One of the six criteria for the O-1 visa is national or international recognition within your field.
There are a variety of ways you can satisfy this criterion of national or international recognition. This can include:
- press articles
- publications of your work
- press features
It is extremely critical that when you are applying for the O-1 visa to pursue any opportunity to be featured in a publication, whether it be your own work or a press article.
Yet, it is important to note that USCIS has preference for certain types of press features or press articles.
For example, having your art in a newspaper or magazine may not be as impressive to an immigration officer as having your name or an achievement of yours discussed in an article.
While you should pursue any opportunity to improve your portfolio, it is important to discern which opportunities will make more of a positive impact on your career and O-1 visa portfolio.
This criterion is key to your approval of an O-1 visa as it is a way to show to the immigration officer that you possess an extraordinary ability. It allows you to provide evidence that people see you as an authority in your field or people are interested in what work you are doing.