Among the growing anti-Indian backlash raging through the United States, a new accusation seems to have emerged. Now, the MAGA residents who had been accusing the Indian community in the country of H-1B visa fraud, claim people have figured out a ‘workaround’ and opt for the O-1A visa to be able to enter USA. A report by the Dallas Express seems to have sparked the row. As per the outlet, consultancies have been pitching the O-1A visa to Indian professionals, as a viable alternative to the H-1B program. It cited the example of a firm called Jinee Green Card, which posted an advertisement on Instagram, promoting what it called a “Three-Pillar Visa Acquisition” system and marketed the O-1A visa as a way to avoid “the uncertainty of the H-1B lottery.” This is accompanied by online accusations on social media platforms such as X. “THIS IS FRAUD! An entire industry has formed around selling the O-1A “extraordinary ability” visa as a backdoor. This is labor arbitrage. This is fraud,” wrote one user on X. “There needs to be a declaration of War against Invaders. Instead, they distract and attack some useless Iran again sacrificing more White American lives,” called another.
What is the O-1A visa?
O-1A visa is a temporary non-immigrant visa category for individuals with “extraordinary ability” or achievement. It has two main subcategories:
- O-1A for extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business or athletics
- O-1B for extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industry
There are two other subcategories including:
- O-2 for individuals who will accompany an O-1 artist or athlete to assist in a specific event or performance
- O-3 for individuals who are the spouse or children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders
However, the visa has a higher legal threshold than H-1B. As per federal guidance, applicants must demonstrate “extraordinary ability” through sustained national or international acclaim and meet at least three evidentiary criteria, including major awards, published work or significant contributions to their field. Otherwise, an individual must show evidence of receipt of a major internationally recognised award, such as the Nobel prize. The visa can allow indirect employment through intermediaries, meaning applicants are required to have a US-based petitioner. It is valid for an initial period of three years and can be extended for one. Moreover, spouses along with children under the age of 21, can accompany the recipient. While they can not work, they can pursue studies in the US.
Rising scrutiny and online backlash
Netizens have been calling for an end to the visa system for Indians and residents of all other countries to the US. “ALL visas need to be ended. All of them. Send them all back. Every. Single. One,” called one user on X. There has been a growing anti-Indian rhetoric coursing through the United States ever since the beginning of 2026. Between 2023 and 2025, online hate targeting Indians and South Asians reportedly rose by over 100%, with discourse increasingly shifting from policy concerns to racialised narratives.The shift comes when the Trump administration has already tightened H-1B visa rules since the beginning of 2025. These include a newly introduced $100,000 fee for new petitioners and a revised lottery system weighted toward higher wages. The Department of Labour also recently proposed a federal rule to raise required wages for H-1B workers by up to 33% in many cases. As per Forbes Daily, there was a 50% drop in the number of students arriving in the US from India in July and August 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. US border crossings by Indian immigrants dropped by a sharp 62%, the lowest in four years. The Indian immigration to the states has vastly dropped in all aspects, however, the rising anti-Indian sentiment seems to want to pull the plug entirely.
