EB1 Green Card – This is Declan’s Green Card Story

We are delighted to celebrate the successful green card application for our client Declan.   Declan came to us looking for a way to stay in the US beyond his Broadway run in a hit show. After much discussion reviewing Declan’s role in the show and his career to date I decided that he would make an ideal candidate for what is called an EB1 green card.

In a nutshell, if you are at the top of your profession (any profession or sport in fact) US Immigration is very keen to allow you to stay permanently in the US as you will benefit the US economy. US Industry wants to be unfettered to hire the best of the best from around the world. US Immigration call these people ‘Aliens of Extraordinary Ability’.  For non-permanent assignments these aliens would apply for an O1 visa and for permanent assignments we’d need to apply for the EB1 green card.  Declan already had an O1 and now wanted to stay permanently.

I don’t know why he did not go back to the same attorney who got him the O1, but for some reason he was drawn to talk to us.  I think when I asked him he said that it was because our firm was British lead, although based in the US, and because our website was packed with detailed easy to understand information on the subject too. I had several great conversations with Declan and we agreed we’d fight for the green card together. I say together because we very much believe in the working as a team with our clients. We coach them in getting us the best information possible, we review it and develop what we hope will be a winning legal argument. Although we don’t go to immigration court per se we have to prepare the case with legal argument as if we were going to court on trial. Legal arguments and decisions will be made to decide the case.

After working with Declan for a few months, Declan said he had to go back to England for some engagements. We immediately advised him that since his case had by that time been filed he could not just up and leave but instead had to go through a legal procedure to request permission to leave. The process was to apply for a ‘Travel Document’. This document let’s US Immigration know the reason why you are traveling and that you are indeed coming back and not just abandoning your case. So we got this paperwork filed which was approved just in the nick of time. As a word of caution – if you ever think that you might need to travel back to your home country during a lengthy green card application then it makes sense to file for a Travel Document with your green card application.

In due course Declan was called in for his Biometrics interview which is basically, a finger printing and photograph exercise, then a few weeks later Declan’s work permit was approved. The work permit allows the alien to work while their green card is being processed.

After about 8 months we got the great news that Declan’s green card was approved. I have to say that our office was overjoyed and we did celebrate our client’s success. Our client now has his green card to live and work in the US for life, this is awesome and this is what motivates us every day to do the best job we can.  From filing the case in May to getting the green card approved in September it only took four months. Typically, a case like this would take 9-12 months, so Declan was very fortunate.

Now, all I need is tickets to his next show!

Entertainment Success Stories
O1 Visa – Daniel – Annimation Department
EB1 Green Card – Declan – Entertainer

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Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

US Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
Chris M. Ingram LL.M., ESQ – Immigration Attorney
Admitted in New York.
Practice Specializing in US Immigration Law
520 Broadway, Suite 350,
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292

 Everyday the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram provides a comprehensive range of US Immigration expertise. We also provide a free consultation for our prospective clients.

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