Alphafloor From Chile, joined Jun 2004, 1277 posts, RR: 45 Posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2691 times:
Hi everyone !
I've discussed yesterday night with a good friend who is looking for a career in the film industry and he asked me a question I was unable to answer but I told him that someone in a.net could maybe give him an answer, so here is his question :
'Does someone know how we can get a green card or a temporary working permit to work in the film industry in Los Angeles ? (since no film company will wait a year for an international worker to get his green card for a film that is done within 2 months).'
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12022 posts, RR: 43 Reply 2, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2655 times:
Quoting UTA_flyinghigh (Reply 1): IIRC there is an annual lottery but I don'y know the exact details of the scheme.
Takes forever. Easiest way,marry an American citizen He'll have a work permit probably within two weeks.
The sleaziest, but easiest way. Unless you do it for the right reasons...
IIRC you need to have a job lined up already to get a work visa. I don't think they hand them out to someone who just says they wanna make a movie without any prior employment arrangements.
AC773 From Canada, joined Nov 2005, 1730 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 2607 times:
Quoting Senorcarnival (Reply 3): IIRC you need to have a job lined up already to get a work visa.
I also am pretty sure this is true. I have heard from numerous people that if you've already found work in the US, your company can file a petition (or something like that) on your behalf. This is by far the fastest process, so I would have your friend do some more researching on it. If he finds that that isn't possible, he should be prepared to do some serious waiting.
When I came to the US, my family waited two years for a green card. And that was many years ago. Today's immigration system is in much worse shape.
-AC773
Better to be nouveau than never to have been riche at all.
Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 33 Reply 5, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 2596 times:
Hop the fence like the rest of them and hope they offer amnesty.
Boeinglover24 From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 304 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2582 times:
Quoting AC773 (Reply 4): I also am pretty sure this is true. I have heard from numerous people that if you've already found work in the US, your company can file a petition (or something like that) on your behalf. This is by far the fastest process, so I would have your friend do some more researching on it. If he finds that that isn't possible, he should be prepared to do some serious waiting.
When I came to the US, my family waited two years for a green card. And that was many years ago. Today's immigration system is in much worse shape.
-AC773
This is the easiest and the quickest way (except marrying an american). The company where my dad works petitioned my uncle four five years ago and he just got here last month...(the lines really long).
TWFirst From Vatican City, joined Apr 2000, 6346 posts, RR: 53 Reply 7, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2575 times:
Quoting AC773 (Reply 4): I also am pretty sure this is true. I have heard from numerous people that if you've already found work in the US, your company can file a petition (or something like that) on your behalf. This is by far the fastest process, so I would have your friend do some more researching on it. If he finds that that isn't possible, he should be prepared to do some serious waiting.
This is true. However, it may or may not be a quick process. If the foreign national has already had an H1B visa for 5 years, then it's a relatively quick process (1 year). If not, it's much longer. Also, it's about $10,000, and most corporations have a stipulation that if you leave the company within X amount of time after getting the green card, you have to reimburse the company.
I think the best your friend can hope for is a work visa.
AirWillie6475 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 2448 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2551 times:
Quoting Alphafloor (Thread starter): since no film company will wait a year for an international worker to get his green card for a film that is done within 2 months
I had to laugh at that one, a year?? Try 5-10 years. There is a loooong line which your friend has to get in the back of. Just because some company wants to hire them, doesn't make them any special, they still have to wait with the others. Now if the company just want's to get them a visa and you friend doesn't want to live in the U.S then it might be quicker but no less than a few years. I'm sure you don't know the U.S Government but they do things ver slowly here. Expect 10 years from time of approval to be in the country to actually getting your citizenship. That being said U.S is probably the most liberal country when it comes to immigration, hopefully it won't be as liberal now.
YeahitsK From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2537 times:
My Chinese coworkers say that you need to first have a job lined up, and depending on the situation you get the appropriate type of Visa. From that point they have to stay here working for at least 5 years before they are eligible to apply for a green card. So it sounds like it would be some type of employment Visa (I'm no expert on this), but I agree with others that the job must be lined up first. I think a student Visa is the easiest type to get, are there any film schools you would consider enrolling in?
BristolFlyer From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 2135 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2506 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 2): Easiest way,marry an American citizen
You're right there. The lottery is available to citizens of certain countries, not sure if Switzerland is one of them (do a google search) but I know the UK isn't one.
Your mate is going to have a hard time unless he can persuade some company to sponsor him, and he'd have to be a lot better than any US applicants for that to be the case as it's expensive and takes a long time. The company will get quizzed on why they want to 'import' somebody rather than give the job to a US citizen.
Does he really want to do this or does her just want to move to the US? He could always set up in business over here (I know a thing or 2 about that) .
CO7e7 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 2848 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2496 times:
Quoting AC773 (Reply 4): I have heard from numerous people that if you've already found work in the US, your company can file a petition (or something like that) on your behalf.
That's correct.. Kent State University will be sponsering me for a work visa. I applied for a job there, and i was more qualified for it than all of the applicants. So now, they're doing all the paperwork for me...
Scalebuilder From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
Quoting BristolFlyer (Reply 10): Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 2):
Easiest way,marry an American citizen
That may be the way if you desire to reside in the US permanently.
To "arrange" a marriage with the purpose of say staying temporarily will hardly be worth the effort. A marriage per se does not ensure a green card either, and it should not. The INS will go out of their way to convince themselves that your marriage is real and not arranged. That is why the application process is slow and personally demanding so that a marriage can "prove" itself by surviving the test of time. Reasonable by all means if you ask me.
A work visa arrangement through your company is really the best way to go.
IFEMaster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2457 times:
From a Green Card holder who got it via marriage...
Marriage takes around 6 months to get the employment authorization and about 18 months to 2 years to get the GC. BUT, you have a wait a long time before you can even get to file for it because the consulate in each country has jurisdiction, and the lines are pretty much ridiculous. The other option is get a B1 or B2 visa, enter the country, marry an American, and then file for Adjustment of Status. It's a bit quicker, but then you have prove that when you entered the country your intentions were not to stay and marry, but were within the rules of the B1 or B2 visa.
For work visa (H1-B), you can actually get these within a couple of weeks if you're willing to pay. BCIS offer a 'Fast Track' service, where for $1000 plus all the other fees, you can jump to the head of the line. They will either accept or deny your petition within 10 days, and then send it immediately to the visa issuing center. If the annaul limit has not been reached, you can get your visa very quickly.
It's a gamble though...your friend would have to prove to the USA that a) the job he wants to come and do can not be done by a US citizen, or that no US citizen is available to do the job and b) there is no other location in the world for the job to be performed to the same standard.
FlyLondon From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 376 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2420 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 8): That being said U.S is probably the most liberal country when it comes to immigration, hopefully it won't be as liberal now.
Hahahaha. Thats my laugh of the day. Trying stepping outside your bubble once in a while.
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12022 posts, RR: 43 Reply 17, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 2377 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 8): I had to laugh at that one, a year?? Try 5-10 years
Took me 11 months from I applied till I had it.
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 8): Expect 10 years from time of approval to be in the country to actually getting your citizenship.
From the date you get the GC you have to wait 5 years (3 years if it's through marriage) before you can apply for citizenship.
Quoting IFEMaster (Reply 13): Marriage takes around 6 months to get the employment authorization and about 18 months to 2 years to get the GC.
Took two weeks to get my work permit, and 11 months for the GC
IFEMaster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 2375 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 17): Took two weeks to get my work permit, and 11 months for the GC
That's excellent. What center did you apply throught? My EAD took a little under 3 months, and my GC a little over 8 months, through the Los Angeles center. But the national average is waaaaay longer than what you and I experienced
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 19, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 2373 times:
Quoting Fly727 (Reply 16): Do it the right way; have Angelina Jolie to adopt you.
RM
PS. Taken from Letterman... or was it Leno?
Leno.... I hate the dude too!
A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.
Virgin744 From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 903 posts, RR: 5 Reply 20, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2366 times:
enrol in a course at an educational institution, thats the quickest and easiest way, but make sure you check if the visa/course allows you to work before you pay any money or enroll.
There is no other quick or easy way as other a.netters have already mentioned. Work visas take a long time and need sponsoring, green card lottery schemes are probably more harder to actually win than money lotteries!!! And IF you wre lucky enough to win, then it takes another 9 months+ to process beofre you can actually enter the US.
* Marriage
* Working for a US based Co. that will transfer you
* Work sponsorship
these 3 are possibilities but again take a very long time and are realistically not going to happen...
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12022 posts, RR: 43 Reply 21, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2360 times:
Confuscius From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 3633 posts, RR: 2 Reply 22, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2345 times:
How To Get A Green Card?
Go to MacArthur Park in Los Angeles...for as little as $150.
BigOrange From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 2358 posts, RR: 3 Reply 24, posted (6 years 11 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 2314 times:
I got my entry visa within 6 months of applying. I had been married 5 years when I applied for the entry visa.
At the point of entry I was given a stamp in my passport which allowed me to apply for a social security number so I could work. The green card came in the mail about 2 months later.
I'm just about to apply for naturalization, not sure how long it takes though!
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12022 posts, 
He'll have a work permit probably within two weeks.
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