Come Ere Butt

This doesn't apply to my situation at all, it's just something I've often pondered but never really asked anyone about!

It seems with actors from the UK who decide to move to the US, have a lot easier time/less obstacles than people from other industries. Is this because the rule where companies have to prove why an American can't do the job is exempt? Possibly due to the nature of acting roles which can be more bespoke and harder to fill?

I'm guessing the British actors who do move to LA have already got themselves an agent who sign the necessary paperwork?

Any actors here who've made the leap? Did you know anyone who had a good/bad experience?

Thanks guys and I appreciate it's a random subject.

Pulaski

There are better visa options - performance and exceptional talent visas that can be applied relatively easily to an actor's situation.

As I understand it, actors have a harder time with the Equity union restrictions (both US and UK) than getting a visa - which is why Broadway and West End shows that "transfer" rarely do so with more than one or two of their leading actors.

Also, as I suspect happens in some cases, successful performers simply "buy a greencard" using EB-5 (cost starting at $500k, plus approximately $60k of fees). I remember hearing back in the 1980's that Mark Knopfler had bought an apartment building, in Los Angeles I think, and I have long suspected that there were reasons for it other than purely financial reasons.

scrubbedexpat097

Adam Ant aka Stuart Goddard went through his Green Card appointment and physical the same day as us. He had been waiting almost as long as we did for the interview date and he didn't get any preferentail treatment either. He was actually a really friendly guy. He wished us luck when he left the building. Our 9 and 10 year old were star struck

dave2702

I believe a lot of actors looking for jobs come over on Visa Waiver, get to go to lots of auditions. If they get a role then the Studio will deal with the paper work (probably an O visa

Several actors and comedians I follow on Twitter & Instagram seem to be in the US for less than 90 days

livinginnyc

AFAIK - 'Established' (as in have been in some stuff) Actors/Actresses can obtain their visa via their talent management agency (like CAA, ICM, WME.etc .etc) that effectively sponsor them. The visa process is slightly different pending how high profile/talented the individual is, but USCIS can and will contact the production company (not necessarily a studio per-se) for endorsement/verification.

- My source for this information was from an interesting article I read in The Hollywood Reporter a year or so ago.

Jerseygirl

I sat next to Roger Daltrey, May 1996, at the US Embassy in London. He was waiting for an interview for an US visa...he too had received no preferential treatment.

dave2702

I met Richard Bacon there about a year ago. They'd turned down his first application and had consequently lost a job

Jerseygirl

Who? We left the UK in '96. If you had said Kevin Bacon I would have known who you meant.

moneypenny20

Doesn't he have a drug conviction?

kimilseung

I seem to remember something about a performers name having to be bigger than the shows name, as a rule of thumb if they can move with the show. But this maybe is completely apocryphal.

scrubbedexpat097

I just checked him out on IMDB and I'm none the wiser

But I guess there are a lot of people we are unaware of that are well known now.

Alan17

Never heard of him. According to IMDb biggest claim to fame is getting kicked off Blue Peter for snorting coke.

moneypenny20

I knew drugs were involved somewhere. Do the US need a drug conviction or does being splashed all over the UK media do the same thing?

scrubbedexpat099

Reason to believe can be enough to refuse a visa.

Harveyspecter

Yes, Richard Bacon was part of Blue Peter for a long time until he was caught on camera snorting cocaine. I thought the same thing when I saw him with a TV show here. Although he was fired I can't see any info on him actually getting convicted of drug use so maybe that's the loophole that got him a visa. Though how he got away with not being at least arrested after the video evidence came up puzzles me. Anyway!