AboutKitty Kavey Expertise I can answer questions from those looking to get into the fashion or commercial modeling industry. Specifically, the requirements, what is needed, how to find an agent, what they look for, how to avoid scams, the difference between what a commercial model does, and a fashion model, would travel/relocation be required, what is on a comp card and in your portfolio.
Experience Both my acting and modeling resume/portfolio is available online on my website. I am a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and also have available my actor's demo reel and voice-over demo online. I founded both the Florida-Models.com and Florida-Actors.com websites, which provide free modeling and acting info to the public. I have moved into directing, producing and screenwriting - and have won awards for my writing. I have worked in the industry as both a model and actress in Florida, New York City and Los Angeles until October 2007. I now reside in Europe.
Question hey!
i read your answer about the work visa thing.. heres the thing, i am from india, currently on a student visa studying at a college in AR in U.S.A, i am interested in modelling/acting however, if a company hires me they would have to sponsor my work visa.. how easy/difficult is it to get a work visa and what is the procedure of a company sponsoring my visa?? also what are the chances of citizenship/green card being sponsored by the company?? another thing is: if company A sponsors my work visa, does that mean i can work only for company A or can i work with any other company that wishes to hire me as a model? thanx a lot dear.....
sincerely
saili
Answer You are correct, you would need a work visa. If you could "prove" (to the satisfaction of the government) that you had noted skills as an actor and/or model in your home country, it is not as difficult to get a work visa in the US.
Of course if you were a musician, for example, that might be easier to say that your singing career was doing well in India, and you wanted to have the Visa granted in that case for America. Actors are also easier to "prove" that they reached notoriety or status in their own country than models, but certainly it is possible to get a visa based on modeling work.
Some companies have and continue to sponsor foreign talent in the US. Primarily these tend to be larger companies that may work in conjunction with companies located in the home country - for example ICM in London may work with their branch in NYC or L.A. to facilitate a client's move.
A good thing for you to try, is asking one of the immigration/legal experts here on AllExperts about your visa questions. The US Visa/Immigration website can also be quite helpful, as perhaps also can your embassy.
A final thought - speaking from the point of view of a person in the entertainment industry who has moved from the US to a foreign country, I did speak with an immigration attorney who advised me that it was unlikely that I would get a work permit based on the type of work I wanted to do in my new residence. He refused to take my money (to help me apply for a work permit.) I applied on my own, and was granted the work permit I wanted.
So everything, in my opinion, is possible. It may be difficult or take time, but certainly where there is a will, there is most likely a way.
