Request a Peer Consultation Letter

Dance/USA offers pre-petition peer consultation letters to both members and non-members. Peer consultation letters are an optional addition to visa petitions (and different from the required labor support letter) and offer valuable support for foreign artists and support staff of extraordinary ability. For more information on applying for O and P visas for foreign guest artists, please visit Artists From Abroad.

Dance/USA offers peer consultation letters as a free benefit to our members when the member is serving as the petitioner or beneficiary. (Non-members will be charged a $150 service fee.)

To request a Peer Consultation Letter from Dance/USA, please submit  the following:

  1. A copy of the 1-129 Form
  2. A copy of the visa petitioner's cover letter stating:
    • Name of  your company's contact person
    • Artist's name (and, if different, the name stated on the USCIS petition)
    • Title of the production
    • Artist's function or role in the dance
    • Name and/or address of the USCIS service center to which the letter should be addressed
  3. A bio ore resume outlining:
    • Any awards or honors received by the artists
    • A list of companies or cities in which the artist has performed
    • Roles the artist has performed
    • Any recordings, television appearances or other areas in which the artist is in demand
    • Information regarding training, particularly for young artists
    • In some cases, it may be necessary to state why this particular visit is crucial to your company's production (e.g., a lighting designer who works exclusively with a 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 by colleagues or employers. (If the reviews are foreign, include translations for both Dance/USA and USCIS)

Dance/USA generally requires a week's notice to provide a letter. Please email or mail copies of materials - not your originals - to the attention of:

Government Affairs Director

Dance/USA

1029 Vermont Ave, NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20005

Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact the Government Affairs office at 202-833-1717 or at advocacy@danceusa.org.