EB1 – Daniel – Film Editor/Screenwriter – UK

EB1 – Daniel – Film Editor / Screen Writer – UK

Clearing Every Obstacle to Achieve the American Dream – Screenwriter Daniel and his wife were already here in the United States on an E2 Visa when they approached us. With a desire to stay here on a more permanent basis, Daniel and his wife were delighted to know that he qualified for the EB1 Visa as he was indeed an Alien of Extraordinary Ability due to his work in the film industry. Daniel was an exceptional EB1 Green Card Client, as he combed through his experience in the film industry to gather the best evidence possible. Even after receiving an Notice of Intent to Deny “NOID,” Daniel remained steadfast as we worked together to overcome US Immigration’s requests for additional evidence and clarification of his work. In the end we were delighted to inform Daniel that he was approved!

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Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do

I’m from London and have worked in the film and television industry for over 10 years, as a screenwriter and film editor on a range of content from successful independent productions to lifestyle-entertainment television.

Film that Daniel Worked On

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way

The path hasn’t always been simple, and continues to throw up interesting opportunities and obstacles, like the EB1 visa process! But the easiest way to describe how I have reached this point is to say I held down a number of staff positions, television mostly, whilst pursuing independent work and exciting personal projects in my spare time. Not only did this provide me with financial security, but also a platform to network and meet like-minded and talented collaborators.

The biggest challenges I have faced are money, time and scheduling. In order to accomplish my goals it means that I had to be totally committed to time management. That involved carving out a space to create something fully knowing that you may have to make a few sacrifices along the way. It may not always work out, but if you keep plugging away things do come together eventually. Nevertheless, I do believe I have some way to go before I fulfill my potential.

Have you ever lived in the US before? If so, under what circumstances? If not, what aroused your interest in a move to the US?

My wife and I moved here initially on an E2 visa through the company she currently works for. We were attracted to the US by the fact we have a lot of close friends here, it was represented a change in scene, new challenges and something both of us have always wanted to do. Now was the time to do it!

The ASFF Festival the Daniel Attended

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

We had been looking at ways to make our current Visa status more flexible – for both of us – and after some extensive internet research we approached EB1 Attorney Chris Ingram for a consultation. Pursuing the EB1 Green Card process was their recommendation, and we are happy they suggested it!

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

I have to admit, I had my reservations about the EB1 Visa for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability. It felt too good to be true and I wasn’t sure I was actually qualified enough to apply, but the team from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram understood that sometimes it’s hard to ‘talk yourself up’ and think about yourself in a certain way. But once they broke it down into what we needed to do i.e. get this evidence or provide this letter, the process started to make sense. The way I kept framing the application was by repeating the statement, ‘just fulfill the EB1 categories.’ That’s it.

I think it’s fair to say that yes, the process is a difficult one, but not completely unmanageable.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?

Once we decided to go for it, my wife and I sat down and compiled a detailed list of literally everything and anything we thought could work for each of the three categories. This was the structure we built the case on, sharing our findings with the EB1 Lawyers and working on a plan of action.

One Shot Movie Competition

Most of the material I had access to. However, the challenging part came from tracking down content or press from events my work were screened at but I never attended personally. Stuff like this, and reaching out to old colleagues and collaborators, can feel overwhelming but was really backbone of my case. It required a lot of emailing, as well as patience. If you’ve done a nice job, people do reply. It can take time. It did take time, but I used this time to focus on other aspects of the application.

The biggest challenge came when we received an initial Notice of Intent to Deny “NOID” from USCIS, with a 30 day response time required. After all the hard work, we were crushed and a little lost and found ourselves asking, ‘what do we do now? We have no more evidence!’ Chris Ingram and his team were really supportive and told us not to get discouraged. They instead directed our focus to the key areas USCIS outlined as needing improvement and further clarification. We had the option to withdraw and refile or argue the case in 30 days. We chose the latter on Lindsey’s recommendation and scrambled to improve the case before the deadline. Ultimately, it was the right decision. The case was stronger for it and was approved shortly after.

What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?

It has always been very open. Whatever questions we had, no matter how small or silly, were always answered swiftly and thoughtfully. They were particularly great when we received our Notice of Intent to Deny “NOID”, effectively saying we are not losing this case! It made us feel supported and convinced it was still a possibility.

Australian Film Festival

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?

We received a phone call while on vacation in Sweden. Our initial reaction was, ‘we’ve been denied again.’ We’d never received a phone call that wasn’t pre-scheduled, and after our Notice of Intent to Deny “NOID”, we were really paranoid that a mistake had been made or a denial received. We couldn’t believe it when Lindsey said we had been approved. We celebrated with some bubbles.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?

We’re already here and love it, so we’re looking forward to staying longer and having more opportunities.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Our families and friends.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?

Don’t give up, especially if you receive a Notice of Intent to Deny “NOID”, and just focus on getting as much quality evidence as possible.

Select Your 3 EB1 Categories

Checkout these EB1 green card categories below. If you can satisfy three categories, then you may just qualify for your green card. Good luck.

EB1 – Green Card – Checklist Summary

EB1 – One Time International Award

EB1 – Visa Award Nomination or Win

EB1 – Invited Memberships

EB1 – Publications About You

EB1 – Participation on Judging Panel

EB1 – Innovation or Invention

EB1 – Published Scholarly Articles

B1 – Exhibitions and Showcases

EB1 – Leading or Critical Roles

EB1 – High Salary or Remuneration

EB1 – Commercial Success in Arts

EB1 – Ok Let’s Get Started

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
401 Wilshire Boulevard, 12th Floor,
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292

Specializing in the E2 Visa, EB1 Green Card, L-1A Visa and O1 Visa and K1 Visa Marriage-Based Immigration. Attorney Chris M. Ingram is dedicated to providing the very best in US Immigration legal representation. Enjoy our website.

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