and your work have been covered by international, national media, or well regarded publications in your field of expertise.

Original Contribution

You have invented something of "major significance".

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Your startup may help you qualify in this criterion. Otherwise, you hold patents or a unique contribution in your field.

Judging

 

 

You've judged a competition in your field, such as hackathon or startup pitch competition.

Scholarly

Articles

You've been an author or a co-author in a peer-reviewed journal.

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Opinion pieces in well regarded publications, such as Forbes, may help you meet this criterion.

Our Process

The O-1A application process is intensive and information-dense, and requires high touch collaboration with immigration experts. ​

 

Beyond Border simplifies the work visa process with Founders and key executives, handles the 600+ pages petition filing, so you can focus on running your business.

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Consultation

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We connect with you over a free 20 mins consultation to assess fit for the O-1A.

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Review

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Our dedicated immigration team reviews your supporting material​ over an iterative process to refine your petition.

 

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Onboard

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Working hand in hand with you, our immigration experts strategize and compile everything you need for a strong O-1A petition.

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Sign and Ship

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We work with you to collect sign-offs of your various supporting documents, finalize and ship your petition to USCIS with priority processing.

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Leverage the Full Flexibility of the O-1A visa 

Contrary to common understanding, the O-1 is not just reserved for celebrities and Nobel prize winners.

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Entrepreneurs, engineers, data scientists, researchers, and executives can all qualify with the right credentials.

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Consult with one of our immigration experts today to learn more.

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