How Manifest helped Aakash go from last-minute visa panic to Green Card security

Aakash Alurkar was days away from having to leave the U.S. The flight was already scheduled. 

He had taken a gamble, giving up an approved H-1B visa at one company to take a dream job as a product manager at Zoom. But now he had lost his last chance at the H-1B visa lottery. 

He had one more option: An approval for his O-1 visa for extraordinary ability. Four days before he was set to take off, just before his student visa expired, he got a 6 a.m. notification: He was approved.

Two days later, he set his sights on another target, a Green Card. Here’s how he got there.

Arrival

Aakash, originally from Pune, India, first came to the U.S. to pursue a master’s in software engineering at San Jose State University. Attaining a visa beyond his studies was not a priority. He figured had up to three three years of post-graduate work authorization, so he could worry about it later.

He landed internships at PayPal and Zoom, reaching out via cold emails. During his internship at Zoom, Aakash discovered he had a passion for product management and decided he really wanted to work as a PM.

Video: Aakash’s O-1 visa to EB-1A Green Card story

We sat down with Aakash to hear more about his journey. Watch the full interview below!

But when he graduated in spring 2020, he got a job offer from PayPal as a software engineer, and to sweeten the deal, the company would handle his H-1B visa application. With no offers to work as a PM, Aakash took the job, and soon enough, he was lucky enough to get selected in the H-1B lottery, which would secure his status in the U.S.

His work visa was set to start in October 2021. But that spring, he got the job offer he’d been waiting for. His former manager at Zoom offered him his dream role as a product manager.

It was a risk. Aakash would have to give up his H-1B visa, go back onto his student visa work authorization, and re-enter the H-1B lottery, this time sponsored by Zoom. With three years of work authorization, he had two chances left in the annual lottery. 

He didn’t get picked either time. That left him needing to leave the U.S. in a matter of months. Zoom offered to send him to its Amsterdam office once his visa expired, but in the meantime, Aakash learned about the O-1 visa.

To qualify, you need to demonstrate “extraordinary ability or achievement.” But Aakash figured it was worth a try.

“I have a bunch of research papers and I published a couple of patents at Zoom, so I thought, might as well give it a shot,” he said.

A “brutal” two months followed, when Aakash spent hours every day after work polishing his O-1A application, all while prepping for a possible move to Amsterdam that would separate him from his wife. A promotion at Zoom burnished his credentials further.

“It’s a lot of work to dig up everything you have done and map it to the criteria when there’s no guarantee of being approved,” Aakash said. “I think that mentality might self-select a few people out of (an O-1 application), but it’s definitely worth a shot if U.S. immigration is someone’s goal.”

The work paid off, and Aakash’s O-1 was approved with days to spare.

Pursuing a Green Card

Almost immediately after getting the good news, Aakash and his lawyers at Zoom decided to start the Green Card process. They assessed his options, which included the EB-1A and EB-1B. 

“I really wanted to get an EB-1A because then you’re not tied to an employer at all,” Aakash said, but he needed more time to work on his case.

Over the next 10 months, he peer-reviewed more journals, published more patents, and judged competitions, which all counted as ways of showing recognition in his field, the key qualifier for the EB-1A. At the same time, he began pursuing an EB-2 NIW with his lawyers at Zoom, with the intention of locking in a priority date, securing his place in line for the visa bulletin.

At this point, he was relying on ChatGPT to figure out how to make his EB-1A case, but he began interviewing immigration law firms. 

“It’s the same reason I don’t cut my own hair,” Aakash said. “You really need an expert to do some things.” 

He spoke to about 20 firms, and chose Manifest Law, based on its transparent pricing structure, comprehensive support, and clear communication. The firm helped him draft the immigration petition but also helped collect sponsorship letters, and suggest edits, and also helped deal with a request for evidence (RFE) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The EB-1A is a long process, even with an attorney, and receiving an RFE felt like “a punch in the gut,” Aakash said.

“You think, ‘what did I do wrong?’ But RFEs are completely normal,” Aakash said. “It’s much better than getting a NOID, which is a notice of intent to deny.” 

Manifest worked with Aakash to create a response that ended up at more than 40 pages long, with more data and more evidence.

“When you get an RFE you are very anxious and your emotions are heightened, but the team was super responsive in turning around any questions I had about what the next steps would be,” he said.

The petition was approved just weeks later. Today, Aakash is still waiting on the Visa Bulletin for his priority date to come up.

“It’s still a waiting game for me, but at least I don’t have to worry about immigration anymore,” he said. And, he said, “With the EB-1A, you know you’re on the fastest path possible.”

Start your EB-1A journey with Manifest Law

If you’re ready to start your own journey towards an EB-1A Green Card, Manifest Law’s experienced EB-1 attorneys can help. Request a consultation today.

👉 Learn more about how to go from the O-1 visa to the EB-1A Green Card here.