For many international workers in the United States, the H-1B visa lottery has become more than an immigration process. It can determine whether years of education, career-building and professional growth can continue in the country.
For Sohan Sethi, a 29-year-old Indian professional in the U.S., that uncertainty played out three times.
After three unsuccessful H-1B lottery attempts, Sethi turned to the O-1 visa, a route that requires applicants to prove extraordinary ability in their field rather than compete in a lottery.
His journey to that point had already taken years of preparation.
Born and raised in Mumbai, Sethi spent the first 25 years of his life in India and had never traveled outside the country before deciding to pursue his master’s degree in the U.S. An overseas undergraduate education was not financially realistic, so 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.
He used that time to save money and prepare for graduate school.
“While working full-time, I prepared for my GRE, gathered recommendation letters, and applied to several universities,” he told Business Insider.
The University of Illinois Chicago was his first choice, particularly because of its business analytics program. He was eventually accepted and moved to Chicago in January 2022.
For Sethi, arriving in the city carried a personal significance.
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“I had a wallpaper on my laptop of a bridge overlooking the Chicago skyline. Every time I felt exhausted or anxious, I would minimise everything on my computer and look at that picture. Twenty days later, on my 25th birthday, I stood in the exact same spot that had been my wallpaper,” he said.
His international student fees came to roughly $60,000 over three semesters. A research assistantship during his second and third semesters helped reduce the financial burden, with the university covering a significant portion of his costs.
After graduating in May 2023, Sethi joined a healthcare company as a senior business analyst. About a year and a half later, he was promoted to manager of analytics and reporting.
Then came the immigration uncertainty.
Sethi entered the H-1B lottery three times and was rejected each time. His second rejection in April 2025 forced him to reconsider whether the lottery could be his only option.
“After my second rejection in April 2025, I realised I couldn’t rely on the lottery alone if I wanted to continue my career in the United States,” he said.
By June 2025, he had started preparing for an O-1 application, almost a year before his OPT was scheduled to expire.
Unlike the H-1B, the O-1 does not operate through a lottery. Applicants must demonstrate extraordinary ability or achievement through evidence of recognition and accomplishments in their field.
Sethi hired an immigration lawyer and began building his case while continuing to work full time.
“I audited my achievements, secured media coverage, judged at industry events, received awards, published scholarly articles, and gathered letters of recommendation,” he said.
By February 2026, Sethi and his lawyers had assembled more than 700 pages of supporting documents. The process also came with a significant financial cost. He said he spent $13,000 on legal fees.
Then, in March, he faced another setback when he was rejected from the H-1B lottery for the third time.
“At that point, my STEM OPT was due to expire on July 5, leaving me with around 100 days to legally stay in the United States unless another pathway worked out,” he shared.
Sethi filed his O-1 petition in April. But instead of an immediate decision, he received a Request for Evidence, requiring him to provide additional documentation and wait once again.
With his legal status and career hanging in the balance, Sethi began considering whether leaving the US might ultimately be his only option.
“I know people who have gone back to their home countries, pursued a second master’s degree, or moved to places like Canada or the United Kingdom. I considered those options too, but I couldn’t find another country where I felt I could build the same career,” he confessed.
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The O-1 is a temporary, non-immigrant visa available to individuals who can demonstrate extraordinary ability or achievement in areas including science, education, business, athletics and the arts. Unlike the H-1B, it has no annual numerical cap and does not involve a lottery.
For Sethi, the decision to pursue it came down to the professional opportunities he believed existed in the U.S.
As someone working in data analytics and AI, he said the combination of opportunities, infrastructure and exposure available in the country was difficult to replicate elsewhere.
“That’s why I didn’t want to give up without exploring every possible option,” he added.
Eventually, his O-1 petition was approved.
Today, Sethi manages a team of analysts working in healthcare data and analytics, allowing him to continue the career he had spent years building in the U.S.
During the process, he also began documenting his experience on LinkedIn, hoping his own journey could help other professionals facing similar immigration uncertainty.
“The only intent behind that was to be there for someone in the way I wish someone had been there for me. For now, my focus is on making the most of the next three years in the United States,” he added.