+15% Higher Approval Rates
vs. USCIS average*
FOR INTERNATIONAL FOUNDERS
US visa strategy for founders.
The U.S. produces more unicorns than the next 19 countries combined. We help international founders get here on an O-1 or E-2 visa — and stay.
- 15% higher approval rate than national average*
- Flat fees with flexible payment plans — no surprise costs
- Former USCIS officer review before every filing
- Live case tracking via the Manifest portal
*Represents approvals for cases handled by Manifest Law that received a decision during quarter three of 2025 compared to published approval rates by USCIS for O-1 and EB-1 during the same period. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
MARKET LEADERS
Why Clients Trust Manifest's Immigration Lawyers
11+ Years
Average Lawyer Experience*
180+ 5-Star Reviews
Customer Satisfaction
Supporting Talent
Employed at Apple, Meta, Google, Tesla
Exceptional Attorneys
<1% of attorneys who apply are selected.
250,000+ Cases
Filed by our Attorneys*
+15% Higher Approval Rates
vs. USCIS average*
11+ Years
Average Lawyer Experience*
180+ 5-Star Reviews
Customer Satisfaction
Supporting Talent
Employed at Apple, Meta, Google, Tesla
Exceptional Attorneys
<1% of attorneys who apply are selected.
250,000+ Cases
Filed by our Attorneys*
+15% Higher Approval Rates
vs. USCIS average*
11+ Years
Average Lawyer Experience*
180+ 5-Star Reviews
Customer Satisfaction
Supporting Talent
Employed at Apple, Meta, Google, Tesla
Exceptional Attorneys
<1% of attorneys who apply are selected.
250,000+ Cases
Filed by our Attorneys*
Disclaimer: *Represents approvals for cases handled by Manifest Law that received a decision during quarter three of 2025 compared to published approval rates by USCIS for O-1 and EB-1 during the same period. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Average years of experience of all Manifest lawyers is as of March 30th, 2026. Total cases filed provided by Manifest lawyers in connection with cases handled with Manifest and lawyer's prior firms. Lawyers include Manifest's network of staff attorneys and co-counsels.
TWO PATHS IN
O-1 or E-2: which one is you?
Most founders we work with qualify for one — sometimes both. Here's the honest breakdown.
| O-1A | E-2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY | TREATY INVESTOR |
| Best for | For founders with a track record. If you've raised funding, been in press, advised others, or judged competitions — this is usually your visa. | For founders ready to invest and build here. If you're a citizen of a treaty country and ready to put real capital into a U.S. business — this is your fastest path. |
| Best if you have | Institutional funding, press coverage, awards, advisory roles, or original contributions to your field | A citizen of an E-2 treaty country, investing substantial capital ($100K+ typical), and will run the U.S. entity |
| Country requirement | None | Must hold citizenship in a treaty country |
| Duration | Up to 3 years, renewable indefinitely | Up to 5 years, renewable indefinitely |
| Family | Spouse and kids under 21. Spouse can apply for work authorization. | Spouse and kids under 21. Spouse can apply for work authorization. |
| Typical timeline | 2–4 months with premium processing | 2–4 months |
| Manifest fee | Starts at $6,999 | Starts at $7,500 |
Classification
O-1A
EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY
Best for
O-1A
For founders with a track record. If you've raised funding, been in press, advised others, or judged competitions — this is usually your visa.
Best if you have
O-1A
Institutional funding, press coverage, awards, advisory roles, or original contributions to your field
Country requirement
O-1A
None
Duration
O-1A
Up to 3 years, renewable indefinitely
Family
O-1A
Spouse and kids under 21. Spouse can apply for work authorization.
Typical timeline
O-1A
2–4 months with premium processing
Manifest fee
O-1A
Starts at $6,999
Just want to scope the U.S. market first?
A B-1/B-2 business visa lets you attend meetings, meet investors, and explore partnerships — no sponsorship required. We'll talk through it on your strategy call.
QUICK GUT-CHECK
Could you qualify? Take a look.
USCIS criteria, in plain English. We'll run the real assessment on your call.
MEET AT LEAST 3 OF 8
O-1A
- Your work has been covered in major press or media
- You're a member of a selective association (YC, Endeavor, Forbes 30U30, etc.)
- You've judged competitions, accelerators, or peer work
- You've made an original contribution to your field
- You've authored articles in your field or for major publications
- You command a high salary or equity package
- You play a critical role at a distinguished organization
NEED ALL FIVE
E-2
- You're a citizen of an E-2 treaty country
- You're investing substantial capital
- Your investment is “at risk” and already committed
- You'll direct and develop the U.S. business
- The business is real, active, and more than marginal
HOW IT WORKS
From first call to approval.
Four steps. No black box. You always know where your case stands.
Profile assessment
Green Cards and work visas for individuals with strong professional achievements seeking merit-based or self-sponsored pathways.
Attorney consult
Get paired with the best attorney for your case. Then have a chance to meet and discuss your legal strategy for your path to the U.S.
Build your case
Your attorney leads case strategy and storytelling. Every petition gets reviewed by a second chair. Some plans even get reviewed by an ex-USCIS officer before filing. You track progress live in the Manifest portal.
File and approve
We file O-1 approval rates that are 15% higher than the national average. Visa approved or money back.*
*Representative image — Not actual Manifest lawyer or client
Money-back guarantees and refunds are subject to the terms of the selected service plan and engagement agreement.
/WHAT IT COSTS
Flat fees. No hourly billing. No surprises.
O-1 VISA
STARTING AT
$6,999
- O-1 filing
- Live case tracking
- 2-chair legal review
- Guaranteed timelines personalized to your case*
E-2 Visa
STARTING AT
$7,000
- E-2 filing
- Live case tracking
- 2-chair legal review
- Guaranteed timelines personalized to your case*
*Final fee depends on case complexity. We'll quote you on your strategy call — and the number won't change after that.
“I just had my O-1 visa approved in under 10 days with premium processing, and I honestly couldn’t be more impressed with the team at Manifest Law. Lahaina was incredibly generous with her time and attention, and the whole team were top class — thorough, responsive, and totally committed. I felt supported every step of the way. If you’re looking for a legal team who actually care and know exactly what they’re doing, I couldn’t recommend them more.”
“I just had my O-1 visa approved in under 10 days with premium processing, and I honestly couldn’t be more impressed with the team at Manifest Law. Lahaina was incredibly generous with her time and attention, and the whole team were top class — thorough, responsive, and totally committed. I felt supported every step of the way. If you’re looking for a legal team who actually care and know exactly what they’re doing, I couldn’t recommend them more.”
“I just had my O-1 visa approved in under 10 days with premium processing, and I honestly couldn’t be more impressed with the team at Manifest Law. Lahaina was incredibly generous with her time and attention, and the whole team were top class — thorough, responsive, and totally committed. I felt supported every step of the way. If you’re looking for a legal team who actually care and know exactly what they’re doing, I couldn’t recommend them more.”
Disclaimer: Some testimonials and reviews displayed on this website are sourced from publicly available Google Reviews. These reviews represent the opinions and experiences of individual clients and may not be representative of the experiences of all clients. Testimonials do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Every case is different, and results depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each case.
WHAT WE OFFER?
Built for founders.
Most immigration firms still run on PDFs and email threads. We don't.
Attorney-led, technology-supported.
Every case is run by a senior immigration attorney. Our internal platform handles the admin so your lawyer can focus on the strategy.
Ex-USCIS officer review.*
Before we file, a former USCIS officer reviews your petition for the exact things adjudicators look for. It's why our approval rate is 15% higher than national average.
Live case portal.
You see what we see. Status updates, document checklists, RFE response drafts — all in one place, always current.
Founder-fluent.
We've worked with founders across SaaS, fintech, biotech, and consumer. We know what a SAFE looks like, why your cap table matters, and how to translate your traction into USCIS evidence.
*Only available on select plans.
FAQS
Founder questions, answered.
Citizens of which countries qualify for an E-2 visa?
Over 80 countries have treaties with the U.S. allowing citizens to apply for the E-2 investor visa. Key countries include Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, and Spain. See the full list here: https://manifestlaw.com/blog/e2-visa-treaty-countries/
Can I apply for O-1 if I'm still raising my seed round?
Often, yes. Pre-seed and seed-stage founders qualify all the time. It's more dependent on how many of the criteria you meet.
What counts as “substantial investment” for the E-2?
There is no fixed dollar amount. Substantial is dependent on the size and impact of the business you're creating.
