Among the growing anti-India backlash sweeping the United States, a new accusation appears to have emerged. Now, MAGA residents who have accused the Indian community in the country of H-1B visa fraud, claim that people have come up with a “workaround” and opted for the O-1A visa to be able to enter the USA.
A report by the Dallas Express appears to have sparked the controversy. According to the outlet, consulting firms have promoted the O-1A visa for Indian professionals, as a practical alternative to the H-1B program. She cited the example of a company called Jinee Green Card, which posted an ad on Instagram, promoting what it called a “three-pillar visa acquisition” system and marketing 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 like Another called: “There should be a declaration of war against the invaders. Instead, they distract and attack some useless Iran and once again sacrifice more white American lives.”
What is an O-1A visa?
The O-1A visa is a temporary nonimmigrant visa category for individuals of “extraordinary ability” or achievement. It has two main subcategories:
- O-1A for exceptional ability in science, 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 the artist or athlete O-1 to assist in a specific event or performance
- O-3 for individuals who are spouses or children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders
However, the visa has a higher legal threshold than the H-1B. According to federal guidance, applicants must demonstrate “exceptional 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, the individual must provide proof of receipt of a major, internationally recognized award, such as a Nobel Prize.
The visa can allow indirect employment through intermediaries, meaning applicants must have a US-based petitioner. It is valid for an initial period of three years and can be extended for one year. Furthermore, couples with children under 21 years of age can accompany the recipient.
While they cannot work, they can continue studying in the United States.
Increased scrutiny and backlash online
Netizens are demanding an end to the visa regime for Indians and residents of all other countries in the United States. “All visas need to be terminated. All of them. Send them all back. Every one. One. One,” one user shouted at X. There has been increasing anti-India rhetoric flowing across the United States since the beginning of 2026. Between 2023 and 2025, online hate targeting Indians and South Asians reportedly rose by more than 100%, with rhetoric increasingly shifting from political concerns to racist narratives.The shift comes as the Trump administration has already tightened H-1B visa rules since the beginning of 2025. These include a newly imposed $100,000 fee for new petitioners and a revised lottery system geared toward higher wages. The Department of Labor also recently proposed a federal rule to raise required wages for H-1B workers by up to 33% in many cases. According to Forbes Daily, there was a 50% drop in the number of students coming to the US from India in July and August 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Indian migrant crossings at the US border fell by a sharp 62%, the lowest level in four years. Indian immigration to the United States has declined dramatically in all aspects, however, growing anti-Indian sentiment seems to want it stopped entirely.