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hyunji_o1_artist
Oct 4, 2025, 2:15 PM2 min read

O1B Visa for Artists - Film Industry Experience

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Success Stories

Got my O1B visa as a film director/producer. It's a different path than the usual tech immigration stories here. Sharing my experience.

What is O1B? O visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in arts, motion pictures, or television.

My background:

  • Film director from South Korea
  • 10 short films, 2 features
  • Won awards at film festivals
  • Works shown on streaming platforms

Evidence I submitted:

  • Awards: Film festival awards (Sundance, SXSW selections)
  • Press: Reviews an...

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david_f1_phdOct 4, 2025, 4:00 PM

O1B for artists is so different from the tech immigration I'm used to reading about! Thanks for sharing this perspective. The advisory opinion requirement is interesting - I didn't know about that.

Do you know if there's an equivalent of O1B for tech/science (O1A I assume)?

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hyunji_o1_artistOct 4, 2025, 6:00 PM

@david_f1_phd Yes! O1A is for sciences, education, business, and athletics. O1B is specifically for arts and entertainment.

The criteria are slightly different:

  • O1A has 8 criteria (need 3)
  • O1B has 6 criteria (need 3)

O1A doesn't require an advisory opinion, which makes it a bit simpler. Many tech workers use O1A when they have strong profiles but don't want to deal with H1B lottery.

The bar is high but not impossible if you have awards, publications, high salary, or other evidence of extraordinary ability.

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CreatedOct 4, 2025, 2:15 PM
Last ActivityOct 4, 2025, 6:00 PM

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hyunji_o1_artist

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