Darshan Magdum's US visa approved following months-long wait after Boy Throb proved it was a real band

Indian vocalist Darshan Magdum has secured a US visa after months of uncertainty, ending an application process in which his band, Boy Throb, had to establish before US immigration authorities that it was a legitimate music group. Magdum shared the news with his bandmates — Zachary Sobania, Evan Papier and Anthony Key — during a FaceTime call, telling them, "We did it, guys."

The approval clears the way for Magdum to join Boy Throb's US tour after missing its opening shows because of the visa delay.

The visa process began in December 2025, when Magdum applied to travel to the US to perform with the newly formed band. According to The Washington Post, US immigration officials returned his application with a request for additional evidence, asking the group to prove that it was a real band before the visa could be approved.


While Magdum remained in India, the rest of Boy Throb went ahead with the tour. He joined several concerts through Zoom, and audiences also chanted in support of his visa during those performances.

The visa battle also became part of the band's online identity. Reddit users debated whether Boy Throb was an actual band and whether Magdum himself was a real person, adding to the group's growing internet attention.

According to The Guardian, Boy Throb was formed last fall by Magdum and Los Angeles-based musicians Evan Papier, Anthony Key and Zachary Sobania. The band chose its name through social media and initially performed covers of popular songs. It later rewrote the lyrics of those songs to urge the US government to approve Magdum's visa while encouraging supporters to help the group reach one million followers to strengthen the application.

What is the O-1 visa?

Magdum applied for an O-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa category meant for people with extraordinary ability or achievement. The visa is issued to individuals who can demonstrate distinction in fields such as the arts, sciences, education, business, athletics, or the motion picture and television industry.

According to The Guardian, internet personalities have also increasingly sought the O-1 visa in recent years.

In March, Boy Throb told its followers that the US government had requested more information to support Magdum's application. The official communication stated, "Begging for press solely to improve an immigration beneficiary request is not indicative of an organization or an establishment that has a distinguished reputation."

The band then approached Pennsylvania-based immigration lawyer Jonathan Grode, who submitted additional documents in support of the visa application.

Explaining why the case stood out, Grode told The Guardian, "This case really caught my attention because they knew that they had people with talent, they knew they had people with an idea, but they let the fame come before the recognition of the ability." He added, "It fundamentally begs the question of: how is fame created?"