Q: Before you found Tukki, how was your US immigration experience?
A: The first approach I took was to hire a private lawyer who specialized in immigration. It was a horrible experience. The problem was that I didn’t know much about the process, so when I reached out to lawyers to help me, their answer was: “Sure, my hourly rate is $250. If you want to understand what I do, you need to pay for one hour.”
“I didn’t even know what I needed yet, and I was already being charged.”
Still, I paid the $250. Then this person came to the meeting and spent the first 25–30 minutes on introductions and small talk—just wasting time. I didn’t want to be rude, but I was thinking, “I’m paying a lot for this hour—I need real answers.”
In the end, I didn’t get the full information I needed. After the meeting, they sent me a list of visa options, but if I wanted to go deeper into any of them, I had to pay for more hours and additional fees. And everything moved really slowly.
Q: What made you decide that the EB-1A was better for you than the O-1A?
A: It’s not that the EB-1A is better—it’s that they serve different purposes.
The O-1 is a nonimmigrant visa. For example, I’m married, and while I can live and work in the U.S. with the O-1, have a Social Security Number and all of that—my wife, on an O-3, doesn’t get the same benefits. She doesn’t have a Social Security Number and can’t work. That’s a big limitation.
Also, the O-1 is temporary. It’s valid for three years. Yes, you can extend it—possibly up to nine years by reapplying—but you’re never going to become a U.S. resident on an O-1.
So if you're thinking long-term and actually want to settle in the U.S., the O-1 is not the right visa.
Q: Did you include everything you could?
A: For the application, you’re expected to include details like relevant past jobs, income, press coverage, and so on.
In my case, I tried to include everything—like articles, publications, even jobs I thought were important. But the team reviewed it and said things like: “Don’t include that job, it’s too common—it could add noise,” or “That press mention isn’t strong enough; better to leave it out.”
“So yes, we included everything that truly added value—and filtered out what didn’t.”
Q: Why did you trust Tukki with your U.S. visa application?
A: I really liked the energy and the enthusiasm. I could tell they were well-prepared and truly had the knowledge to handle the process.
“And I don’t know if you know this, but I actually decided to be their first customer. I’m Tukki’s first fan.”