USCIS has released an update on O-1 petitions, specifically for individuals in the STEM fields. First, an O-1 petition is a nonimmigrant visa petition meant for people with abilities in sciences, arts, business, athletics, sports, or photography. It permits for foreign nations who obtained recognition for their ability excellence to temporarily work in the United States. This important update made to its policy manual was to give helpful guidance and additional information on how to approach this visa petition. It provides guidance on evidence to support a petition for an O-1A nonimmigrant with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. The updated manual examines evidence that can determine eligibility and qualifications for this type of visa.
The reason for this recent update in the policy manual is that being named on a government grant for STEM research can show that a person is extremely successful in their field.