According to immigration lawyers in the United States, OnlyFans models & influencers now account for more than half of their clients applying for an O-1B visa. But what is an O-1B visa?
In 1975, legendary musician John Lennon was granted residency in the United States after a Federal Appeals Court judge reversed the Nixon administration’s deportation order. Ensconced in the Vietnam War, Republicans saw Lennon’s anti-war views as dangerous and used his 1968 conviction for drug possession as grounds for deportation. While unsuccessful, Nixon’s attempted deportation of Lennon played a large role in creating what is known today as the O-1B visa.
Introduced in 1990 as part of The Immigration Act of 1990, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s official webpage defines the O-1B visa as applicable to anyone with “extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics”. Past examples of successful O-1B visa applicants have included Justin Bieber, Elon Musk, Adele and Hugh Jackson.
Ever since the COVID pandemic of 2020, technology and virtual interactions have redefined most aspects of American life. For example, OnlyFans earned $7.2 billion from its users in 2024. Meta, parent company of Facebook & Instagram, is worth about $1.66 trillion. This colossal profit, coupled with expanding global internet infrastructure means “extraordinary ability” is measured quite differently compared to 1990, or even pre-COVID. Follower counts, income from sponsorships and number of likes are now being used to demonstrate influencers’ worthiness for entry into the United States.
Other visas are also far more expensive and selective. In September of last year, the Trump administration introduced a $100,000 fee for H-1B (work) visa applicants and that visa has already hit its submission cap for 2026. According to The Financial Times, the number of O-1B visa applications accepted have grown by 50% between 2014 and 2024.
