Mastery Productions LLC has been sponsring O1 visas since 2010
for artists (O-1B) and other professionals and athletes (O-1A)
Pending O-1 cases 2024 update: please Track your case status at the USCIS site, here.
Questions and Answers: O-1 Visa Petitioning Entity, Process and Qualifications
The following information was gathered from the immigration attorneys we have been working with. Please note that we are not an immigration lawyer, but a music, film, dance and art production company.
Why do I need an O-1 visa Petitioner? You cannot petition for yourself. You must have a US petitioner to ask the visa in your name and the name of your future employers (engagements / work / gigs)
Can I work with multiple employers / gigs / engagements? Yes. Since we act as your O1 Visa Petitioner who represents not only you, but all your multiple future employers, it gives you the flexibility and freedom to work within your field.
Who can be my employer? Any person or a company who invites you to work with them in the US is your employer. That can be a one-time gig, a steady weekly engagement, or a daily paid task.
What kind of O-1 visa petitioners are possible, and which is most suitable for artists? In general there are two types of US petitioners for O-1 Artist Visa: Employer or Agent Representative (not to be confused with Agent Functioning as an Employer, which falls within the Employer kind).
If your petitioner is, by the USCIS published instruction, is an Employer (or even Agent Functioning as an Employer), you may lose your visa if the sponsorship stops. Why would the petitioner stop the sponsorship? That can happen for a variety of reasons. For example: due to professional or personal disagreements, or due to financial disputes between you and your petitioner. Once your petitioner stops the sponsorship, your visa is cancelled and you are left without status, and therefore must leave the US within 10 days.
On the other hand, if you are sponsored by us, even if you have a dispute with one or few of your employers, you may be able to stay in the US and continue working for your other employers / jobs / gigs in your field. We may notify the USCIS that one of the employments stopped, while the other approved employments are still in place, and even file an amended petition, if needed. That means that your visa is not dependent on one employer, which is great news for you, and can give you a peace of mind.
Can Mastery Productions LLC also act as the Agent for Foreign Employer? Yes. This option will allow the beneficiary (you) to work in the US for a foreign employer through our representation / sponsorship.
What do I need to prepare in order to get the O-1 visa? Apart from the evidence of your career, you will need to meet the employment requirements set by the USCIS while in the United States. These include:
1) Contracts between the actual employers and yourself; and, an explanation of the terms and conditions of the employment with necessary documentation.
2 ) A complete itinerary of events indicates the dates of each service or commitment, names and address of the actual employers, and the establishments, or locations where the services will be performed. This itinerary is simply based on the contracts mentioned above.
Do I qualify for the O-1 Visa? Generally speaking, we hear from the lawyers we work with that if you have an active career, and it is well publicize and documented, you may qualify for the O1 Artist Visa. Simply gather all the evidence of your career (magazines, newspapers, Internet, publications, listing, reviews, flyers, etc.) and present it to an immigration lawyer / visa professionals to estimate your chances. Please note that verified beneficiry’s career evidence and references are required for the process.
Why has Mastery Productions LLC been so successful with O1 sponsorship? First, we are an active production company, with real artistic vision and numerous produced events (including a New York City and South East Asia 2024 tour), and our represented artists have been featured in numerous press publications, and a Grammy ballot albums, to name a few.
We have the good faith intent of working with the O1 applicant in the capacity stated as a representative as needed by the USCIS regulations. We will also prepare the required signed contract between you (the beneficiary) and us (the petitioner) covering you for the next 3 years (the maximum time offered for an O-1 visa).
When requested by the USCIS, company’s New York Department of State registration, Tax information documentations and references available.