The O-1 Visa is a great option for people who work in the Arts (Music, Acting, Painting, Motivational Speakers etc) or University Professors/researchers. In essence, when filing an O-1, we need to prove that you are at the top of your field. But its not always as hard as you may think. If you read through the categories of the O-1 Petition, in a lot of cases, if you are a somewhat accomplished musician, model etc, you should be able to prove some of those categories with just a little work. For example, look at the first category of the O-1B category (• Performed and will perform services as a lead or starring participant in productions or events which have a distinguished reputation as evidenced by critical reviews, advertisements, publicity releases, publications, contracts or endorsements). This may look a little daunting, but its not too hard if you have played shows, or acted in a stage show. For example, for Christian Australian bands, most have played at either EasterFest or one of the other festivals. A letter from the festival and a copy of some festival literature helps you get a long way to filling this category.

The O-1 is a complicated process, but it certainly is possible for a lot of people with just a little work preparing documents. I hope this helps.