
Venezuelan Founder on TPS Approved After a Change-of-Status RFE
A Venezuelan founder on TPS filed for the O-1A three days before their status ended. See how immigration attorney Rami Lee cleared the change-of-status RFE.
O-1A and O-1B petitions Manifest Law has won for its clients. Read the full story behind selected cases, or browse the approval notices one by one.
/Case studies and approval notices
Case studies walk through the strategy behind an approval: the evidence, the criteria argued, and how RFEs or prior denials were handled. Approval notices summarize each approved petition, with timelines and the attorney who led it.

A Venezuelan founder on TPS filed for the O-1A three days before their status ended. See how immigration attorney Rami Lee cleared the change-of-status RFE.
Jurgen Negron helped an Indian product manager achieve an approved O-1 visa for individuals of extraordinary ability. The petition was built around a set of detailed expert recommendation letters, a personal statement, and objective evidence of her professional achievements, alongside corporate documents establishing the U.S. petitioning company. Approval came about three weeks after USCIS received the filing.
Elizabeth Mavec helped a UK-born author and journalist secure an O-1 approval to teach at a U.S. university and promote a forthcoming book. Because his work spans teaching, publishing, and broadcasting, the petition was filed through an agent rather than a single employer and built on major media coverage, commercial book success, and his critical role leading field programs for a nonprofit.
Robby Rubin helped a Danish trumpet player, conductor, and music director secure an O-1 approval after his student status ended in the middle of his doctorate. Filed through an agent with deal memos from multiple ensembles and schools, the petition highlighted his leading roles in distinguished concerts and his founding and direction of prominent music organizations, and premium processing let him return to the U.S. within weeks.
Robby Rubin helped a New Zealand equestrian coach secure O-1 approval for recurring coaching trips to the U.S. The coach built a case on published material, judging the work of others, a critical role, and original contributions of major significance, with a U.S. stable serving as petitioner and an itinerary covering multiple organizations. Filed with premium processing, the petition was approved in under three weeks.

See how Manifest Law won O-1B approval for a music producer and guitarist in 17 days, after a prior denial, by arguing both creative roles.
Dariela Nieto helped a New Zealand healthcare startup co-founder achieve O-1 approval after a prior petition had been denied. The refiled case framed the co-founder’s role as chief operating officer with an executive-level salary, stronger leadership letters, and evidence of the company’s revenue growth and investor interest to establish its distinguished reputation.
Robby Rubin helped a Mexican technology founder secure an O-1 visa after his student work authorization was about to expire and a planned employer sponsorship fell through. Filed through an agent with premium processing, the petition tied his product-development work across several ventures into one extraordinary-ability narrative, anchored by a first-place finish among thousands of global applicants in a technology innovation challenge.
Lahaina Araneta McBeth helped a South Korean venture capital professional achieve an O-1 approval, securing a path forward ahead of the H-1B maximum stay. Running day-to-day operations at a venture fund, the client built a record of professional memberships, industry-level judging roles, and a top-tier compensation argument to meet the O-1 criteria. The approval also lays the groundwork for a future EB-1A Green Card petition.
Dariela Nieto helped a Filipino art director secure an O-1 approval through a sponsoring employer, built on credited lead roles in high-profile fashion and beauty campaigns. Letters from senior creative directors and an advisory opinion from the relevant arts union rounded out the recognition criteria. The approval clears the path to a U.S. move and a possible later shift toward permanent residence.

See how Manifest Law helped a founder secure an O-1A visa approval by building a strong case with supporting evidence.
Michael Bailey helped a Pakistani founder in social media marketing win an O-1 approval, built on a selective merit-based membership that required proven revenue, above-market earnings for the field, and a content format he developed for clients in the technical-training space. Independent press coverage and judging roles secured during the preparation window rounded out the criteria. The approval clears the way for him to run the new U.S. arm of his business.
Avalon L. Paul helped a Chinese UX designer move from an expiring H-1B to O-1 status through an agent-based petition. The approval came together quickly, with strong documentation of independent design engagements supporting the extraordinary-ability case.
A German entrepreneur amended his O-1 status to launch his own venture-backed startup after stepping down from his previous role at a technology company. With most of his existing evidence still valid, the amendment was approved without complication, clearing the way for him to lead his new company full-time.
Meaghan Tuohey helped an Indian technology director secure O-1 approval after responding to a Request for Evidence, with strong employer backing helping establish his critical role at a specialized technology company. Despite a tight OPT deadline, the case succeeded through updated documentation and expert letters of recommendation.

See how Manifest Law helped a writer secure O-1B visa approval in 14 business days by building a strong authorship-focused case.
Yasmin Malek helped an Indonesian product leader who left a senior role at a major technology company to pursue full-time entrepreneurship, earning O-1 approval as co-founder of a new AI-focused startup. Strong judging credentials, competitive salary benchmarks, and letters of recommendation helped establish his standing as an individual of extraordinary ability.
Dariela Nieto helped an Indian former professional badminton player secure an O-1 visa to continue his coaching career in the United States. After transitioning from a years-long competitive career—training alongside Olympic-level athletes—into coaching, he built a strong case around his athletes' rapid tournament success and his own high-level playing background.
Avalon Paul helped an Indian UX engineer earn O-1 approval built on a national design fellowship, mentorship at top design programs, and front-end engineering contributions at a global professional services firm. Her selection as one of a small number of fellows nationwide, combined with hands-on product work, met the O-1's extraordinary ability standard ahead of her STEM OPT deadline.
Nadia Zaidi helped a British founder of a global marketing agency evaluate U.S. immigration options, weighing an O-1 against an L-1A new-office strategy. The consultation identified the documentation needed—a detailed CV, publications, and evidence of industry recognition—to strengthen an extraordinary-ability case.

See how Manifest Law helped a technology executive who held three full-time roles secure an O-1A approval.
Benjamin Joshua Griffin helped an Indian robotics engineer continue his career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa after multiple unsuccessful H-1B lottery attempts. The case was built on his portfolio of granted patents — credited in national business media with helping a billion-dollar food-tech startup scale — along with peer-reviewed engineering publications and his leading role developing subsea sensing software for a major offshore wind project. The team also successfully overcame a Request for Evidence to secure the approval.
Nicole Gunara helped an entertainment industry executive continue her career in the U.S. with an approved O-1 visa renewal. The client serves as chief financial officer of a creative studio, and the renewal allows her to keep leading the company's financial operations.
Avalon Paul helped an Indian tech entrepreneur continue his career in the U.S. with an approved O-1A visa. The case centered on his work building an AI- and data-analytics-powered platform that connects event organizers with attendees, and was filed under time pressure after his H-1B employment ended and his grace period began. A Request for Evidence was raised and successfully overcome on the way to approval.
Jiabin Zhang helped a Chinese research scientist secure an approved O-1A visa to work for his own startup in the U.S. The case required careful corporate structuring to establish a valid employer-employee relationship for a founder, and leveraged a strong extraordinary-ability record originally assembled for an EB-1A petition, supported by the required advisory opinion from a professional organization.

See how Manifest Law helped a PhD architect secure O-1A approval without an RFE, one day before their F-1 OPT expired.
Lahaina Araneta helped a professional continue her career in the U.S. with an approved O-1A visa renewal. The case came in on an urgent timeline and was handled as an expedited rush filing, with approval secured within weeks.
Avalon Paul helped an Indonesian-born fashion designer continue her career in the U.S. with an approved O-1B visa. A recent graduate of a prestigious design school, her case was built on feature coverage in major fashion publications, a New York Fashion Week debut, and critical roles in recognized runway productions, with celebrity use of her designs adding further weight.
Avalon Paul helped a high-profile Indian professional continue his career in the U.S. with an approved O-1A extraordinary ability visa. A Request for Evidence was raised along the way and successfully overcome before the petition was approved.
Jurgen Negron helped an Indian engineer in the automotive industry continue his career in the U.S. with an approved O-1A extraordinary ability visa. The case moved from intake to approval in a matter of weeks.
Yasmin Malek helped a Nepali economics professor continue his academic career in the U.S. with the O-1A visa. The case was anchored by his service as a panelist reviewing dozens of grant proposals for a federal research agency, his published scholarly articles, and memberships in national professional associations. The petition was prepared and filed on an expedited timeline ahead of his visa expiration.
Rami Lee helped an Australian data scientist take his career to the U.S. with the O-1A visa. The case drew on his professional memberships, press articles covering his work, original contributions to his field, and the critical role he played for his employer. A strong salary relative to peers in his home market rounded out the petition.
Linda Chan Attreed helped a British horse trainer bring his training business to the U.S. with the O-1A visa, successfully overcoming a Request for Evidence along the way. The case featured his medal at a European championship in Western riding, membership in a selective professional horsemen's association, years judging international competitions, and published articles in national equestrian magazines. Day rates roughly triple the industry standard underscored his position at the top of his field.
Siel Timperman helped a Bangladeshi fintech founder take on a leadership role at a U.S. startup with the O-1A visa. The case featured national entrepreneurship and technology awards, feature coverage in leading industry publications, and her experience judging a prominent industry awards program. Her original secure-payments technology, which dramatically sped up transaction processing for banks in emerging markets, anchored the original contribution argument.
Poonam Bhuchar helped an Indian structural engineer specializing in renewable energy continue his U.S. career with the O-1A visa. The case built on his PhD-level expertise in advanced structural design for renewable-energy systems, and leveraged his recently approved extraordinary-ability Green Card petition. Expert recommendation letters and employer sponsorship carried the petition to approval under premium processing.
Jessica Lang helped a German content creator at a fast-growing tech startup secure the O-1A visa to continue his career in the U.S. His employer backed the petition, and careful framing of the merits of his work, after an earlier petition prepared by prior counsel had failed on presentation, carried the case to approval.
Yasmin Malek helped a Polish software developer specializing in architecture technology gain career flexibility in the U.S. with an agent-based O-1A visa. The case drew on her senior role building software in a highly specialized niche, the sold-out workshops she teaches at the industry's biggest conferences, her judging of international coding competitions, and authored articles in industry magazines. Structuring the petition through an agent freed her to consult for multiple companies.
Lahaina Araneta helped a South Korean multimedia journalist keep her career on track with an agent-sponsored O-1 renewal after sweeping newsroom layoffs cost her employer sponsorship. The case showcased her years producing political video coverage for major national news organizations, including White House reporting, along with strong recommendation letters from senior editors and independent experts. Filed with premium processing on a tight deadline, the three-year approval let her start a university teaching role on schedule.
Kristen Castro helped a Spanish dermatologist continue his medical and academic career in the U.S. with the O-1A visa. The case was built on his awards, scholarly publications, judging of others' work, professional memberships, and significant contributions to the treatment of skin disease, supported by press coverage of his work. The approval allowed him to take up a position at a leading academic medical center.
Lahaina Araneta helped a British personal development coach and published author keep his U.S. career on track with an O-1 visa amendment. The client runs his own UK-based coaching business and had been engaged to host paid seminars and conferences for U.S. audiences, and the amendment aligned his status with a growing slate of speaking engagements.
Linda Chan Attreed helped a Guatemalan theater director and playwright continue his work at the intersection of theater and climate storytelling with the O-1B visa. The case featured productions that sold out within days, a staging that earned the most award nominations for a single play at its theater in years, and his role securing a major city grant covering half of a nonprofit theater's budget. It was further strengthened by praise from a nationally celebrated playwright and his teaching at an Ivy League university.
Valentin Karpenko helped a Lithuanian fintech executive continue leading global expansion for a major digital payments company with the O-1A visa. The case highlighted his negotiation of a multimillion-dollar government partnership deal, groundwork for pioneering payments licensing in a new international market, board service, and endorsements from international industry bodies and senior government officials — along with compensation far above industry norms.
Christian Herrmann helped an Indian semiconductor engineer continue his U.S. career with the O-1A visa. The case combined his critical role building AI-driven predictive models to optimize wafer manufacturing yields at a major data storage company, nine publications in international journals and conferences, and a series of national-level engineering awards earned earlier in his career.
Sang Kim helped an Indian entrepreneur and AI product leader move from H-1B to the O-1A visa so he could launch his own venture. The case framed him as a business development leader who consistently delivers results, anchored by partnership deals with a major professional sports league covered in national newspapers, additional print and TV coverage of his ventures, and quantifiable achievements including roughly $4 million in annual revenue.
Rami Lee helped an Indian software engineer remain in the U.S. with the O-1A visa after repeated misses in the H-1B lottery. The case was anchored by his critical role as a founding engineer at a venture-backed startup serving well-known enterprise clients, his judging of hackathons and peer review of conference papers and talks, and a deliberate build-up of industry press and scholarly writing.
Lucia Maxwell helped an Indian tech entrepreneur continue building his U.S. business with an O-1 visa renewal. The case centered on his critical role as co-founder and CEO of an AI-powered hiring assessment startup, his service judging hackathons and startup incubator competitions, membership in a government-backed innovation program, and press coverage in a leading Indian national newspaper.
Sonu Lal helped a Dutch actress continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa, successfully overcoming a Request for Evidence along the way. The case drew on her leading roles in feature films, support letters from a prominent government official, and her industry judging and casting experience, backed by endorsements from film-industry peers.
Lahaina Araneta helped a French former professional hockey player launch the next phase of his career in the U.S. with an O-1A visa as a strength and conditioning specialist. The case overcame the government's usual skepticism of athlete-to-coach transitions by pairing his decade-plus professional playing career with a master's degree in strength conditioning, coaching stints with professional teams, and his uniquely critical role at a sports performance and rehabilitation company that trains athletes up to the Olympic level.
Patrick Duckett helped a Ukrainian technology professional secure an O-1A visa through consular processing, bringing her husband and son with her. The case was anchored by her original contributions to an AI project in education technology, feature coverage in major international business media, her experience judging the work of others in her field, and a critical role at an education-technology company.
Valentin Karpenko helped a Greek materials scientist continue his research career in the U.S. with the O-1A visa. The case was built on his original contributions to advanced materials research at a leading federal research laboratory, competitive awards, peer review service, and scholarly publications, along with his critical role as a principal investigator. Filed with premium processing, it bridged the client past an expiring H-1B without interrupting his work.
Avalon Paul helped a Kazakhstani Paralympic athlete pursue her career in the U.S. with the O-1A visa. The case was built on her national and international medals, selection to represent her country at the Paralympic Games, recognition as her city's athlete of the year, extensive national television coverage, and compensation well above that of her athletic peers.
Nadia Zaidi helped an Indian entrepreneur secure his first O-1 visa to build his AI-powered hiring assessment startup in the U.S. The petition featured his critical role as co-founder and CEO, membership in a government-appointed innovation body, judging at startup competitions and a major technology company's hackathon, and press coverage in a leading national newspaper, reinforced by support letters from highly prominent figures.
Ashley Gruber helped a fashion designer overcome a Request for Evidence and keep her O-1 petition on track to approval. The RFE questioned the client's maintenance of student status before the change of status rather than her artistic qualifications, so the response was built on detailed timeline documentation, school support letters, and regulatory arguments confirming lawful bridge-of-status, alongside renewed employer letters reconfirming her role and merits.
Nadia Zaidi helped a British content creator bring his career to the U.S. with the O-1B visa. The case was built on his audience of several million followers across platforms, a multi-year ambassadorship with a household-name American consumer brand, and campaign work for major U.S. companies. Feature coverage in a leading international fashion magazine and a major British broadcaster further strengthened the petition.
Avalon Paul helped a U.S. company bring its Canada-based chief executive to the United States with the O-1A visa. Working directly with the sponsoring employer, she guided the case from the initial kickoff call through document collection and filing for the company's senior leader.
Rami Lee helped an Indian senior product manager move from H-1B to O-1A status, preserving his ability to work in the U.S. With his H-1B grace period expiring within months, the O-1A was prepared and filed in a matter of weeks, and the strategy set the stage for a future EB1A Green Card petition.
Rami Lee helped a professional on Temporary Protected Status secure an O-1A visa before his TPS window closed. With the expiration deadline bearing down, the petition was prioritized and filed in time, giving the client a stable, extraordinary-ability-based status to continue his career in the U.S.
Adam Smith helped a Turkish professional overcome a Request for Evidence on his O-1A extraordinary ability petition. The response tackled the officer's outstanding questions directly and the petition was approved, allowing the client to continue his career in the U.S.
Avalon Paul helped a Ukrainian professional secure an O-1A extraordinary ability visa on an accelerated timeline. When the client's plans shifted and his company agreed to support the O-1, the petition was assembled and filed within roughly a month, with the structure designed to preserve his flexibility to work across engagements.
Valentin Karpenko helped a Costa Rican fashion model overcome a sweeping Request for Evidence in which USCIS had initially accepted none of her submitted criteria. The response was rebuilt around a prestigious honor from her home country's government, her pioneering use of emerging technology to benefit others in her profession, and starring appearances in widely viewed music videos, carrying her extraordinary ability case to approval.
Lahaina Araneta helped a Filipina interior designer continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1B visa. The case was built on her critical role designing properties for a world-renowned luxury hotel brand across Dubai, Asia, and the Middle East, reinforced by industry awards, media coverage, and reference letters from other experts, and it cleared the way for her to take a director role at a U.S. design studio.
Lahaina Araneta helped an Indian startup CEO and co-founder renew his O-1 extraordinary ability visa. The renewal re-documented his leadership of the company he co-founded, and the approval allowed him to keep building his business in the U.S. without interruption.
Rami Lee helped an African filmmaker continue his career in the U.S. with an O-1 visa. The case was built on his work as an assistant director on a current film, his co-founding of a production company, and his efforts connecting emerging filmmakers with the global industry. His graduate credentials in filmmaking and a prestigious international scholarship further strengthened the petition.
Lahaina Araneta helped an Italian tech executive continue leading his company in the U.S. with an O-1 renewal. The case centered on his role as chief executive of a gaming company, which sponsored the petition, and included consular processing for his spouse and two children so the whole family could remain together.
Lahaina Araneta helped a Filipino interior designer keep her U.S. career on track by successfully overcoming a Request for Evidence on her O-1B petition. The case rested on her acclaimed work designing luxury hotels across the Middle East and Asia, media coverage of her projects, and industry awards. Her director role at a U.S. design studio anchored the petition.
Lahaina Araneta helped a Canadian fashion designer upgrade from a TN visa to the O-1, a better fit for his growing career. The petition was built on his design work for a major international footwear brand, his role designing for a global recording artist's world tour, multiple press appearances, and the commercial success of his own design business.
Catlea Bobis helped an executive keep her U.S. career on track with an O-1 visa after successfully overcoming a complex, kitchen-sink Request for Evidence. The client had been in the U.S. as a multinational executive transferee and turned to the O-1 after a layoff put her status at risk. Manifest's comprehensive response addressed every issue USCIS raised and secured the approval.
Carmiann Cespedes helped an Argentine graphic designer bring her career to the U.S. with an O-1B visa. The case was anchored by her critical design role at one of Latin America's largest social media platforms across a 20-year career, sustained media coverage of her work, and international recognition including an exhibition and design competition honors in Asia.
Lahaina Araneta helped a Canadian marriage counselor who founded her own therapy practice continue her career in the U.S. with an O-1 visa. The case drew on her authorship of a book and significant contributions to two others, feature coverage in major national magazines, her podcast work, and premium session rates demonstrating high remuneration. Her signature reworking of a famous therapeutic method rounded out the extraordinary-ability argument.
Nadia Zaidi helped a Serbian UX designer advance his career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case centered on his lead and critical roles, including design work for a Fortune 500 consumer brand, and his standing in the top 3% of an elite global talent network. It was further strengthened by his published writing, media coverage, high remuneration, and invitations to judge student work at a prestigious design school.
Catlea Bobis helped a multinational executive remain in the U.S. with an O-1A visa after looming layoffs threatened the L-1A status tied to her employer. The case was built on her industry award, selective memberships, press coverage, and original contributions to her field. The approval gave her stable footing while her employment-based Green Card remained pending.
Lahaina Araneta helped a British personal development coach and published author bring his work to U.S. audiences with an O-1A visa. The client, founder of his own UK-based coaching business, had been invited to host paid seminars and conference engagements in the U.S., with more on the horizon. Manifest structured the petition so he could take on these speaking engagements lawfully while continuing to run his company abroad.
Rami Lee helped an Indian software engineer join his San Francisco startup employer in person with an O-1A visa after two unsuccessful H-1B lottery attempts. Working remotely from India, he had led multiple major projects for the crypto-industry startup and earned remuneration well above local norms. Strategic profile building - scholarly publications, judging, peer review, and selective memberships - brought the case over the line.
Rami Lee helped a creative entrepreneur - CEO and co-owner of her own company - secure an O-1B extraordinary ability visa, paired with an O-2 petition for her essential support personnel. The dual filing allowed both the artist-executive and her key team member to work in the U.S. together. The petitions were approved less than two weeks after filing.
Rami Lee helped a British music industry executive continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was built on her critical role managing high-profile accounts and projects in the UK music scene, along with industry awards and media articles covering her work. It was further strengthened by strong letters of recommendation from leaders in the field.
Henry Lindpere helped a serial entrepreneur pursue his career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was built on his track record founding multiple companies, his critical roles and high remuneration, and media attention around his contributions. It was structured through a U.S. agent sponsorship, giving him flexibility to work across his ventures.
Manifest Law helped a Jamaican television host and content creator continue pursuing her entertainment career in the U.S. with an approved extension of stay. Her profile featured a reality competition series she created, hosted, and produced, streaming on major U.S. platforms, with the show's copyright registered in her name. She also operated her own registered U.S. business.
Rami Lee helped an Indian engineering leader continue his career in the U.S. with the O-1A visa, filed on an urgent timeline as he approached the six-year H-1B limit. The case was built on his critical role at a major pharmaceutical company, where he leads centralized integration programs that prevent major system failures and protect significant revenue, along with senior membership in a premier engineering association and a salary well above industry norms. Press coverage of his earlier work on medical device technology added further weight.
Lauren Vizar helped a human resources director continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case began under a challenging timeline as the client's prior work status was winding down, leaving limited time to prepare the petition. The team responded to a Request for Evidence at no extra charge to the client, and the visa was approved.
Lahaina Araneta helped a Filipino interior designer continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was built on her director-level role at a design studio and her critical roles designing properties for a world-renowned luxury hotel brand across the Middle East and Asia, further supported by media coverage, industry awards, and expert reference letters.
Rupal Parikh helped a Canadian author continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was built on her standing as a nationally best-selling novelist whose books have sold widely worldwide and been translated into numerous languages, supported by more than 20 media features about her work and strong expert references.
Rami Lee helped an O-1 extraordinary ability visa holder extend his status for three more years while accommodating changes to his role. The extension kept his U.S. career uninterrupted and set the stage for a planned EB-1A Green Card filing.
Rebecca Lenetsky helped an Indian art and animation director continue his creative career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case carried him from student work authorization, which was about to expire, to extraordinary ability status built on his record as an art director and animation director in the entertainment industry.
Rebecca Lenetsky helped a Jamaican insurance professional bring her career to the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was built on her standing as a top-performing insurance sales agent, supported by industry awards, features in the national press, and strong industry references.
Daliah Sklar helped a Burundian comedian bring his act to American audiences with the O-1 visa. The case was built on his massive social media following at home, his prior international touring in Canada, and signed performance contracts with a promoter for a U.S. show.
Daliah Sklar helped a Polish architect continue her career in the U.S. with the O-1 visa. The case was structured around an agent-based sponsorship with a detailed work itinerary, and it drew on her director-level experience in the field and a strong slate of professional references.
Showing 8 of 80 approval notices
This database includes a featured selection of Manifest Law's approvals. It is not necessarily representative of every historical approval.
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