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Finding a Sponsor / Offer for O-1 Visa

beetap

New Member
Hello everyone,

I'm sure this is a long shot but I figure it's worth asking. I'm interested in applying for the O-1 Visa to work in the US, and my attorney thinks I have a strong case, except for the minor trouble of not having an offer to carry out any work which would require me to be in the US...

Apparently, this work can be project based and more informal than a normal job offer.

I have a long list of credits in production music and generate significant royalties for my publishers, so I figure I could at least make some good money for a US company/publisher and really make it worth their while, but I'm wondering how best to approach this.

Does anyone have an idea how I could make this work? Perhaps as simple as contacting production houses and offering to write for them?
 
Looking to do this as well. I'm London based and pretty much only write for US libraries and 90% of my income is in $.

I'm not looking to be tied to a library however as I treat that as bread and butter and want to work more on films.

Maybe speak to different lawyers as they may know a better way to meet criteria.
 
Hi Creston,

Have you considered also starting up / buying a US company? This is another route which I am thinking about.
 
I don't have the dough to do that. Seems like a long winded way to do something many people do fairly simply. It's just a matter of having some sort of agent/manager/rep and 3 years worth of tentative work.

I know an Australian artist who has one and his sponsor was a gallery that supported his work and doesn't take a percentage of his income.
 
Wow, I had no idea it could be that easy. I heard from lawyers that I've spoken to that the work you have lined up, even if through an agent, must be on a contract and with a substantial salary. I.e. having an agent itself is definitely not enough, and even soft offers through an agent probably aren't either. I guess it varies hugely judging by the Australian artist example.
 
I seem to hear different things all the time. I know a few actors who have had some success in the UK, not household names, some working 9-5s and they have got O1 visas with pretty much no real work lined up in LA. Especially nothing with a substantial salary tv/film wise.
 
That sounds totally nuts! Maybe they applied some time ago before things apparently got harder? If not, why not use their lawyer? If it worked in their case...
 
When did things get harder? This is in the last couple of years. I think the lawyers tart up certain things. They have evidence of work, letters of recommendation. I guess with anything create it's fairly subjective.
 
I don't know, I've just heard from a few people who got O-1s that it became harder to get them over the last 5-10 years. I mean, in the artist category you're going to have to satisfy 3 of 6 of the USCIS criteria (unless you've won a Grammy/Oscar). Although that can be a bit subjective and can be presented well by a good lawyer, I am flat out astounded that a mostly unknown actor with a normal day job and no work lined up in LA got an O-1. I almost cannot believe it!
 
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