O-1 visa attorney cost: AI law firm flat fees compared

Among AI immigration law firms with a fixed O-1 price, the published legal fee for a new O-1 petition is $6,999 to $12,500 at Manifest Law, $8,000 at Alma and $12,000 at Ellis. LegalOS quotes each case and says its fees typically run $2,000 to $9,000 per case across visa types. USCIS filing fees and optional premium processing are paid on top.

Last updated 2026-10-20 · 4 providers covered

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Firms are grouped by type of work, not ranked, and listed alphabetically within each table.

Prices are the firms' own published figures, checked on 20 October 2026, and can change.

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What does an O-1 visa attorney cost?

Among AI law firms with a fixed O-1 price, the legal fee for a new O-1 petition is between $6,999 and $12,500. Government fees come on top and depend on the employer and on whether you pay for premium processing.

Manifest Law notes that attorney fees for O-1 cases typically range from $6,000 to $15,000 across the industry (source).

Published O-1 fees by firm

Manifest Law has four tiers from $6,999 to $12,500, Alma charges $8,000 for a new O-1 and Ellis charges $12,000. The firms differ mostly in reviews, refund terms and how requests for evidence (RFEs) are handled.

Firm	New O-1 legal fee	What the firm says is included	Source
Alma	$8,000	Extension $3,000; change of employer $5,000; custom fee schedules for high-growth startups	Source
Ellis	$12,000	Ellis says its pricing is all-inclusive, covering RFE responses, extra time for complex cases and all attorney consultations	Source
LegalOS	Typically $2,000 to $9,000 per case (all visa types)	Fixed-fee quote before work starts	Source
Manifest Law	Silver $6,999; Gold $8,500; Platinum $10,500; Diamond $12,500	Manifest lists a 60% refund or free refile on Gold and a review by a former USCIS officer with a money-back guarantee on Platinum, subject to its terms; it says Diamond, for eligible clients, includes all RFEs and NOIDs; payment plans for every tier	Source

Government fees on top of the legal fee

Legal fees do not include USCIS charges. Manifest Law puts government filing fees at a few hundred dollars to just over $1,000, depending on the employer, plus $2,965 if you choose premium processing.

Ellis also states that government fees are separate from its legal fee (source), and LegalOS says USCIS fees depend on the visa type, employer size and whether you use premium processing (source). Figures from Manifest Law.

What changes the price

The main price drivers are whether it is a new petition or an extension, whether RFE responses are included, and any guarantee. Extensions cost less: Alma charges $3,000 for an O-1 extension against $8,000 for a new petition.

Ellis says its $12,000 fee covers RFE responses (source), while Manifest Law lists all RFEs and NOIDs as included only in its Diamond tier (source). Alma offers custom fee schedules for high-growth startups (source).

Other visas founders compare with the O-1

Ellis lists H-1B petitions at $3,000, L-1 at $10,000 and EB-1A at $15,000; Alma lists an H-1B cap petition at $3,500 and an L-1 new office petition at $8,000. These are legal fees only.

Visa	Ellis	Alma
O-1 (new)	$12,000 Source	$8,000 Source
H-1B	$3,000 Source	Cap petition $3,500 Source
L-1	$10,000 Source	New office $8,000 Source
TN	$2,500 Source	Not stated
EB-1A	$15,000 Source	Not stated

FAQ

How much does an O-1 visa attorney cost?

Among AI immigration law firms with a fixed O-1 price, published legal fees for a new O-1 run from $6,999 (Manifest Law Silver) to $12,500 (Manifest Law Diamond), with Alma at $8,000 and Ellis at $12,000, checked on 20 October 2026. LegalOS quotes each case.

Are RFE responses included in the O-1 fee?

It depends on the firm. Ellis says its flat fee covers RFE responses, and Manifest Law lists all RFEs and NOIDs as included in its Diamond tier.

Is premium processing included?

No. Premium processing is a USCIS fee paid on top of the legal fee; Manifest Law puts it at $2,965.

How much does an O-1 extension cost?

Alma lists $3,000 for an O-1 extension and $5,000 for a change of employer.

More guides for buyers

Sources

Accessed 2026-10-20