An Indian man has taken to social media to celebrate getting an O-1 visa – a decade after he first visited the United States. Piyush Varanjani said that the visa would allow him to go “all in on AI” after he quit his job.
“Got my O-1 approved! Time to build my own reality,” he wrote on X. “After my mom, now it's the US who thinks I am an individual of extraordinary ability,” Varanjani added.
“A fistful of dreams”
An O-1 is a type of nonimmigrant visa granted by the United States to individuals of “extraordinary ability” in a certain field. Unlike an H-1B visa holder that can work in any degree-requiring specialty occupation with their sponsoring employer, an O-1 visa is reserved for people at the very top of their chosen field.
For Varanjani, this field seems to be AI.
Varanjani said that he had arrived in the US a decade ago with a “fistful of dreams” and his harem pants. He worked at Stripe for over four years, quitting in November 2024. According to his LinkedIn profile, since November, he has been working on his own startup.
“A few months back I left Stripe to go all in on AI, and now finally SF is the new home,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“A few months back I left Stripe to go all in on AI, and now finally SF is the new home,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He ended his post with a promise to answer any questions about the O-1 visa. The comments section of his post was filled with congratulatory messages.
More about the O-1 visa
The O-1 visa is a temporary work visa that allows people with extraordinary ability in fields like science, arts, education, business, or athletics to live and work in the US. It is meant for individuals who have achieved a high level of recognition, such as national or international awards, published work, or major contributions to their field.
There is no annual cap on the number of O-1 visas issued. The initial period of stay is usually up to three years, with the option to extend in one-year increments as long as the individual continues the work related to their extraordinary ability.