CaseBuilder reads your full record, maps it to all eight O-1A criteria, drafts your petition materials, and runs an officer-style review that flags the gaps most likely to trigger an RFE. You see the weak points while you can still fix them, not after a Request for Evidence lands.
This is where most online guides get it wrong. Unlike EB-1A or NIW, the O-1A classification does not allow you to file a petition for yourself as an individual. A U.S. petitioner has to file Form I-129 on your behalf. In practice that petitioner is usually one of three things: a U.S. employer, a U.S. agent (common for people working across multiple engagements), or a U.S. company you own, such as your own LLC or corporation. USCIS updated its guidance in January 2025 to confirm that a separate legal entity owned by the beneficiary can serve as the petitioner.
What that means for you: the petition still gets prepared the same way, around your evidence and the eight criteria. CaseBuilder helps you build those materials. It does not file for you, and it does not decide which petitioner structure fits your situation. That part is a legal question for a licensed attorney.
Not sure if O-1A or EB-1A fits you? See the difference →The O-1A bar is high: you have to satisfy at least three of eight regulatory criteria, and adjudicators increasingly push back on evidence that looks impressive but isn't independently corroborated. A Request for Evidence costs you weeks, sometimes months, and a denial follows your record into every future filing.
Drag in your CV, publications, press, awards, membership records, contracts, recommendation letters, anything that supports your case. CaseBuilder reads every document with OCR and pulls out the facts that matter for each criterion.
You get a breakdown across all eight O-1A criteria: which ones your current evidence supports, which look borderline, and which would likely draw a Request for Evidence. Each flag comes with what's missing and what would close the gap.
Generate your petition brief, recommendation letter drafts, and exhibit index. Then run the USCIS Officer Review, which simulates how an adjudicator reads the case and flags weak language, thin corroboration, and likely RFE triggers before you file. You complete the I-129 form itself separately; CaseBuilder organizes everything around it.
Most tools generate text. CaseBuilder pressure-tests it. The Officer Review reads your draft petition the way a USCIS adjudicator would, criterion by criterion, and surfaces the specific weaknesses that turn into Requests for Evidence.
National recognition documented with selection criteria and independent coverage
Role described, but evidence of impact stays internal to one organization
Coverage mentions you in passing rather than being primarily about you
A lot of people researching O-1A are really deciding between two paths. The short version: O-1A is a temporary work visa, EB-1A is a green card. Many people use O-1A first and move to EB-1A later. The evidence overlaps heavily, which is why preparing one often strengthens the other.
| O-1A | EB-1A | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Temporary work visa | Green card (permanent) |
| Form | I-129 | I-140 |
| Who files | U.S. employer, agent, or your own U.S. entity | You (true self-petition) |
| Criteria | At least 3 of 8 | At least 3 of 10 |
| Typical use | First step, faster | Long-term goal |
It doesn't. CaseBuilder is document preparation software, the way TurboTax is for taxes. You stay in control and see every line. If you want a licensed attorney to review your materials before filing, that's available as an add-on, far below the cost of full-service representation.
A general chatbot doesn't know the O-1A criteria, doesn't check whether your evidence is independently corroborated, and doesn't simulate how an officer reads a case. CaseBuilder is built around the specific structure and evidentiary logic of these petitions.
That's exactly what the Officer Review is for. You see the weak spots before you file, not after. It can't guarantee an outcome, but it puts the common RFE triggers in front of you while you can still fix them.
CaseBuilder was built from hands-on experience preparing immigration petitions, including extraordinary-ability cases. The goal is simple: give serious applicants the same structural rigor a good practitioner brings, in software you control.
Ten minutes, no credit card. You'll see your criteria map and exactly where the gaps are.
Start free assessmentNo. Unlike EB-1A or NIW, the O-1A classification does not allow an individual to file for themselves. A U.S. petitioner must file Form I-129 on your behalf. That petitioner can be a U.S. employer, a U.S. agent, or a U.S. company you own, such as your own LLC.
O-1A requires evidence of extraordinary ability through at least three of eight regulatory criteria, including nationally or internationally recognized awards, membership in associations requiring outstanding achievement, published material about you, judging the work of others, original contributions of major significance, scholarly articles, critical roles, and high remuneration.
Government filing fees are separate from any preparation software. The Form I-129 base fee is tiered by employer size, and premium processing rose to $2,965 on March 1, 2026. Attorney fees for full-service O-1 preparation typically run several thousand dollars on top of those government fees.
O-1A is a temporary work visa filed on Form I-129; EB-1A is a green card filed on Form I-140. O-1A requires a U.S. petitioner, while EB-1A allows true self-petition. Many applicants use O-1A first and pursue EB-1A later, since the evidence overlaps.
No. CaseBuilder does not currently auto-fill USCIS forms. It helps you prepare petition drafts, organize evidence, build an exhibit index, generate recommendation letter drafts, run an AI officer-style review, and produce downloadable outputs. You or a professional complete the I-129 separately. The platform provides reference and sample form materials for guidance.
No. No software or attorney can guarantee approval, and USCIS decides every case independently. CaseBuilder helps you prepare a stronger, better-organized petition and flags weak spots before you file, but the final decision always rests with USCIS.
No. CaseBuilder prepares draft materials and evidence organization for you to review. You or your petitioner handle form completion and the actual filing. CaseBuilder is document preparation software, not a law firm, and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.