After 3 H-1B lottery rejections, Mumbai techie shares $13,000 alternate way to stay in US

A Mumbai-born business analytics professional in Chicago has secured an O-1 visa after being rejected three times in the H-1B lottery, ending nearly a year of uncertainty over whether he could continue his career in the United States, as per a Business Insider report.

The visa approval came after he spent months strengthening his profile, working with lawyers and compiling more than 700 pages of supporting documents. He said he spent about $13,000 on legal fees while preparing the O-1 petition.

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From Mumbai to Chicago

The professional spent the first 25 years of his life in Mumbai and had never left India before moving to the US for his master's degree.

He earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from the University of Mumbai and worked for about a year and a half as a business analyst while saving money and preparing for graduate school. He spent nearly three years preparing to move to the US, including studying for the GRE, securing recommendation letters and applying to universities.

The University of Illinois Chicago was his preferred choice because of its business analytics programme and alumni network. He arrived in Chicago in January 2022 and completed his master's degree in May 2023.

His tuition across three semesters was about $60,000. A research assistantship during his second and third semesters helped cover a significant portion of the cost.

After graduation, he joined a healthcare company as a senior business analyst and was promoted to manager of analytics and reporting about a year and a half later.

Three H-1B rejections led to O-1 application

Despite his professional progress, he was unsuccessful in the H-1B lottery three times. After his second rejection in April 2025, he decided that relying solely on the H-1B lottery was not enough to secure his future in the US.

He began preparing his O-1 application in June 2025, almost a year before his OPT was scheduled to expire. Unlike the H-1B, the O-1 visa is not awarded through a lottery and requires applicants to demonstrate "extraordinary ability" through achievements in their field.

Working with a lawyer while maintaining his full-time job, he reviewed his professional accomplishments and built his application around media coverage, industry judging roles, awards, scholarly publications and recommendation letters.

By February 2026, his legal team had assembled more than 700 pages of evidence.

Third H-1B rejection increased pressure

In March 2026, he was rejected in the H-1B lottery for the third time. His STEM OPT was due to expire on July 5, leaving him around 100 days to remain legally in the US unless he secured another immigration route.

He filed his O-1 petition in April but later received a Request for Evidence, requiring additional documentation and another period of waiting.

During the uncertainty, he considered returning to India, pursuing another master's degree or relocating to countries such as Canada or the United Kingdom. However, he said he did not find another country where he felt he could develop the same career in data analytics and AI.

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'Congratulations' email ended months of anxiety

The approval finally arrived while he was at his Chicago apartment, repeatedly checking his email as he had been doing for months.

He was speaking with his best friend on a call when an email from his lawyer arrived with the message, "Congratulations."

He said the approval brought an immediate end to the anxiety that had lasted for almost a year. His first calls were to his mother and brother in India, whose reactions on the video call made the effort worthwhile.

He has also been sharing his experiences on LinkedIn, including advice about job searches, life as an international student and the O-1 process.

For now, he said his focus is on making the most of the next three years in the United States while managing a team of analysts working in healthcare data and analytics.