Gabriel Peterssons Path to O-1 Visa | Generated by AI
Gabriel Petersson’s Journey to the O-1 Visa
Gabriel Petersson, a 24-year-old Swedish high school dropout, is a research scientist on OpenAI’s Sora team, where he contributes to advanced video generation models (he’s even credited on the official Sora 2 announcement). Despite lacking formal higher education, he secured an O-1 visa (often called the “Einstein visa”) to work in the US, joining OpenAI in December 2024 after stints at Midjourney and Dataland. The O-1 is for individuals with “extraordinary ability” in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, requiring evidence of sustained acclaim like publications, awards, or high-impact work.
How He Got the O-1 Visa
Petersson’s path highlights self-taught skills, strategic networking, and immigration expertise over traditional credentials. Here’s a breakdown based on his interviews and public accounts:
- Building a Portfolio of “Extraordinary” Evidence:
- He dropped out at 17 to co-found Depict.ai (a Y Combinator-backed startup), becoming CTO by 19. This early leadership role demonstrated business impact.
- Self-taught PhD-level AI/math using ChatGPT: He adopted a “top-down” learning style—picking projects, prompting AI for code/explanations, fixing errors iteratively, and verifying outputs. This led to open-source contributions (e.g., his GitHub repo for ultra-fast web tables) and practical demos that showcased results over degrees.
- For the O-1’s “scholarly articles” criterion, he cleverly used Stack Overflow answers as qualifying “publications.” These were treated as authored contributions in academic/tech contexts, helping meet USCIS thresholds without formal papers.
- Other evidence: Viral projects, Midjourney engineering work (text-to-image tech), and endorsements from industry leaders like Guillermo Rauch (Vercel), Drew Houston (Dropbox), and Stephen Balaban (Pied Piper AI).
- Overcoming Initial Barriers:
- He first eyed an H-1B visa but realized it required a bachelor’s degree— a non-starter for him.
- At 23, OpenAI hired him as a “special case” based on demos he built pre-interview (e.g., full apps to prove coding prowess). This job offer was key, as O-1 petitions need a US employer sponsor (OpenAI filled that role).
- He bypassed recruiters by shipping “proof of work”—risk-free prototypes showing revenue potential, aligning with his mantra: “Companies just want to make money. You show them how to make money, that you can code, and they’ll hire you.”
- Key Support: Immigration Lawyers and Networking:
- Reached out to Plymouth Street (an immigration firm specializing in O-1s for tech talent) for advice. They confirmed his eligibility and guided the petition, emphasizing what USCIS values (e.g., quantifiable impact).
- Petersson credits them heavily: “I used Stack Overflow answers for the academic publishing criteria… Get good lawyers who understand what matters for the government & how to stand out.” Plymouth helped frame his self-taught journey as “extraordinary.”
- Backing letters from mentors (e.g., @rauchg, @GabrielPeterss4—wait, that’s him; likely a network of VCs/engineers) strengthened the case.
- Timeline and Outcome:
- Petition filed around late 2024 (post-Midjourney hire).
- Approved swiftly—O-1 processing can take 2-3 months premium, fitting his quick US move.
- Now in San Francisco, he advocates for the visa: “America is still the launchpad for ambitious builders,” despite immigration hurdles.
Why This Matters
Petersson’s story flips the script on tech hiring: AI tools democratize learning, and visas like O-1 reward agency over pedigree. He lost “two years on bad decisions” early on but now inspires young Europeans to skip the “cool age” grind. For similar paths, focus on shipping (demos > resumes) and firms like Plymouth for O-1 navigation.
References:
- Plymouth Street Profile on Gabriel Petersson
- Business Insider: High School Dropout Hired at OpenAI via ChatGPT
- Medium: The 23-Year-Old Swedish Dropout Cracked OpenAI
- Sigil’s Podcast Interview with Gabriel (via X)