Hollywood guilds back bill seeking to limit foreign visa abuse in the industry

The Directors Guild of America and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees hailed the passage of a bill by the House that would help curb the number of unqualified foreign directors and movie and TV crew members that are approved for U.S. visas.

The Oversee Visa Integrity with Stakeholder Advisories (or O-Visa) bill approved Monday by a voice vote would require the Department of Homeland Security to notify the Hollywood unions and producers of approvals or denials of the so-called O visas for foreign directors and crew members seeking to work on films and TV series shot in the U.S.

The O visa program was established by Congress in 1990 to temporarily admit foreign directors, members of the director’s team and craftspeople to the U.S. to work on film and TV productions. Such visas are also granted to artists and athletes.

The program requires that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services consult with appropriate organizations — including IATSE, the DGA and the AMPTP — regarding the validity of applicants in their areas.

But for years, the guilds have complained that they are not adequately involved in the process and that applicants aren’t properly evaluated. The new bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide appropriate organizations with copies of the Citizenship and Immigration Services’ O visa application decisions.

The DGA and IATSE, in a joint statement, lauded the bill’s passage, calling it “an important step in providing a level of transparency that will help ensure the security and integrity” of the visa program.

The bill, introduced by Reps. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), now moves to the Senate.

yvonne.villarreal@latimes.com

Twitter: @villarrealy