The process artists, entertainers, and athletes must undergo to obtain an O-1 visa can seem daunting.
And I won’t lie to you, it can be difficult. You do have to prove that you have achieved a high degree of stature in your field. It’s not for everyone.
But if you think an O-1 is within your reach, and you intend to work for several employers or engage in multiple events while in the United States, having an agent petitioner can be an essential way to overcome the challenges of filing multiple O-1 petitions for multiple jobs for the same validity period.
Here's a good example…
If you are a music photographer and plan to shoot live concert images for various bands, editorial day-in-the-life images of the musicians for online or print magazines, and studio portraits for a recording company during the course of three years, you will be working for several different employers and different events.
Each of these employers usually would need to file a separate O-1 petition. You can imagine how complex and expensive that can get.
By using an agent as the petitioner, the artist and their employers agree that the agent is authorized to act for the limited purpose of filing a single petition for all of these jobs (events/employers). The process becomes simplified.
Moreover, by using the agent as a petitioner, there is only one filing fee paid to USCIS and one consultation/advisory opinion required for all of these events and employers.
That’s a HUGE savings of time and money!
Agents for immigration perform a valuable service for artists, scientists, athletes and educators who are facing the prospect of working for multiple employers during their authorized stay in the USA.
Reach out to me if you have any questions about filing O and P nonimmigrant visas for you.