Does serving on a jury at a local festival count?

It can count, yes. In the context of the O-1, serving as a juror at a festival is typically read as a signal of recognition and engagement with your professional community, which helps strengthen the portfolio and demonstrate your relevance in the field.

It is worth understanding the weight of this experience, however. Serving on a jury, especially on a one-time or volunteer basis, functions as supporting evidence: it adds to the overall picture, but does not replace the core proof of extraordinary achievement that the visa requires.

• Document the invitation and your role as a juror.
• Connect the participation to your recognition in the field.
• Treat it as a complement within a larger body of evidence.

Since each case is evaluated carefully, and volunteer activities must be properly framed, it is worth reviewing the official USCIS guidelines and, when in doubt, seeking support from an immigration specialist.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.