Let's talk about visas. This gets technical, but pay attention because getting this wrong means you can't get in at all.

The O-1B Visa: Your Main Option #

This is your primary route as an actor. It's for people with an “extraordinary ability in the arts.”

But what does this actually mean?

For actors, USCIS (the US immigration department) wants to see at least 3 of these:

• Leading roles in productions with good reputations. For example, you played the lead in a West End show, had a starring role in a prestigious BBC drama, were the main character in a film that played at major festivals like Cannes or Venice. Are you a principal at the Royal Shakespeare Company? What counts here are major productions from broadcasters, or production companies with national/international recognition. (What doesn't count are leads in student films, local amateur theatre, or very small independent productions.)
• Critical reviews in major newspapers, trade journals, magazines. Reviews in The Guardian, Variety, The Stage, Screen International, or major national papers where they specifically mention your name and performance are great. (But reviews in small local papers, blogs, or social media posts don't count here.)
• Recognition from industry organizations, critics, government agencies. Maybe you were nominated (or even won!) a BAFTA, a César, a Goya, a David di Donatello. Or, maybe, you got government recognition or funding. That's all good. (But certificates, local drama awards,  or online festivals, mean nothing.)
• Commercial success with impressive box office numbers, ratings, streaming numbers. Did your last film earn over €5 million at the box office? Was your TV show watched by over 2 million viewers each episode? We're you in the Netflix Top 10 in multiple countries? (Sorry, YouTube views don't count here.)
• High salary compared to others in the field. Do you earn €75,000+ per year from acting?  Are they paying you €10,000+ per episode for TV work? Or €100,000+ for a film role?

So you see what they are after here. Proof — and you will need actual proven documentation here — that you are big in the world of acting.

But let's suppose you have all this. Then the next step is to pay for the visa application.

2025 Visa Costs

Approximate USCIS Filing Fees:

• Basic visa fee for an individual: $1,655
• Fast Processing (15 business days): $2,805
• Visa interview fee: $190
• Attorney Fees: $3,000-$7,000 depending on case difficulty

This means that a realistic cost is around $4,500-$10,505 just for the visa process.

Work Restrictions — What Nobody Tells You

What many people imagine is that once you're in LA you can get a job at a local cafe and do part-time work there while you get settled and wait for the auditions to come in. 

But here's the important part: O-1 visa holders can ONLY work in their field of extraordinary ability.

This means you cannot have a survival jobs. No waiting tables, no bartending, no Uber driving. You can only work as an actor or in directly related entertainment work.

“But how do I pay rent between acting jobs?”

That's the big question. You either:

1. Book enough acting work to survive (unlikely in year one)
2. Have enough savings to last until you do
3. Go home

This is why having a lot of money from the start is so important. Most European actors arrive thinking they'll wait tables while auditioning. Legally, you cannot do this. If you are found out, you'll be detained by ICE and then kicked out. 

And in the current climate in the USA with a clampdown on illegal immigration, this is not something to take lightly.

Visa Processing Times

We estimate that from the day you decide to get that first visa to the day you arrive in LA could be anything from 8-18 months minimum. Assuming it's all good.

Here's the timeline:

1. Evidence gathering: 6-12 months (collecting reviews, awards, letters)
2. Application preparation: 2-4 months (working with lawyer)
3. USCIS processing: 2-5 months (or 15 days with fast processing)
4. Visa interview: 2-4 weeks (at your local US embassy)

So if you're still interested: Start this process NOW.