AMERICA has long been touted as the land of golden opportunity and it remains a popular destination for people looking to start a new life abroad. However, due to the general lack of information available on American visas/green cards and rumours of strict immigration policies, many people end up being deterred from making the move to live there.

American immigration expert Amanda Gillespie runs a company which helps would be immigrants to navigate the reams of red tape and land themselves a visa to live and work in America. Many of her clients are South Africans.

Amanda specialises in a visa called the O-1 - a visa for ‘aliens of extraordinary ability’. The O-1 visa serves designers, scientists, musicians, businesspersons, journalists, entertainers and sports people - anyone whose career is thriving in such a way that they meet the government’s ‘extraordinary’ standard.

Is it easy to get a US working visa?

It completely depends on your circumstances, but I often find people pleasantly surprised at how straightforward the process can be. One of the most important things to know is that all working visas require a sponsor - in the case of the O-1, either a full-time employer or an agent who represents you to a variety of clientele.

How can people go about finding work in the US, especially if looking from abroad?

Many of my clients come in as tourists to get the lay of the land in a few different respects - to meet as many people as possible for prospective jobs or artist representation, to get a sense of cost of living, and if they are really organised, they swing by an immigration office to get a sense of what’s possible. I find increasingly that part of my job includes introducing people to one another and making those connections and every few months I throw an ‘extraordinary alien’ party where web designers can rub shoulders with models, DJs, chefs, musicians and engineers.

Is there a noticeable change in job opportunities at the moment?

Some companies may be reluctant to hire full time, but the clients of mine who work as consultants continue to be incredibly busy. Many people have taken the changing times as an opportunity to do something they’ve wanted to do for a long time: start their own companies. There is in fact an option where you may start your own business Stateside and sponsor your own O-1. This is not as difficult as it may seem and is an ever growing choice for many O-1 visa holders.

To find out more about Amanda Gillespie and her immigration services please visit her website at 
www.amandagillespie.com or contact her directly at amanda@amandagillespie.com