O-3 visa: what it is
Updated: Author: Alina Kanametova
O-3 visa: definition
Key answer
The O-3 stay is tied to the principal holder. If the principal changed status inside the US while the family stayed abroad, the relatives still need to obtain visas separately to enter.
The O-2 goes to someone who accompanies the O-1 holder and takes part in the same events (a coach, a manager) if all conditions are met, including not being replaceable by a US worker; mostly in sports, arts, film and TV, almost never in business or science. By contrast, under EB-1 and EB-2 NIW the family gets green cards together with the applicant - with the right to work.
O-3 visa: the official source
O-3 visa: what to do - tools
O-3 visa: read next
O-3 visa: documents and templates from the library
O-3 visa: from community discussions
«LOI can be obtained in various ways. Through acquaintances/chat, etc. But LOI does not obligate anyone to hire that person into their company. As I see it, a more realistic case is to enter the country after receiving the O-1 and look for an employer (if the companies from the petition suddenly change their intentions). And here's my question - how willing are employers to engage with this type of visa? People often say that finding a job on an O-1 is very, very difficult. P.S. even if applying with premium processing from outside the US - it takes a lot of time (embassy appointment, etc.) - if I'm not mistaken.»
community member · from public community chats
«This is a matter of discussion. It depends on various circumstances. And I do not have the expertise to make a classification))) Plus now for EB1, you need to prove that you are a truly top specialist. And this may be more important than each criterion individually. By the way, one of the most important points distinguishing EB1 from O1. In practice, there are cases where 3, 5, or 7 criteria are considered, but a denial is issued; we count these criteria, but they do not make you truly top. O1 also has a similar point, but in practice, denials for this reason are seen less frequently. As I understand it.»
Anton S. · from public community chats
«Good evening. It's a tough story. I received a denial and then easily passed on the O1. The problem is that it requires (or required) a large amount of data about your foreign company. At that time, I had about 250 employees and needed to provide nearly a resume for each, etc., bank statements, contracts, cash flow, and more. Plus showing investments in an American company, a business plan, and justifying why this is necessary, etc. It turned out to be much more complex in terms of documentation volume than O1.»
Vlad L. · from public community chats
Personal opinions of community members from public discussions, not legal advice.
O-3 visa: related terms
A reference definition, not legal advice. Requirements and procedures depend on your case - verify on uscis.gov.
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