Overview
- Financial Times reporting highlighted a post‑pandemic surge in O‑1B filings from digital creators, with lawyers saying this cohort has become a major share of recent cases.
- Several immigration attorneys report that influencers, including some OnlyFans creators, now account for more than half of their O‑1B clientele.
- Follower counts, audience reach, brand deals, and subscription earnings are being presented as evidence of commercial success and recognition under O‑1B criteria.
- Some lawyers warn the approach risks diluting the standard, arguing approvals now hinge on algorithmic metrics rather than traditional measures of artistic merit.
- State Department data shows roughly 19,457 O‑1 visas in 2024—about a 50% rise since 2014—yet the category remains a small slice of U.S. work visas, and an adult‑industry group disputes how broadly sex‑content creators are benefiting.