If an O-1 is denied, what happens to an existing tourist visa? I’m interested in two scenarios: a) if you’re in the U.S., b) if you’re outside the U.S. And is it worth considering reapplying for the O-1 or is it better to look at other options right away?
My colleague had an O-1 denial, while their B1/B2 remained valid — these are formally independent statuses; one doesn’t automatically cancel the other. There’s a nuance: if in the O-1 case the officer noted doubts about intent (and with refusals under 214(b) that’s a common reason), then on the next entry on a tourist visa they may ask questions and turn you away. As for reapplying, it depends on the reason for the first denial — if the issues were with the evidentiary criteria, it’s worth gathering additional evidence and filing again. By the way, there’s a compilation of real cases with repeat filings on the forum ⭐ Истории успехов (2): 45 кейсов EB-1A, NIW и O-1 - реальный опыт, where you can see which arguments worked.
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