When can the O-1B visa be more appropriate for O-1A for coaches?

Customer inquiry from a Client with over 20 years of military experience and years of high-level soccer coaching jobs

Potential O-1A or O-1B client information 

The customer recently retired from the Australian Military, having served 20 years and served on Operations with the US Military and had developed Vetting (Security Clearances).

The client has a UEFA B License Coach and has coached at the Professional Level in the Women’s soccer league. The client also had the opportunity to coach in the USA as a Professional Ladies' Game and Youth Games Volunteer. These activities were on an ESTA Visa Waiver, and the client stayed in the USA for almost 50 days and returned three months later for nearly 60 days. The client also holds numerous training certificates in personal fitness and wishes to be able to visit children in the United States more often. 

I am eligible for an O1B Visa, and if so, how did that decision come about? Should it be O1 or O1B?

Hello, in your case, the O-1B would be the better option to argue for eligibility because it's easier to tie in your military experience. The O-1A for soccer coaches is tough, but we do it often. 

In your case, we will make a special exception to file the O-1A and the O-1B with just one fee. We expect you to cover the filing fees on the second submission.

This approach to the O-1 petition will give the optimal support for obtaining work authorization under O-1. We suggest that the O-1B be the top priority because we can use both the coaching and military experience in our eligibility arguments by presenting you in more of an influencer role.