Working as a Model in Los Angeles

Professional models hail from all corners of the globe. If you just look at some of the most famous names in the business, they come from locations as varied as Brazil, Italy, France, England, and Australia. While professional models routinely travel the world for fashion shows and other work-related functions, many of them choose to make their homes in the United States. Additionally, many American modeling agencies actively recruit models from overseas to come here to start or advance their careers. For these reasons, it is important for many foreign models to be able to obtain a visa to live and work in the entertainment industry in the United States. Fortunately, there are specialized visas that apply to models and other professionals that work in fields related to arts and entertainment. In order to learn how you can obtain one for yourself or for a prospective model you would like to recruit, you should speak with an immigration lawyer, as the process can be complicated and can require a significant commitment of time.

Which Visa is Right for a Fashion Model?

It is important to note that you should never try to work as a model in the U.S. without the proper type of work visa, even if you are extremely famous. In addition, in order to obtain a work visa, you must have a contract for work with a specific agency based in the United States. Once you have an agency, that agency will have to apply for and obtain one of two types of model visas:

  1. an O-1 visa, or
  2. an H1-B visa

Both model visas are reserved for those individuals who have proven they have extraordinary ability or widespread acclaim in their professional field, and models are no different. For this reason, you may not be able to obtain a visa unless the agency can prove to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that you’ve had success and respect for your modeling. If the agency can provide evidence of your acclaim and abilities, you can be granted a model visa to come to the USA to work certain jobs. An experienced attorney can help significantly through the application process to improve the chances of getting a visa approved.

What Types of Entertainment Visas Are There?

Our team on immigration lawyers also help people in the following professions obtain O-1 visas to work in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and across the United States:

Obtain a Model Visa for Immigrants in Los Angeles with Help from an Attorney

It is important for any aspiring model to have access to Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. With agencies, film executives, and talent scouts at every turn, simply being in L.A. can be a catalyst to the realization of your professional dreams. Unless you are an American citizen, however, you will need to obtain a visa in order to stay and work in Los Angeles and the rest of the United States. If you are a fashion designer or company and you want top-rated foreign models to walk in your show or pose in your magazine, you will need to ensure they have the right visa to do so.

What Our Clients Have to Say:

“Recently I had some questions regarding immigration steps so I contacted Josh for advice he responded everything quick and clear he definitely can guide you through the hard and long process Josh is a lawyer you can trust I highly recommend him”

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hugo Huertas
November 2018
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