6) O-1 Visa (The No-Lottery Alternative)

The O-1 visa is for individuals with 'extraordinary ability' in their field. Unlike H-1B, there's no lottery and no annual cap—if you qualify and have a sponsor, you can get it any time of year. The evidence requirements are higher, but for ambitious professionals building a track record, O-1 is increasingly the smarter path. It's also excellent preparation for an EB-1A green card later.

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Assess O-1 eligibility (you might qualify sooner than you think)

You need to meet 3 of 8 criteria: national/international awards, membership in prestigious associations, published press coverage about you, judging others' work, original contributions of major significance, authorship of scholarly articles, employment in a critical role for distinguished organizations, or high salary relative to peers. Here's the secret: the tech industry and startups can use 'comparable evidence' when traditional criteria don't fit. Founding a company that raised funding? That's comparable to an award. Being a lead engineer at a known startup? That's a critical role. Most people underestimate their achievements—document everything.

6) O-1 Visa (The No-Lottery Alternative)

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