A recently graduated fashion designer who received a Fashion Scholarship Fund award while in school and played key roles at several international fashion weeks and award ceremonies. Unlike many graduates, she contacted a law firm to plan her immigration status before her OPT even began.

Recent graduates usually wait until their OPT is nearly over before rushing to sort out their status, leaving both the materials and the timeline very tight.

Before her OPT began, she founded her own company with a well-designed ownership structure, and that company served as the petitioner or agent for her O-1 visa, so she did not need sponsorship from another employer.

O-1 approved without sponsorship from anyone else. She is now her own boss.