# Picking up work on an I media visa



## rustew2 (Sep 22, 2013)

Hello everyone, 

Thank you in advance for any help and apologies if this query has been answered before. These forums have already been extremely helpful, but there's just one issue I can't find an answer to. 

I am travelling to the US on an I media visa to film a documentary as a freelance videographer, that will take around 3 months to complete. I'm only required occasionally, so there will be a lot of days when I'm hanging about doing nothing. My question is whether I can accept offers of freelance work from other foreign media organisations while I'm there to fill my time? For example, if the BBC phones up and asks me to cover an event. 

I understand that I can't work for an organisation, whose home office is based in the US or who is US funded. As an example, I understand from this that I could work for Al-Jazeera, but not Al-Jazeera America. Is this correct? 

Thanks again for reading and for any help. 

Rustew2


----------



## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

have you actually got the visa 

The I visa is a temporary nonimmigrant workers visa meant for bona fide representatives of foreign media. In order to be eligible for the I visa, you must:
•Represent a foreign information media outlet, which can include press, film, radio, etc.
•Have a home office in a foreign country
•Come to the United States only to practice this profession
•Have your home country grant similar privileges to media representatives from the United States


Visas for Members of the Foreign Media, Press, and Radio


----------



## rustew2 (Sep 22, 2013)

Yes, visa is acquired and sitting in my passport.


----------



## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Is your visa based on the existing job?


----------



## rustew2 (Sep 22, 2013)

I've had one of these visas before. As with this one, they last 5 years and enable you to enter and leave at will. In the past, I've covered multiple events for different companies (I.e. different jobs), but never at the same time. When you apply, you need to be sponsored by a foreign media organisation as a representative, as I am. But nowhere does it say that you must only work for this organisation. In fact, the application pages recognises freelancers like me and asks only that you're sponsored. This is what's ringing alarm bells, however. For surely, someone could use this visa to stay 5 years. I'm only a temporary visitor and don't intend to stay permanently, but would like to come back for work in the future. I don't wish to accept work from another media organisation while I'm here and get on the wrong side of US immigration.


----------

