What to do after my O-1 or P-1 visa is approved?
Example: Filling Out DS-160 Application
Of course, our clients are happy to hear the great news that they are approved for an O-1 visa or P-1 visa, but there is still work to do if you are outside of the United States at the time of approval. If the P-1 or O-1 visa holder wants to travel with family, coaches, trainers, or friends, most frequently a combination of B-1/2, P-1S, P-4, O-2, or O-3 visas is required.
B-1/2 visitor visas are appropriate for persons coming to the United States for less than 6 months and not intending to work. These are inexpensive visas, but they are becoming increasingly harder to obtain.
P-1S visas are appropriate for essential support staff of P-1 visas holders and can be family members of the P-1 visa holder if they have requisite skills and experience of supporting the athlete or creative.
P-4 visas are appropriate for family members of P-1 and P-1S visa holders.
O-2 visas are appropriate for essential support staff of O-1 visas holders and can be family members of the O-1 visa holder if they have requisite skills and experience of supporting the athlete or creative.
O-3 visas are appropriate for family members of P-1 and P-1S visa holders.
Step One – Fill out DS-160 Website
Please use the receipt number of your approved visa and visit this website https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV/Default.aspx which is the Electronic Application Center for the Department of State.
Pick the language you want to use for your visa.
Select the country and location where you would like to do your interview (note it is okay to visit online websites of US consulates to check the wait times for nonimmigrant visa interviews because it varies from time to time).
Click “Start” and “Application”.
Please save the application ID and Security Question & Answer so you can access the application later if you need to ***VERY IMPORTANT.
Please enter all the relevant answers to the application questions.
Notes on filling out the DS-160:
Please go through all of the questions completely before asking for assistance so that you can send all inquiries at once.
For visa type, do not use B-1 visa. Please put the same notice as on your approval notice.
For estimated income, just use your best judgment. It does not have to be exact, please make an estimate.
Place of work – use the address of the visa sponsor.
The following documents will be needed to complete the DS-160:
receipt number
picture of yourself that meets USCIS standards
passport (passport should not expire within 6 months of the date your visa validity date ends – check approval notice)
list of last few trips to the United States
Work history and resume
Only questions deemed OPTIONAL can be left blank. All other questions must be answered or designated as Does Not Apply.
If you get stuck, you can save the application and retrieve it later using the application ID Security Question, and Answer to the security question.
Finally, print and save the DS-160 application confirmation page when completed, as you will need this for the interview.
Step Two – Find the consulate and pay the visa fee
After completing the DS-160, the applicant will need to contact their nominated embassy to apply for an interview. If you come to the United States without completing the interview, you will not come into the United States with the updated P-1 or O-1 visa status, even if the new approval is for a renewal. This part of the process must be done directly with the embassy of choice, and each one has different processes. We suggest clients review the rules of the embassy for applying for a visa to know the process and how long the interview will take.
Visit this link to select a United States Embassy or Consulate that is convenient for your needs and timing – https://www.usembassy.gov/.
Once you select an embassy, please visit the page for nonimmigrant visas to see the instructions for nonimmigrant appointment scheduling.
Be sure to check for the following details on the page:
appointment and processing wait times
specific rules for paying the fees
additional documents that are required
who can come with you to the interview
more information
Step 3 – Pay the application fee for the interview
Visit this website https://ais.usvisa-info.com/.
Select Temporary Nonimmigrant Visas and select the desired country and embassy to do the interview.
Click “{Apply” if you have never completed a DS-160, or enter log-in information if you have in the past.
Finish the process to pay for the visa. The fee is $160.
Step 4 – Schedule the P-1 or O-1 visa appointment time and date
In some countries, you are able to schedule an interview on the same webpage as paying the DS-160 visa application fee. However, if you are in a country that does not operate this way, it will be necessary to contact the embassy again for further instructions.
Step 5 – Attend visa interview day
Interview day is usually an easy day for a P-1 or O-1 visa holder. Typically, the US Consulate will already have a copy of the documentation for the approved petition – please contact your lawyer to make sure this is the case. You can also bring information from the petition with you. If you do have past issues of criminal history or unauthorized work in the United States, you may need to present a waiver at the interview.
Please bring your approval notice to the interview and any other documentation they specifically ask for.
What questions to be prepared for in your interview:
Know about accomplishments that led up to the petition.
Be able to describe still having ties to your home country because this is a temporary visa, meaning you are not supposed to stay in the United States indefinitely on an O-1 or P-1 visa.
Confirm that you do not have any unauthorized work in the United States. It is impossible to specify the exact form the evidence should take since applicants’ circumstances vary greatly.
Confirm relationship with the petitioner,
Step 6 – P-1 or O-1 Visa decision
In most cases, the visa will be approved. Next, the consulate will tell you how and when you can pick up your updated passport, which may take several days.
In some cases, the visa may be denied. Next the consulate will let you know why you were denied for the visa. Please save this information for your attorney so we can determine if a waiver is possible.
In some cases, the applicant will be placed into administrative processing, which is neither an approval or denial. Administrative processing means the case will be reviewed in further detail and can only be overturned by the Department of State. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done in these circumstances.
Once approved, the applicant can also request a social security number at the consulate that could be very beneficiary. Details on the process and benefits of obtaining a social security number can be found on our website – https://www.sherrodsportsvisas.com/itin-ssn-foreign-athletes.
If you still are having issues with the DS-160 process, we may be able to directly assist with the process. Please contact our office by calling 704-243-8187 or email info@sherrodsportsvisas.com.