The U.S. working visas typically granted to A-list celebrities are now commonplace for influencers and OnlyFans models looking to make a living in the U.S., a new report has found.
Analysis shows that the number of O-1B visas given to online content creators has increased significantly in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some immigration attorneys told The Financial Times that influencers now make up more than half their clients and include creators from OnlyFans – an online platform that is largely used to produce adult content.
O-1B visas are typically given to “individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry,” which might include a leading role in a distinguished production, commercial success or significant recognition from critics or experts in the industry.
The category was included in the Immigration Act of 1990 following the attempted deportation of John Lennon by the Nixon administration in 1972. Lawyers for Lennon argued that the former Beatle was an “outstanding person in the arts of sciences,” and should be permitted to stay.
However, according to The Times, the number of recent applications submitted by influencers and content creators has increased thanks to the easily understandable modern metrics such as follower counts and earnings – which allow them to be approved.
Even landing a paid brand deal can serve as proof of talent, and appearing at an event or launch can serve as the equivalent of starring in a renowned production, Fiona McEntee, founding partner of the McEntee Law Group, told the outlet.
It has led to concerns that, should application success be based on algorithm-based metrics, traditional talent may be overlooked in favor of those astute at playing the online “clicks” game.
“We have scenarios where people who should never have been approved are getting approved for O-1s. It’s been watered down because people are just meeting the categories,” immigration lawyer Protima Daryanani told The Times.
As a result, the number of such O1-B and O-1A, typically given to “extraordinary talent” in the arts and other exceptional abilities, had increased by 50 percent from 2014 to 2024, analysis by The Times showed.
Data from the State Department shows a jump of 10,000 more O-1 visas granted between 2021 and 2022, from 7,294 to 19,102 – and the figure has remained high ever since.
In 2024, the department granted 19,457 O1 visas. This is still less than one-tenth the number of H-1B visas issued, and O1 visas remain a small fraction of the number of visas issued overall. H-1B visa are typically used by companies to bring highly-skilled workers to the U.S.
The report comes as the Trump administration tightens several visa criteria, including for the H-1B and F-1 visas, as well as partially or fully restricting entry from almost 40 countries. In September the Trump administration announced the introduction of a $100,000 fee on H-1B applications.
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