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If you are a foreign actor looking to start your career in America, you may already have heard of the O-1 visa for Extraordinary Ability. But the truth is that there are a number of visa options available to you, and you may even be able to make your U.S. stay permanent by applying for the EB-1 visa.
Under an EB-1 actor’s visa, qualified professionals may be granted green cards to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely. Applicants must prove that they possess extraordinary ability by providing evidence of national or international acclaim and recognition of their professional achievement.
The most straightforward way to prove eligibility is with a major one-time achievement, such as an internationally recognized award. If this does not apply to you, you can still petition for the EB-1 visa by achieving three or more of the following requirements:
- Awards for outstanding performance.
- Leading or critical role(s) that have distinguished the alien as an exceptional performer.
- Commercial success, such as evidence of box office sales, record sales, downloads video sales, or high merchandising sales because of a role or performance.
- High salary. Applicants may provide evidence that they are able to command a high salary or other significant remuneration for artistic performance.
- Judging, such as applicant participation in the judging of others’ acting performance.
- Invited memberships to associations that require outstanding achievements for inclusion.
- Published material in a major publication of the entertainment industry that features the applicant or his exceptional performance in a role.
- Innovation. Applicants may provide evidence of an original contribution that led to a major change in the way work is performed in the entertainment industry.
- Authorship of published articles in national or international trade media.
- Exhibitions or showcases in the past that have highlighted the petitioner’s artistic abilities.