Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

Visa categories and where OnlyFans fits

• Commenters clarify that O‑1 has subtypes:
  • O‑1A: extraordinary ability in science, education, business, athletics.
  • O‑1B: extraordinary ability/achievement in the arts, motion picture, TV.
• Many argue OnlyFans (OF) creators fit O‑1B as performing artists; some also see them as “business” under O‑1A due to high earnings.
• People note that O‑1 is uncapped and historically used for actors, musicians, athletes, fashion models, and even porn performers, so OF use is “as intended,” not displacing scientists.

Is OnlyFans prostitution? Legal and semantic disputes

• Strong debate over whether OF is prostitution:
  • One side: porn and OF = sex for money ⇒ essentially prostitution; some point to countries (e.g., Sweden) that criminalize custom online sexual acts.
  • Other side: legal systems typically treat recorded porn as distinct from prostitution; etymology (“porn” from “prostitute”) is dismissed as irrelevant.
• Immigration law historically penalizes prostitution; people wonder how OF is being classified on that axis.
• Others split hairs: prerecorded content akin to porn, custom live shows closer to prostitution; physical contact vs online acts is contested.

Economics, tax, and immigration policy

• Pro‑OF‑visa view: these are high‑earning, mobile cultural producers:
  • Bring taxable income to the US and spend locally.
  • Don’t compete with typical domestic workers; ideal “net taxpayer” migrants.
  • Similar logic applied to influencers, YouTubers, esports professionals.
• Critics counter that importing sex workers and influencers is “late‑stage empire” behavior and not the kind of talent a country should actively court.

Culture, morality, and “extraordinary ability”

• Sharp divide over cultural value:
  • Some see influencers/OF as the new Hollywood, shaping youth culture through parasocial relationships; argue entertainment has always been commercial and often trashy.
  • Others see porn/OF as decadent, addictive, and socially corrosive; argue states should prefer visas for more “wholesome” role models (scientists, doctors, athletes).
• Debate over “extraordinary ability”:
  • Supporters: millions of followers, high income, and industry awards are evidence of distinction, just like box office or record sales.
  • Skeptics: follower counts are gameable; there’s a PR industry manufacturing the “extraordinary.” Some scientists report extremely high bars for O‑1 compared with seemingly looser standards for entertainers.

Remote work, practicalities, and potential abuse

• Question raised: why do internet‑native workers need to be in the US at all?
  • Answers: lifestyle preference, longer stays than tourist visas, in‑person collabs, live events, escorts/meet‑and‑greets, plus tax residence.
• Some suspect a thin line between O‑1 for OF and sex‑trafficking or escorting, though others argue top OF earners have high personal agency and are “impossible to traffic.”
• A few anecdotes claim O‑1 can be gamed via bought followers, manufactured talks, and press, implying the “extraordinary” standard is unevenly enforced.