OnlyFans creators and social media influencers have become some of the most active applicants for the U.S. O-1 “extraordinary ability” visa, increasingly making up the client base of high-profile immigration lawyers who once mainly represented athletes, entertainers, and executives.
OnlyFans is a website popular with adult content creators and porn stars.
According to the Financial Times, the number of creators receiving these visas has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic. What was once a tightly controlled immigration pathway has steadily expanded, shaped by the rise of the creator economy and the way success is now measured online, mostly through followers and money.
The extraordinary talent visa, or O-1, is a US temporary work visa reserved for individuals with “extraordinary ability.” It comes in two categories. The O-1A covers science, education, business, and athletics, while the O-1B is for the arts and exceptional achievement in film and television. In both cases, applicants are expected to show sustained national or international acclaim and back it up with extensive documentation.
Historically, the requirements for this type of application have been quite strict. Recently, though, immigration experts note that meeting the criteria has become more accessible, as metrics like social media following, engagement, brand partnerships, and verified earnings can now demonstrate professional distinction. For content creators with transparent income and audience data, the process can be relatively straightforward.
The numbers show how popular the visa has become. O-1 approvals jumped from just over 7,000 in 2021 to nearly 20,000 by 2024, and overall issuance is up about 50 percent compared to a decade ago. Several immigration lawyers told the Financial Times that influencers now make up most of their caseload, a far cry from when the visa was mainly used by household names and touring artists.
That change has sparked discomfort within the immigration community. One lawyer quoted in the report said that they “knew the days of representing iconic names like Boy George and Sinéad O’Connor were over,” Another warned that the standard has been diluted, arguing that people who would never have qualified in the past are now being approved simply by meeting the technical criteria.
Still, the trend reveals a radical transformation, which is that America’s definition of “extraordinary talent” is evolving alongside the economy. Influence is now measurable, and fame can be proven with dashboards instead of awards.
Whether that represents progress or a lowering of the bar depends on who you ask. What’s clear is that the visa system is adapting to a world where digital attention has become a legitimate form of power.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
