O-1 Visa

The O-1 visa category is available for those foreign nationals who meet the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services definition of "extraordinary ability". The individual meeting such definition has a level of expertise indicating that the person is one of the small percentage who has risen to the very top of the field of endeavor. The person qualifying for O-1 status will have sustained national or international recognition of his or her accomplishments in the field, and will be required to prepare and submit substantial documentation of those achievements.

The O-1 classification is suitable for faculty level research scholars who have extraordinary ability in the sciences and who will be working on an 'event' or project that requires someone of that caliber. Clinical faculty with significant research responsibilities, as well as teaching and patient care duties, may also qualify for the O-1 classification.