Dennis Kersten Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Hi colleages, Last trips to USA I rented gear at Threwaudio. This time I want to bring my own. I know I need a carnet for my gear. But do I also need USA working permit to work completely legal? Not working for USA but european company and filming in USA. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 it depends...but often, yes; you need to have the European company who will be sponsoring you deal with the appropriate paperwork, and obtain the proper visa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze Frias Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 it depends...but often, yes; you need to have the European company who will be sponsoring you deal with the appropriate paperwork, and obtain the proper visa Definitely speak to your production company, they should be handling all the details and paperwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAB414 Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Not to hijack this thread but do similar rules apply to Americans working abroad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Kersten Posted July 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 I'm going to speak to my production company after I did my own research. I want to know what visum do I need or what other papers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 (edited) bab: " do similar rules apply to Americans working abroad? " actually... it depends. but often, yes... you can do some searching for previous discussions, mostly coming up with about the same response... DK: " I want to know what visum do I need or what other papers. " sorry to keep repeating, but: IT DEPENDS... and the production will normally have to furnish what is required! for further research on your own, contact the USA embassy; they can answer your questions, probably with more questions! Edited July 1, 2014 by studiomprd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Not to hijack this thread but do similar rules apply to Americans working abroad? It depends on what country you are working in and how long are you going to be working there. It will also depend on what type of work you will be doing and how low under the radar you will be flying. In all the international travel I've done I've had to get a work visa about 1/3 of the time. But I've gotten a carnet 100% of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvanstry Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Carnet is a must. As far as visa, I can only speak about Canadians working in the USA. If you are Canadian, are working for a Canadian production that will be aired in Canada first, then you can work in the USA for that show as long as you have a letter from production and broadcaster attesting to All those facts. Now I have never been asked those letters at the border but I always have them. My two cent Pascal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_bollard Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 From Australia you definitely need a visa to be there legally, even if you are working for a production company from your home country. From the UK it may be different - but it's all been tightened up since Sept 11. I have done a lot of stuff in the US and Canada for Australian prod cos and the usual visa was an"I Visa" and used to be valid for five years; it was a "journalist" style visa. Last time I got one it was quite a performance - appointment needed to be prebooked - paid for - with required forms, photos and supporting letters documents with you on the day. Then a wait of a week (maybe more) to collect your passport with the new visa stuck in it. The production company should definitely be putting together for you And a carnet is the only way to bring your gear into and out of the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Firstly I always say I'm on business rather than working - big difference. I work for my NZ company and doing business in the US with a US company. Ground rules out of the way. For a particular job I phone the US Embassy and tell them what I'm doing - long story sorry!!! Yes you will need a visa and a carnet OK carnet no problem done them myself many times. Visa ok I line up at the US consulate here in Auckland No you must pay the $200 fee at the NZ post office first I leave and pay the fee and return to the queue. I enter and wait. Westgate!!! is called (polite eh) I go to the booth Yes? I've been asked to join an expedition out of Hawaii Proof yes I have an email from the company and details from their website Hum! Generic stuff! Anyone could present this. Do you have details of you commitements in New Zealand? What do you need I ask! Every case is different so we do not define what we need! OK I own 2 houses 2 cars 2 businesses have 3 childrenand 3 cats!! You are not taking this seriously - GROWL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Visa denied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost faint, go to a friends cafe down a brandy and some coffee. I phone the production company and tell the sad tale Please send a letter on company paper confirming the contract! Yep I can text it No I want a document delivered by courier please. OK I receive document I pay my $200 for the second time I turn up again with document, deeds to my 2 houses, personal bank statements and bank statements for my two businesses. "Westgate! (same woman) "Oh I see you are in overdraft'!!! Ah the other business says ms Westgate that not you is it?? Yes I am MS Westgate here is my business card. Growl!! 6 week visa granted!! By the way as an NZ citizen you did not need a visa but have now lost your right to a 9 week no visa entry I will never visit the US again! Meanwhile down the hall American citizens are being greeted "Hi Mr Brown how is you day/" I did the job!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 The question you have to ask yourself is: who might ask questions, and if so, when and where. Definitely at the airport you will be asked about your equipment, hence the carnet is needed. In general, most EU citizens don't need a visa, but you have to fill out the online application for your stay in the US. Will you be shooting at a big sports event? Maybe some officials will be there checking everything. Will you be shooting a critical political documentary in, say, Texas? Maybe the sheriff will run into you. In most other cases I suppose you won't run into any problems. My experience. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze Frias Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Not to hijack this thread but do similar rules apply to Americans working abroad? It really does depend. Every country will have different rules. Which is why you should speak to the production company first hand, it is their responsibility to take care of all of those details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Kersten Posted July 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Okay I need a journalist visum and a carnet (just spoke with production). Production only pays a part of the carnet (because I can use the carnet a year long).. Is that reasonable…I'm making costs for their production and their not paying my costs 100%… ? Other productions paid for the whole carnet… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Production only pays a part of the carnet (because I can use the carnet a year long).. Is that reasonable…Not resonable. Ive always had production fully pay for a carnet. Are you going to need it in the next year? What if you dont? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 what Jack said... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkautzsch Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Okay I need a journalist visum and a carnet (just spoke with production). Production only pays a part of the carnet (because I can use the carnet a year long).. Is that reasonable…I'm making costs for their production and their not paying my costs 100%… ? Other productions paid for the whole carnet… Not reasonable at all. There are individual sheets inside the carnet that customs will stamp and remove upon exportation, importation, re-exportation, and re-importation. These are the actual proof the gear has entered and left a country. So you can't just reuse that carnet for another job, except when you insert more sheets than required. You know that since you've done carnets before. And they should know also, being a prod. co. For hypothetical other jobs abroad you might need different gear and thus a different carnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bralleput Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 'For hypothetical other jobs abroad you might need different gear and thus a different carnet' Nope.On the ATA carnet you put all the equipment you 'hypohetical' own/intend to use on various productions abroad,and on the export and import (and export import) form you fill in the items you are importing on that specific trip.No need for more than 1 carnet when you are the owner of the equipment.Prod.Companys in the Netherlands don't pay all the costs for your carnet!Just part of it (say 100,--euro) Make sure you put ALL the serialnumbers (even batteries etc...) in the applyform,KVK Amsterdam is very picky nowadays (I used to travel for years on the camera carnet with 'audio equipment,cables,headphones,recordingdevices';a no go anymore..)Regarding the Visa: If you are shooting ENG you will need a journalist visa ( see Mike's ordeal..) you yourself have to take care of this at the US consulate.The costs will have to be paid first by you (creditcard) and you charge production for these costs.(unlike the carnet which can be used to other,ATA,countries as well, this visa is needed for this trip and will be in your passport for a few years) But you can also travel on a 'waiver' (no visa:EU) ,go past emigration ,en use the carnet at customs....I never had customs ask for a visa ( not their task) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 If you try to work in the US (from Canada, in my case) and you do not have the proper visa (I-94, for journalists) and you get denied entrance, you will be denied entrance every time. So do it right the first time or you risk your career (working in the US, at least) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Boisvert Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 On the ATA carnet you put all the equipment you 'hypohetical' own/intend to use on various productions abroad,and on the export and import (and export import) form you fill in the items you are importing on that specific trip.No need for more than 1 carnet when you are the owner of the equipment. True, but just to add; when you first open your carnet, you need to have all the gear listed in your possession. So, if I've got a carnet with 30 items listed, but only need the first 20 for the first job, I shouldn't show up at the airport with only 20. I could go to a customs office a few days prior with all 30 items and get the carnet opened (the green page). Then on flight day, show up at customs with the 20 items needed, fill out the export form and indicate that I'm traveling only with numbers 1 to 20 in the appropriate box. Another way would be to show up on flight day with all 30 items and someone not flying with me. Once the carnet is opened, that someone leaves with items 21 to 30, leaving me with the 20 for my flight. It may seem a bit anal, but it's all about maximizing the possibility of a problem-free customs experience. In the end, of course, it's the customs agent who'll decide how good of a day you'll have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiro nakamura Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 I did 20 days shoot in the States last year. The client applied a business visa for me. It allowed me to carry gear in the States...cos the introduction letter written I was a crew for the documentary production shoot. Travelled domestic flight and international flight with security check points. No problem at all. By the way, I didn't get carnet tho. I didn't know what it was at the time. Hiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonetripper Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Definitely need a carnet, but depending on what country you are from would dictate your need for a visa. I've travelled to the states countless times as a Canadian for work and have never gotten a visa. For me the rule is that you use canadian 4 times in the sentence when dealing with customs. Working for a Canadian production company, being broadcast in canada, paid in Canadian money, and I'm canadian. Insert country for canada and most of the time most people will be good. The carnet is paramount IMO. If you can get the visa or there's enough time then it won't hurt to have. I've travelled tons to many places and as long as you have a carnet it should be good. However, country dependant when concerning USA. They are pretty tough on outside freelancers. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentine Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Ive also done it a lot (from Canada) and all I had was a carnet and a letter explaining that its for a Canadian broadcaster. Nobody has ever asked to see this letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Can I do the same if I go to Canada from the USA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchman Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Question is, is it worth the hassle of hauling your own gear over. Paying for me carnet, vs renting gear here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Well...Dennis, have you got your answer ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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