Advocacy
Request a Visa Peer Consultation Letter

Visa Peer Consultation Letters are a benefit of organizational membership. Any professional company, associate, educational or business member may request a letter of support at no charge. All non-member requests are subject to a $250 processing fee.

Typically, requests are fulfilled within one week. Once a letter is completed, the original will be sent by mail and a PDF copy will be sent by e-mail to the requesting company.

To request a Peer Consultation Letter from OPERA America, please submit the following:

A cover letter stating:
  • Name, e-mail and mailing address of the contact person at your company
  • Artist's name (and, if different, the name stated on the USCIS petition)
  • Title of the production
  • Artist's function or role in the opera
  • Name and/or address of the USCIS service center to which the letter should be addressed
  • Note clearly if the request is for a rush visa petition requiring immediate attention. The normal lead time is one week.

A bio or resume outlining:
  • Any awards or honors won by the artist
  • A list of companies or cities in which the artist has performed
  • Operatic roles the artist has performed
  • Any recordings, television appearances or other areas in which the artist is in demand (e.g., the artist is also in demand as a recitalist)
  • Information regarding training may be helpful, particularly for young artists
  • In some cases, it may be necessary to state why this particular artist is crucial to your company's production (e.g., a lighting designer who works exclusively with your stage director)
  • Include critical reviews documenting recent public performances by the artist. If reviews are unavailable, include evidence of how the artist is regarded in the press or by colleagues or employers. (If the reviews are foreign, include translations for both OPERA America and USCIS.)

Please e-mail, mail or fax copies of materials — not your originals — to the attention of:

Artistic Services Associate
OPERA America
330 Seventh Avenue, 18th floor
New York, NY 10001
Fax: 212-796-8631
LWerking@operaamerica.org

Questions? Contact Lyndsay Werking, Artistic Services Associate, at LWerking@operaamerica.org.

Itinerary-Based or Multiple Venue Visa Petitions
Opera companies often use itinerary-based or multiple venue visa petitions to engage foreign guest artists. For this purpose, please use the following itinerary-based standard cover letter and itinerary-based standard authorization and intent to engage letter.

For more information on itinerary-based petitions, please visit the itinerary-based petition online at Artists from Abroad.

Saturday, February 04, 2012
      

Winter 2012 Magazine Issue
  • Letter from the President/CEO
  • Philadelphia Cultural Revolution
  • Supporting First Time Directors
  • The National Opera Center
  • Recently Published
Contact Us
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001
P 212-796-8620 • F 212-796-8631
Info@operaamerica.org • Directions
From Airport:
The easiest way to reach the OPERA America offices is to get a cab at the airport. Cost is $40-45
(not including tip).
  • JFK - Take the AirTrain ($5 - approx. 15 minutes) to the Jamaica Street Station and transfer to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Take the LIRR to Penn Station ($12 - approx. 35 minutes). See Penn Station directions below.
  • LaGuardia - Take the M60 Bus to the Hoyt Ave/31st Street. Get on the or Train and take that to 42nd/Times Square Station. Follow the Times Square Station directions below.
  • Newark - Take the New Jersey Transit train to Penn Station ($15 - approx. 45 min). See the Penn Station Directions below.

From Penn Station/Madison Square Garden:
Leave the station through the 7th Avenue/33rd Street exit and walk south for four blocks. The building is on
the right hand side.

From Grand Central Station:
Take the Train to the 42nd/Times Square station and transfer to the Train.
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

From 42nd Street/Times Square:
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

For more detailed directions, most up-to-date pricing or to specify a different starting location, please visit the
MTA Web site.