The idea of ​​“exceptional talent” is being quietly rewritten into the US immigration system, and not in the way most people would expect. What once meant red carpets, global tours and prestigious awards has now come to include viral videos, loyal customers and steady online income. Reflecting how deeply the creator economy has penetrated mainstream institutions, US officials are increasingly willing to consider social media fame as a legitimate path to the coveted O-1 visa. It sounds a bit surprising, doesn’t it? Read on to know everything about it.

Is it now easier to get US O1 Genius Visa?

A recent report from the Financial Times suggests that online popularity now holds serious importance when applying for the O-1B visa, which is for individuals with exceptional ability in the arts. Immigration lawyers say metrics such as number of followers, engagement rates and earnings from platforms like Instagram, YouTube and even OnlyFans are being accepted as evidence of business success, a key requirement under the visa category. In simple terms, being internet-famous can now help you qualify for a visa that was previously reserved for elite artists.

This change is also reflected in the types of clients that immigration lawyers are seeing. Michael Wildes, a prominent US immigration lawyer whose family once saved John Lennon and Yoko Ono from deportation, told the Financial Times that the definition of talent has changed over time. Where their client list once included established musicians and artists, it now includes influencers and digital creators. He described the new generation of applicants as “Scroll kings and queens”, a phrase that describes how online attention has become a form of cultural currency.

Timing is not accidental. As the US tightens other immigration routes such as H-1B work visas and student visas, and imposes partial or complete entry bans on dozens of countries, the O-1 category has become more attractive. Immigration experts cited in the report say there has been a sharp increase in applications under the O-1 route, especially from people who earn their livelihood online. For many creators, the Visa offers a rare opportunity at a time when other doors are closing.

Lawyers who help influencers settle their cases argue that making a living online is more difficult than it looks. Fiona McEntee, founding partner of McEntee Law Group, points out that millions of people post content every day, but only a small portion turn it into sustainable careers. According to him, similar to starring roles or major exhibitions in traditional art forms, doing paid brand deals or being invited to major launches can now be included in visa applications as proof of professional recognition.

The numbers support this trend. Financial Times data shows that O-1 visas, including O-1B for the arts and O-1A for other fields such as science and business, increased by more than 50 percent between 2014 and 2024. During the same period, the overall increase in nonimmigrant visas was much more modest. Still, O-1 approvals are relatively rare, with fewer than 20,000 approved in 2024, a tiny sliver compared to the hundreds of thousands of H-1B visas issued annually. The policy environment is also changing, with President Donald Trump recently announcing a one-time fee of $100,000 for new H-1B petitions, increasing uncertainty around traditional work visas.

Not everyone is comfortable with this development. Some immigration lawyers worry that the system is becoming too reliant on numbers and algorithms. Protima Daryanani, managing partner of Daryanani Law Group, warned that the hurdles to approval could be low. He told the Financial Times that people who previously would not have qualified are now being approved simply because they tick certain categories.

Others fear that artists who don’t chase clicks and likes may lose out. Sherwin Abachi, founder of Abachi Law in New York, said visa officers are increasingly evaluating talent through digital metrics. He argued that once follower counts and engagement graphs become the norm, artistic value risks being reduced to a scoreboard.