O-1 visas are set aside for individuals who are the best of the best. Though one of the most selective and complex U.S. visas to receive, there were over 20,000 new O-1 visas issued in 2014 alone.
An O-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa for individuals who possess extraordinary ability. The field of extraordinary ability for an O-1 visa is divided into two classifications:
O-1A: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics (not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry)
O-1B: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry