Increasing number of 'geniuses' awarded USA visas
May 19 2009 by Liam Clifford
Dirk Nowitzki, on the O-1 USA visa
The number of people being awarded the O-1 USA visa - known as the ‘genius’ visa as it is reserved for those who can prove they are at the top of their game in industries such as athletics, the arts and sciences - increased by 40% between 2004 and 2008 to 9,014.
The recipients are an elite bunch of ‘Nobel Prize quality or equivalent,’ according to a USA immigration attorney at American University. Recent expert recipients include concert pianist, Inon Barnatan; Canadian author, Jennifer Gould Kail and German professional basketball player, Dirk Nowitzki, who have all been allowed to work in America on the O-1 USA visa.
Although the standard of applicant is high and the US citizenship and Immigration Service has to conclude whether the talent held by the visa applicant is truly exceptional, 94% of applications have been successful in the four years between 2004 and 2008.
There is no limit to the number of O-1 American visas granted each year, which is another area where they differ from the skilled work visa, or H-1B visa, on which most workers applying to move to the US rely.
The O-1 visa is known in some circles as the ‘artists’ visa’ as so many are awarded to artists who show exceptional ability. As a result, artists who want to work in the USA are able to apply for the specialist visa as an alternative to going through the channels for gaining a skilled worker visa.
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