An Indian data analytics professional, who was rejected in the US H-1B visa lottery three times, has described how he turned to the O-1 visa, a category for workers who can demonstrate extraordinary ability in their field, to continue his career in the country.
Sohan Sethi, 29, recounted his experience in an as-told-to essay for Business Insider, describing the months he spent building an O-1 application after repeated H-1B lottery setbacks.
Who is Sohan Sethi?
Sethi grew up in Mumbai and spent his first 25 years in India. He studied computer engineering at the University of Mumbai and worked as a business analyst before moving to the US for a master’s degree at the University of Illinois Chicago in January 2022.
After completing his master’s degree in May 2023, Sethi joined a healthcare company as a senior business analyst and was later promoted to manager of analytics and reporting. But his immigration status remained uncertain: his H-1B registration was not selected in three consecutive lotteries.
Following his second rejection in April 2025, Sethi told Business Insider he began preparing for an O-1 visa, a route that does not depend on a lottery but instead requires applicants to show extraordinary ability in their field.
What is O-1 visa?
The O-1 is a temporary US work visa for people who can demonstrate extraordinary ability in areas including science, education, business or athletics. Unlike the capped H-1B programme, it is not allocated through the annual H-1B lottery. However, eligibility is demanding: applicants must provide evidence showing sustained national or international acclaim and meet the relevant evidentiary requirements.
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How did he build his O-1 case?
By February 2026, Sethi said he and his immigration lawyer had assembled more than 700 pages of supporting material, including media coverage, industry judging roles, awards, published work and recommendation letters. He said he spent about $13,000 on legal fees.
His third H-1B non-selection came in March 2026, leaving him with roughly 100 days before his STEM OPT work authorisation was due to expire on July 5, according to his account.
During that anxious stretch, Sethi said he weighed other paths, including moving back to India, starting a second master’s degree, or relocating to Canada or the UK, but felt none offered the same career opportunities available to him in data analytics and AI in the US.
Sethi told Business Insider he was at his desk in Chicago, repeatedly checking his email, when a message from his lawyer arrived with the word Congratulations. He said his anxiety lifted immediately once he read it; his O-1 visa had come through after three failed H-1B attempts.
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The first people he called with the news were his mother and brother in India.
Sethi now manages a team of analysts in healthcare data and analytics. He has also been sharing his experience on LinkedIn, where he offers advice on job hunting, international student life and the O-1 process. His case illustrates one potential route for highly accomplished professionals facing repeated H-1B lottery uncertainty, but the O-1 has its own demanding eligibility requirements.
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World · Immigration · Case Study
H-1B failed 3 times. What was his O-1 route?
How Sohan Sethi, shut out of the H-1B lottery three years running, switched to an “extraordinary ability” visa — and what it took.
Three years in the H-1B lottery
Attempt 1
.
NOT SELECTED
Attempt 2
.
NOT SELECTED
Attempt 3
.
NOT SELECTED
0
/
3
selections in three years of the random, cap-based H-1B lottery.
The alternative
The O-1 visa
A visa for people with “extraordinary ability” in their field. Crucially, it has no H-1B-style lottery and no annual cap — approval turns on the strength of the evidence, not the luck of a draw.
No random lotteryNo annual capMerit-based
Building the case
700+
pages of evidence assembled to prove extraordinary ability
.Media coverage
.Awards
.Judging others' work in the industry
.Published work
.Recommendation letters
Racing the clock — and the bill
~$13,000
in legal fees to prepare and file the petition
.Mar 2026Third H-1B non-selection — the lottery route is exhausted
.Jul 5, 2026STEM OPT work authorisation expires
~100 days
to find a solution before losing the right to work
The outcome
O-1 petition
APPROVED
With the O-1 approved in time, Sethi continues working in US healthcare data and analytics — without ever winning an H-1B.
Important
The O-1 is not an easy H-1B replacement. It requires applicants to demonstrate genuine extraordinary ability and to meet demanding evidentiary requirements — a high bar most workers cannot clear.
Source: The Indian Express, based on an interview with Sohan Sethi. O-1 visa criteria per US Citizenship and Immigration Services. One person's experience — not immigration advice.
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Sohan Sethi (Photo: X/@Iamsohansethi) 
