Begin the O-1 process at least six months prior to the requested O-1 employment date. After determining that the person qualifies for O-1 status, complete the O-1 Request Form and attach all supporting documentation indicated on the back of the Request Form. Send it to the address listed on the front of the O-1 Request Form. International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP) will review the documents for completeness and contact you if additional information is required. Once the request form and all documentation is received, ISSP will complete the necessary USCIS forms and compose a cover letter outlining the employee's extraordinary abilities and the documentation submitted to prove that claim. The petition must show that the foreign national is entering the United States or changing to O-1 status for the purpose of temporary employment. The petition must be accompanied by supporting documents such as degrees or academic records, licenses to practice a profession, and letters and other documents attesting to the alien's extraordinary abilities and qualifications.

Photocopies of original documents may be submitted, but original documents must be available for inspection by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) upon request. Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by an English translation. The translator must certify the accuracy of the translation and his or her competency in the language to be translated and English. This statement must be notarized (forms are available in ISSP). Credentials from less well-known foreign academic institutions must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency by a recognized credentials evaluation service.

After receiving all requested documents, ISSP requires one month to file the O-1 petition with USCIS. Once received by USCIS, the petition is normally processed in three to four months. However, unexpected delays do occur. For this reason, please allow USCIS at least four months to process the application. Therefore, please submit all documentation at least 5 months before the official beginning date of employment. Employment cannot begin without final O-1 approval unless the individual is already in a valid status which allows employment at Emory. The O-1 approval is granted on USCIS Form I-797 and a new Form I-94: Departure Record is issued. Form I-94, along with an identity document, can be used for employment eligibility verification on Form I-9.