My Experience Obtaining a US Work Visa (O-1 Visa) as a Designer

In the spring of 2019, I obtained an O-1A visa to work in the United States.

About six years have passed since then, and I have since received inquiries about the visa from others aiming to work in the US. Here, based on my own experience, I will summarize the journey to obtaining an O-1A visa, the preparations, the actual costs incurred, and the renewal process.

By the way, I have been a UI/UX designer at startups for over 10 years.
During that time, I worked as a web designer at a digital agency, experienced founding a startup, and moved between startups in the IoT, gaming, medical, and mobility sectors.

What is an O-1A visa?

The O-1A visa is for individuals with extraordinary ability. It is intended for those who have internationally recognized achievements, particularly in fields such as science, education, business, and athletics.

Among Japanese people, I have heard of cases where Olympic athletes, musicians, and comedians have obtained this visa.

Compared to other visas, it offers a high degree of freedom, and after obtaining a three-year stay permit, it can be renewed indefinitely as long as the conditions are met. It is a visa that can be obtained as long as you clear the conditions, unlike other work visas.

Choosing a Lawyer and Support System

The visa application is a long process. Therefore, finding a reliable immigration lawyer is extremely important.

I also interviewed several lawyers at first, but some were overbearing or dismissed me, saying the application would be impossible. Ultimately, I believe that meeting a cheerful lawyer who was willing to listen to my concerns was the key to my success.

Collaboration with the hiring company is also important. Cooperation from the company is essential for the application documents, so smooth communication with the person in charge leads to a smooth process.

Some people may be anxious about their English, but I also proceeded with the immigration lawyer while feeling nervous at first.
However, since there is a non-zero need to speak English during the visa application process,
I remember practicing English interviews with my immigration lawyer several times.

Looking back at my past emails now, there is a huge amount of files and message exchanges left. I am impressed that I managed to do it all during such a busy time.

Conditions required to obtain an O-1A visa

For the O-1 visa, you must meet at least three of the following eight criteria. In my case, I cleared five of them.

Below is my case

• Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized awards

  • Won 3 or more design/advertising-related awards

• Media coverage in major media or industry publications demonstrating excellence

  • Authored 2 or more books, and have 5-6 articles featuring me in the media (major media is better, but smaller media is also fine)

• Significant contributions in the field of expertise

  • Conveyed, with experience and actual figures, how multiple startups I was involved with as a lead designer or founding designer expanded their business.

• Recommendation letters (support letters)

  • Thankfully, I was able to have recommendation letters written by people active overseas, as well as by founders and executives of the companies I listed as achievements.

• Earning a high salary or compensation that is high-standard compared to others

  • Submit tax returns, proof of income, etc.

While it is better to have name recognition or excellence, it seems you do not need to be an Olympic athlete or a celebrity. I have seen several cases where international student friends I met in the U.S. obtained it a few years after graduation.

Regarding recommendation letters

I requested recommendation letters from people in positions such as the following:

• Senior designers working at well-known companies abroad

• Japanese investors active abroad

• Founders or executives of publicly traded companies

• Startup founders

To increase the credibility of the content, it is important to request them from people who can verify your achievements.

Regarding costs

Applying for an O-1 visa requires a certain amount of financial leeway.

• Standard application fees + attorney fees

• Premium Processing fee: approximately $2,000 *1

In total, it costs around $3,000 to $50,000 (it is a case-by-case basis). It is helpful if the company covers it. In my case, they covered the initial application fee, but the renewal costs were mostly out-of-pocket. I am glad I saved money diligently in my 20s.

*1 Premium processing allows the process to move forward in less than a week from application. Honestly, I recommend premium processing. U.S. government office work is truly laid-back, so you end up being at the mercy of their timeline.

Application and renewal process

I initially used premium processing. Premium processing requires an additional $2,000. If you pay the extra fee, you will usually receive a result within one week. In my case, it was actually approved in 4-5 days. I remember being surprised at how quickly the documents arrived by express mail.

On the other hand, standard processing can take 3 to 4 months, or even more than half a year in some cases. In fact, I have renewed without using premium processing before, and it took about 8 months. It is not just a matter of time; if you leave the US while the application is pending, your visa will become invalid.

About Visa Renewal

After renewal, it seems that 1-year renewals are becoming more common. With a 1-year renewal, you have to apply every year, so visa application fees are incurred annually. Also, there is a rule that if you leave the US during this application period, your visa will become invalid. However, there are cases where you can return to a 3-year renewal upon re-application (this was the case for me).

Life After That and Now

In the summer of 2023, I returned to Japan. There are several reasons for this, but since my work became primarily remote, there was no longer a need for me to be physically in the United States.

I never really thought I would be able to live in the US, so I had considered a lifestyle of going back and forth between Japan and the US. However, I was lucky enough to obtain a visa, and then, due to bad timing with COVID-19, there was a period where I didn't leave the US for over two years.

Currently, I live mainly in Japan while still holding the visa. Being able to flexibly choose where to live and work is also a great benefit of this visa. I am still working for a US company, so I am receiving compensation in US dollars during this era of a weak yen.

It is common knowledge that a visa is required to work or immigrate to the US, but a visa is essential to engage in work while staying in the US. Be careful, as working on an ESTA or a non-work visa is considered illegal employment.

Green Card Options

For those considering permanent residency in the US in the future, I recommend keeping Green Card application in mind.

Applying for permanent residency from an O1A visa is possible, and there are routes such as EB1, EB2, and EB3. However, application fees can cost $7,000 to $16,000 or more, and it becomes a long-term battle. Actually, I considered applying as well, but I was told the application process would take two and a half years (around 2021).

You can start the application process as soon as you enter the US after obtaining an O1A visa. I did not apply because I had no intention of living permanently in the United States.

Conclusion: To those who are about to take on this challenge

Back in 2018, entrepreneurs and creators moving from Japan to the U.S. were still in the minority.
However, recently, I have had more opportunities to hear stories of young entrepreneurs moving to the U.S., and I feel that the presence of Japanese people is growing.

Obtaining an O-1A visa is certainly a high hurdle, and it takes both time and money.
But it is by no means an "impossible challenge." I have several friends around me who have actually obtained an O-1 visa. And I have friends who are currently going through the application process.

This is just my personal opinion, but I returned to Japan once because I wanted to live a life not tied to a specific location. However, there is no doubt that for creators and entrepreneurs like me, Silicon Valley is the place with the most intensity.

I hope this article will be of some help to those who are about to take on this challenge.
I would like to continue writing about my work experience in the U.S. and what happened afterward.

Kazuhiro Oz Hashimoto
Product Designer / UI Engineer, working primarily in the 0→1 phase of startups. In 2018, co-founded "Zypsy" in San Francisco. Developed a "design capital" model providing brand and product design to global startups, including those funded by Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. Involved in a wide range of areas from initial product design to Figma plugin development and design implementation.

Currently supporting startups while developing AI*Gadgets. On note, I will write about the behind-the-scenes of product development, my experiences living abroad and obtaining a visa, and the reality of startup support from the perspective of investment and management.
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