Immigrant Daily

Debate on the Eligibility of O-1 visas

As a part of a series of stories on ‘Immigration in a Recession’, businessweek.com initiated a comprehensive debate on the background and eligibility of O-1 visas, also known as “genius” visas.  Introduced in 1990, the O-1 visas were tailor-made to be awarded to immigrants with extraordinary abilities in arts, sciences, education, business or athletics. Additionally, top artists, writers and musicians are also awarded O-1 visas each year to enhance U.S. culture and the economy. The idea of lawmakers was to separate these applicants from the pool of those seeking H-1B visas, the visa program for skilled immigrants used by many technology companies.  Unlike H-1B visa, which are allotted to applicants holding bachelor’s degree and some specialized skills, the O-1 visas are allotted to those who can prove to U.S. immigration officials that they are elites in their fields.  The awards are not that rare, but they are conferred on small groups. Peter F. Asaad, an immigration attorney and adjunct professor of law at American University, calls the recipients “Nobel prize quality or equivalent.”

For detailed information, please read: Debate on the Eligibility of O-1 visas