Overview
- Recent reporting cites immigration attorneys who say influencers now account for a large share of O-1B artist visa petitions, with some firms estimating about half or more of their clientele.
- State Department figures show O-1 issuances jumped from roughly 7,294 in 2021 to 19,457 in 2024, reflecting an increase of more than 50 percent since 2014 while remaining under 20,000 a year.
- Follower counts, views, subscribers and platform earnings are being presented as evidence of commercial success, and brand deals or high-profile appearances are cited as endorsements of talent.
- Several lawyers warn that reliance on algorithm-based metrics risks lowering the bar for “extraordinary ability,” with concerns that artistic merit is being treated like a scoreboard.
- The O-1 category is uncapped, includes O-1B for arts and O-1A for sciences, business, education or athletics, and attorneys note growing interest as other visa pathways become harder to access; no formal rule change has been announced.