Membership

Per AGMA's current policy, we no longer accept hard copy petitions or checks by mail.

All preparers should send their visa consultation submission materials to visas@musicalartists.org and remit payment via Wire or ACH transfer using the instructions listed below. 

Processing begins once complete visa consultation submissions have been received. A submission is considered complete once required materials have been emailed to AGMA and the fee payment has cleared our bank. Incomplete Wire or ACH payments and bank information or incomplete submissions requiring revision or amendments may be subject to delays. 
 
AGMA’s Visa Consultation Department hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. ET - 5:00 p.m. ET. Any visa consultation requests submitted on weekends, holidays, or after 5:00 p.m. ET on weekdays will be considered received the following business day.

Please direct any visa consultation submission questions to visas@musicalartists.org. (No phone inquiries, please.)

Table of Contents

WHAT IS AN ADVISORY OPINION LETTER?
CATEGORIES OF ARTISTS COVERED BY AGMA
VISA CLASSIFICATIONS COVERED BY AGMA
PRICING, PROCESSING TIMELINE, & PAYMENT
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

WHAT IS AN ADVISORY OPINION LETTER?

According to the USCIS, a consultation letter (also known as an Advisory Opinion Letter or a No Objection Letter) from a U.S. peer group, labor organization, and/or management organization is generally required for petitions in the O and P visa classifications. 

The purpose of a labor consultation letter is to determine whether artists from other countries, who are applying for a work visa in the United States, have the artistic ability and expertise to qualify for O or P visa eligibility. 

CATEGORIES OF ARTISTS COVERED BY AGMA

Per the USCIS Address Index for I-129 O and P Consultation Letters, AGMA covers, but is not limited to, the following categories of performers: 

  • Opera Singers 
  • Concert and solo singers 
  • Solo and group instrumentalists (may include singers) 
  • Dancers 
  • Choreographers 
  • Stage Directors and Assistant Stage Directors 
  • Stage Managers and Assistant Stage Managers  
  • Music Producers 
  • Stage Production Personnel (employed by dance and opera companies and employers other than Broadway, Off-Broadway, EMC productions and any technical personnel under IATSE’s jurisdiction) 
  • Narrators in concert, recital, oratorio, opera and dance 
  • Other live performers (including songwriters, Disc Jockeys, figure skaters, circus performers, mimes and puppeteers) not covered by other unions such as Actors’ Equity or AGVA 
  • Live performers in new media formats and actors in non-Equity productions

VISA CLASSIFICATIONS COVERED BY AGMA

AGMA offers consultation letters (also known as Advisory Opinion Letters or No Objection Letters) for the following visa classifications:   

  • O-1B: Individual artist with extraordinary ability in the arts  
  • O-1A: Individual, competitive (DanceSport) dancer who can be considered an athlete of extraordinary ability 
  • O-2: Support personnel (that do not fall under any other Union’s jurisdiction) for O-1B or O-1A candidates 
  • P-1B: Internationally recognized entertainment group of artists, or member of an internationally recognized entertainment group of artists 
  • P-1S: Support personnel (that do not fall under any other Union’s jurisdiction) for P-1 candidates 
  • P-1A: Group of DanceSport dancers, or member of a group of DanceSport dancers, considered athletes 
  • P-3: Artist or entertainer coming to the US to be a part of a culturally unique program. Can be a solo artist or group 
  • P-3S: Support personnel (that do not fall under any other Union’s jurisdiction) for P-3 candidates 

PRICING, PROCESSING TIMELINE, & PAYMENT

AGMA accepts payments by Wire or ACH transfers only. 
The Preparer is responsible for remitting payment via Wire or ACH transfer.

Please note that processing begins once complete visa consultation submissions have been received.  A submission is considered complete once requested materials have been emailed to AGMA and the fee payment has cleared our bank. Incomplete Wire or ACH payments and bank information or incomplete submissions requiring revision or amendments may be subject to delays. 

AGMA Visa Consultation Fees: 

$550.00 for EXPEDITED PROCESSING - process time approximately 2-3 business days from receipt of complete visa consultation submissions.  We do not offer same-day service.

$350.00 for STANDARD PROCESSING - process time of approximately 5-7 business days from receipt of complete visa consultation submissions. 

  • Ensure AGMA gets the full amount - transfer charges/fees, if any, should be paid separately on your end.

  • Please note: If you are requesting advisory opinion letters for an artist (ex: an O-1B petition) as well as their support personnel (ex: an O-2 petition), you will need to send two separate submissions and two separate fee payments - as two separate consultation letters will be generated.
    Example case:

    • You submit an O-1B petition for one (1) performing artist; regular processing. This requires a $350.00 fee payment.
    • You submit an accompanying O-2 petition for three (3) support personnel; regular processing. This requires a $350.00 fee payment.

Information for Wire/ACH transfer to AGMA from outside the USA: 

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas 
BIC : BKTRUS33XXX  
A/c# 35255767 
I/N/O: American Guild of Musical Artists, Inc. 
 

Information for Wire/ACH transfer to AGMA from within the USA:
 
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas 
ABA#021001033 
A/c#35255767 
I/N/O American Guild of Musical Artists, Inc. 
 

Deutsche Bank address: 
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas
1 Columbus Circle 18th Floor,
New York, NY 10019

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

After submitting your Wire or ACH transfer, please email your visa consultation submission in PDF file format to visas@musicalartists.org. Please limit your submission ONLY to the required materials listed below:

1. Completed COVER SHEET, which includes the following information: 
-- Name of Preparer 
-- Name of Petitioner 
-- Name of Beneficiary 
-- Name of Person / Entity / Account Making the Payment 
-- Name of Bank 
--Wire or ACH Transfer
-- Date Wire or ACH Transfer Was Sent 
-- Expedited or Regular Processing 
 
2. Copy of the USCIS Form I-129, including the O/P Supplement to form I-129 (pages 26-28) and Attachment 1 pages for all beneficiaries on the petition (pages 35-36).  

3. A list of the artist(s) and the function they perform in the group. If more than 10 beneficiaries are on your petition, please complete and submit the Excel sheet linked here – listing your beneficiaries exactly as their names should appear on the AGMA Advisory Opinion Letter.  
 
4. Copy of contract and itinerary of artist(s). 
 
5. Documentation to support the reputation, ability and/or cultural uniqueness of the artist(s). Please limit supporting documentation to 20-30 pages. Supporting documents must be in English or accompanied by a complete English translation.

Please refrain from sending us copies of passports or previously issued visa stamps, tax forms, or other immigration forms aside from what’s mentioned above. 

Please try to avoid sending us your submission in multiple emails! If you are unable to send your PDF files as email attachments, we encourage you to share your submissions via a cloud file storage link (such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) with VIEW-ONLY access. As you are able, we encourage you to schedule viewing expiration dates for shared drive links or manually deactivate the link once you receive your advisory opinion letter. We will not open any zip files or image files (including JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.).