Q: Can you describe your experience working with lawyers before finding Tukki?
A: I had previously worked with a lawyer—we were going through both the H-1B and O-1 with him. We were also managing visas for our construction workers. I had already gone through the whole process of compiling the documents and sending them to the lawyers, responding to everything they asked for.
But lawyers usually just say, “We need these 10 things,” and that’s it. So I organized everything, labeled which documents were for which categories, and sent it all over.
“Then, one week before the application, they said 90% of the documents were missing—when in fact, we had already submitted them.”
Their document control was really poor.
This was the company’s lawyer—they had already applied for the same visa previously, so they should have had all the original information. We just updated it. Still, the process was incredibly stressful. I was spending more time managing people’s visa applications than doing my actual job.
On top of that, we had someone else applying for a TN visa—which is much simpler. We sent everything to the lawyers three months before the visa interview. Then, just three or four days before the interview, they said, “This is all wrong. It doesn’t work. We need a letter, and it has to follow this format.” I thought, what have you been doing all this time? That’s when I realized they probably weren’t the right fit for my own O-1 visa. Especially knowing what the O-1 requires—there’s so much emphasis on the evidence you submit. It’s not just about having someone sponsor you, but showing that you’re truly qualified.
Thankfully, it was all thanks to Ramiro and the Tukki team.
Tukki’s lawyers were amazing. It was a really smooth process. I even told Ramiro that even if I hadn’t gotten the visa, it wouldn’t have been because of the team—they did everything they possibly could. If anything, it would’ve meant my evidence wasn’t strong enough. But overall, I think their help made a huge difference.
Q: Could you apply alone for a US visa such as the O-1?
A: You can't. There’s no way you can do it on your own. There’s no template—nothing.
I think the F-1, the student visa, was the only one you could technically apply for without a lawyer. But even that was a mess. The system is so archaic: you apply for your F-1 visa and pay for it online, and before you go to the interview, you have to double-check everything.
“I was lucky—I checked all the required documents and realized there was an additional payment needed. So, even though you’ve already paid for your visa in your mind, there’s also a DS-160 fee.”
I knew people who showed up to their visa appointment and got rejected just because they hadn’t made that payment. And the problem is it’s only mentioned in one line somewhere. You have to go to an entirely different website, from a totally different department, make that payment, and bring proof with you to the appointment.
It’s like—why can’t they just have everything in one place?
Q: Good news on O-1 visa application to US immigration
A: Ramiro just messaged me and said, “Hey, do you have a minute? Can we have a quick call?” And I was like, “Sure.”
I thought maybe he needed some additional documents or something, so I just jumped on Zoom. Then he goes, “Oh, I just called to tell you that you got your O-1 visa.”
I was a little taken aback—definitely wasn’t expecting that news so soon.