help me please: how to work in LA area my name is mattia, i'm a native italian but i am living since 1999 in madrid (spain). i think that i'll get in LA area, around spring 2010. my intention: a one-year experience, because i will sign in to a cinema relationed course. i will live in a shared flat or a cheap apartament. the only certain thing i know is that i will do some extra and tv jobs. but i will need to do a temporary or definitive job, specially in my first period. i can take in consideration a basic job, as pizza-shop employer, but everything could happen, i don't know what i will find. my question: as a not US native, which basic documentation i have to bring for working in LA area? what i have: 1)the european union passport; 2) the USA passport(it will be ready soon); 3) the documents that will explains that i am a spanish official resident. Also i have the degree of the italian fine arts academy where i had study, and his corrispective spanish translation. I HAVE NOT REALIZED, at the moment, any english test like TOEFL or similar, because i don't know if it represents a basic requirement for working. and i have not idea if i should realize other obligatory US documents (assurance, sanity questions, etc.). so please, i hope that someone serious and clear could be answer to my questions about the basic documentation and requirements to me in LA.

US jobs You are lucky if you have a US passport, which means you can do any job. You should speak to the officer at the school where you will be enrolled who is responsible for international students and can direct you do possible jobs. The US is not as formalized as Europe, so it is more important to be able to speak or write good English than it is simply to have the offcial language certification, although that helps a little. Be absolutely sure to write "Eligible to work for any employer in the United States" at the bottom of your CV/resume as soon as you have the US passport, and in the meantime write "US work authorization expected by XX/2009."

I think you need some sort of student visa.

wouldn't need a visa with a US passport Being the holder of a US passport means they have all the same rights as any US citizen - no need for a visa to be able to live or work here.

ok, but... what is a visa? what is in other words a visa? the only visa i know is the credit card and i think that isn't the same thing (i hope my english are enough correct)

a visa is a document you get from the govt of a country giving you the right to visit their country - it sets out whether you can work or study there But you said you were waiting on a USA passport so I assume one or both of your parents is a US citizen? If you have a valid USA passport then you don't need a Visa from the USA govt to visit the USA

i have not US parents i have not parents from US, but here in madrid the citizens' main office said to me by phone that it is enough that i get to the madrid' italian consulate with the green sheet (i have yet) who testify that i am a spanish official resident, and my US passport may be available without complications. the only sure thing to me is that US could offer more opportunities in general than spain, who at the moment is in a very bad situation, specially with the job market. of course i know US are not cheap and it is very competitive. at the moment i have around a 6000 euros keeped in my bank account, who does not grow more since months because there is not job. i hope this money could represent to me a pillow for surviving in LA specially in the first period. i couldn't pretend a great lifestyle in LA, for this reason i am looking for a shared flat. i had study fine arts and is it not easy to sell paintings for a living despite i have contacts with galleries. now i am realizing short films and i know in LA there is a lot of filmakers. sorry for the long message, today i have time to write and all informations to me about LA are welcome

you have obviously misunderstood something ONLY US citizens may hold a USA passport. Perhaps it is a VISA you are waiting on, which will give you the right to visit the USA. Whether you even have the right to work in the USA is debatable at this point.

here they it the US passport here i have just asked for the "passport for the US", or "the basic and necessary document to go in the US", and in the consulate have answered: "of course, the passport for US", and now i am waiting for it... i am really sorry to have created confusion in this forum! moreover in my last post i have talked about personal things like the money i keep (!). it was just because i have a last question, but probably this forum isn't the rightest place where put it. the question is: someone knows if in LA area there is a cheap cinema school? for example, here in madrid exist the "madrid' citizens community cinema school". maybe exists something similar in LA. something cheap but international and open for all levels students. most of the LA cinema school courses i know costs more than 7000 dollars. that's all and i promise to desappear now