Musician wants to immigrate ! O-1 or P-3

[nashville_john 0]

Hey people,

Im a country / folk musician from Germany and after I've toured the US this year, I've decided that I need to work and live in Nashville.

In my research about different types of visa, I came across two that seemed suitable.

Does anyone have any field experience on those two types of working visa ? Which one would be best and what do I need to get the visa ?

Thanks,

John

[kzielu 1,149]

I don't but notice both visa types you're asking about are non-immigrant. Doesn't quite match your "Musician wants to immigrate".

[Cheryl-Hossein 25]

Both O-1 and P-3 are event/job specific. You have to attach detailed itineraries to the petition and have deal memos or contracts for the work. The O-1 is for "Aliens of Extraordinary Achievement", which means you have to be award-winning (big awards like a national award the equivalent of a Grammy or MTV Award, in the case of musicians). You have to be able to show significant amounts of national press, have support letters from well known peers in your industry. The O-1 is definitely not an "I just wanna come hang in the US visa." I work with O-1 visas daily. Not sure about the specific requirements of the P-3 other than you already need a job lined up.

[nashville_john 0]

ok. Thanks for the info. About the visas being "non-immigrant": Are there "immigrant-visas" for a musician who wants to work / live in the US ?

[Boiler 45,912]

What Visa did you have when you toured.

Have you discussed this with your Management Company.

[Cheryl-Hossein 25]

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a work-related immigrant visa. Your status is always tied to the job (up to 3 years on a O-1) and you must return to your country when the visa expires or your job ends -- whichever happens first.

[Boiler 45,912]

There are, look up the EB categories, O1 can lead to GC, usually handled by Lawyers.

[nashville_john 0]

Alright thanks. Ill look up the EB categories. When I went this year, I just went with a 3-months-tourist visa.

All I want tho, is to be able to work in Nashville as a freelance musician (like I do here). So, there s not really a company or an employer in a traditional way.

I guess, what Im looking for is a working visa for a freelancer.

[Boiler 45,912]

There is unlikely to be a visa that you qualify for. Other than visiting.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Were you working on a tourist visa (VWP, I assume)?

http://www.gafnervisalaw.com/2013/04/08/touring-the-united-states-on-the-visa-waiver-program/

[aaron2020 11,651]

Alright thanks. Ill look up the EB categories. When I went this year, I just went with a 3-months-tourist visa.

All I want tho, is to be able to work in Nashville as a freelance musician (like I do here). So, there s not really a company or an employer in a traditional way.

I guess, what Im looking for is a working visa for a freelancer.

There are no visas for "freelancers" to come to live and work in the US.

As a regular musician, you are extremely unlikely to get a US employer to sponsor you for a work visa.

Sorry, but your professional skills are not high on the list of skills for hard to fill jobs in the US.

Unfortunately, there are billions of people who have no "high sought skills" who want to come to the US to live and work.

[nashville_john 0]

so, you are saying... the only way for a musician to live and work in the US is either to be famous in their home territory OR to find a company (label, studio, management etc) that would fill out that form and sponsor the musician ?!

or.... get married and apply for a general working visa ??!!

[nashville_john 0]

btw thank you guys for helping me out with this. Its a really difficult dream to follow and a huge struggle to get through all the requirements and regulations by myself.

[canadian_wife 1,826]

Sadly, although a lot of foreigners believe the opposite, it is difficult to chase the American Dream.

There are no 'general work visas'. You will need a company or an employer to sponsor you.

If you marry and American, you'd immigrate based on the marriage - but marry for love ok, not to get to the US to live and work in Nashville

good luck

[nashville_john 0]

I found a solution !

Im gonna get a standard tourist visa first.

Then I found out that you can make < $600 a year from ONE employer tax-free. Freelancers have different employers all the time. And even if it should occur that Id get a weekly gig at the same place or something, then there is the W-8BEN Form, which takes 30% off my wage and (as far as I've read) is tax.

Whatever happens within or after those 3 months, I can't say, but will find out. Its a start and the only way for a foreigner to work as a freelancer in the US. (as far as Im concerned...)