O-1 petition approval rate and RFE rate
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
Data as of · Source: USCIS I-129 petitions by case status and RFE · Sources checked
Approval rate, FY26 to date
91.0%
RFE rate, FY26 to date
24.2%
Received, FY26 to date
25,722
Pending, Jun 2026
8,925
From October 2025 to June 2026, USCIS received 25,722 O-1 and O-2 petitions and decided 23,417. 91.0% were approved (down from 94.2% in October 2024 to June 2025), and 24.2% of decisions came after a Request for Evidence. 8,925 petitions were pending at the end of June 2026.
Premium processing for Form I-129
- O-1 / O-2: USCIS acts within 15 business days, fee $2,965 (on top of the filing fee)
"Acts" means an approval, a denial, or a request for evidence or notice of intent to deny; if USCIS misses the limit it refunds the premium fee. Sources: USCIS premium processing, Form G-1055 (Oct 7, 2026).
How long without premium processing? USCIS shows the current time for each office in its Check Case Processing Times tool (Form I-129, by classification). Track a filed petition with Case Status Online.
What O-1 and O-2 covers
The O-1 classification is for people with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. O-2 is for people who accompany an O-1 artist or athlete to assist in a specific event or performance.
O-1A covers the sciences, education, business and athletics; O-1B covers the arts and the motion picture or television industry. USCIS reports all O petitions as one group, so the figures on this page cover O-1A, O-1B and O-2 together. USCIS approves the petition; the visa itself is issued by the State Department.
By fiscal year
Approval rate = approved ÷ decisions. RFE rate = decisions with a Request for Evidence ÷ decisions. Fiscal years start in October.
| Fiscal year | Received | Approved | Denied | Approval rate | RFE rate | Approval rate after RFE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 (to date) | 25,722 | 21,321 | 2,096 | 91.0% | 24.2% | 66.8% |
| FY2025 | 33,808 | 29,733 | 1,948 | 93.9% | 19.7% | 70.9% |
| FY2024 | 29,672 | 26,535 | 1,558 | 94.5% | 19.0% | 72.2% |
| FY2023 | 27,898 | 26,425 | 1,927 | 93.2% | 22.6% | 71.3% |
| FY2022 | 28,195 | 26,291 | 1,497 | 94.6% | 20.7% | 75.4% |
| FY2021 | 20,674 | 19,329 | 1,822 | 91.4% | 27.8% | 69.6% |
| FY2020 | 22,304 | 19,903 | 2,280 | 89.7% | 30.4% | 67.2% |
| FY2019 | 26,511 | 23,084 | 2,336 | 90.8% | 26.4% | 66.1% |
| FY2018 | 25,202 | 22,736 | 1,767 | 92.8% | 22.8% | 69.2% |
| FY2017 | 24,294 | 24,175 | 1,515 | 94.1% | 21.9% | 73.9% |
Approval rate and RFE rate by fiscal year
Petitions received by month
FAQ
What is the O-1 and O-2 approval rate?
From October 2025 to June 2026 (fiscal year 2026 so far), USCIS approved 21,321 of 23,417 O-1 and O-2 petitions it decided, an approval rate of 91.0%. From October 2024 to June 2025 it was 94.2%. Decisions are USCIS's first decision on each petition (not motions or appeals).
How often does USCIS issue an RFE for O-1 and O-2 petitions?
24.2% of O-1 and O-2 petitions decided in fiscal year 2026 so far had a Request for Evidence, against 18.7% in the same months a year earlier (October 2024 to June 2025). Of the petitions with an RFE, 66.8% were approved.
Is there a green card category like O-1?
O-1 is a temporary (nonimmigrant) classification. The permanent category for extraordinary ability is EB-1A, filed on Form I-140; see the EB-1A page for its approval rate.
Related
Source: USCIS, Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions by Case Status and Request for Evidence (RFE). Decisions are USCIS's first decision on each petition (not motions or appeals); new and extension petitions are both counted, and USCIS may revise the figures. Not legal advice.