EB1 Green Card, NIW and O1 Visa – Success Stories and Approvals Gallery

Intent on promoting change within her community, Meghna pursued her graduate education and eventually became a national leader in the fight for social justice and to end gender violence. After receiving many accolades and accomplishments, she turned to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to assist in her immigration journey. Today, she continues her career as a Social Justice Consultant and advocates for a better world. Learn more about Dr. Meghna’s experiences and how she navigated her immigration experience during a global pandemic.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am a first-generation immigrant from India and have been living in the USA for the past 18 years. I arrived in the US first as a graduate student and completed my M.S. and PhD in the social sciences field. Currently, I am an experienced and successful national gender and social justice consultant, scholar, training specialist, and storyteller with about 18 years of diverse work experience in research, trainings, campus, and community programs. My work entails developing and facilitating interactive workshops and trainings for communities and organizations geared towards preventing and ending gender violence and other forms of social injustice. I have been invited to present my research and provide my expertise and insights at many statewide conferences and global panels.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
Growing up in India, I always wondered what it must be like to study and live in the US and personally realized how the educational system and learning approaches were a much better fit for me. It helped me recognize my strengths, utilize excellent learning opportunities, and meet and interact with people across all cultures. I learned how to live independently, work hard, pay rent, and recognize my privileges. The range of creative and wonderful opportunities to pursue my dreams in non-traditional, unique careers like mine is what made me stay in the US.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
After living in the US on an international student visa and then a spouse dependent work visa (H4) for many years, a couple of friends who had gotten their permanent residency through EB1 motivated us to talk to lawyers and see if I would be eligible to qualify for an EB1-A permanent residency. I knew I had worked really hard and am proud to have come such a long way with many accomplishments and critical role experiences. I believed I could be eligible but wasn’t sure since it was so competitive. Then my husband and I reached out to The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram inquiring about my eligibility and they told me I was qualified and should definitely consider applying for EB1-A petition. I knew with the EB1A- category, I would have more flexibility to continue working as a consultant and training specialist in the social justice field, thus creating ongoing positive social change in our communities.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I started out the EB1A process with the Ingram team in March/April 2020 when I had just started a new job and the COVID lockdown began. The first intake meeting with Diana was very reassuring and thorough and we were glad to hear that I was eligible to apply for EB1A petition with 3-4 categories and they would do their best to ensure my success. But with a new job and constant exhaustion from being on the computer, it took me a long time to start the paperwork on my end in 2020. M. Faizaan, a new caseworker assigned for our case in early 2021, worked really hard to motivate me to prepare the documents. Because of the hurdles that came with the pandemic, we had quite a few case workers changed for our case which was confusing for us. But each of our case workers Faizaan, Praveen and Arushi were very efficient and did their best in their contributions. What impressed us the most was when I received a RFE in June this year and Adriana Verduga went beyond her role to present excellent and compelling evidence to respond to the RFE. I received an approval this October 2022 and we are finally relieved and excited that I got approved! Besides the hiccups in this uphill tedious immigration paperwork preparation, we found Adriana, Annie and the team patient and easy to work with. I thank them and Mr. Ingram for believing in my accomplishments.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
Since my career expertise and accomplishments is rare and unique especially among other EB1 candidates who are professors, STEM professionals, business entrepreneurs, artists etc., I wasn’t sure how the lawyers would present my categories and prepare my arguments. It was a new learning experience for them and us — which needed a lot of patience and faith in demonstrating the significance of my work. The tedious process and paperwork to present my unique work accomplishments in a language so that USCIS can understand the scope and significance of my extraordinary accomplishments was what was most challenging for our lawyer’s team, especially when preparing the Critical roles category and then for the RFE. Since I worked mainly for state coalitions and organizations who are non-profits, it was difficult to explain the scope of my critical role and its significance to the USA, especially when the assessments of economic impacts looks different across other industries. I was also unable to find independent experts to write their letters from third party agencies, because they had not worked closely with experts in my industry, which was frustrating. I ended up finding an independent expert myself from my field, who agreed to write the letter. But while preparing a response to my RFE, Adriana thoroughly did her research and provided excellent evidence and prepared the response that was easy to understand and was approved.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I just could not believe what I was reading when I checked the status on the USCIS website! I was working in a cafe and had to tell my husband to check online to see if I was imagining or dreaming. But when we both checked online- we were beyond excited and shocked! I then called our lawyer to check online and she too congratulated us while advising us to wait for the approval notice. Waiting for the approval receipt notice in the mail felt like ages. When the approval receipt came in the mail we informed our families in India and our close friends in the US who were rooting for us. We celebrated a few times with ice cream and dinner. It still feels surreal that I was approved! We hope to celebrate again with our families in India when we get our travel authorization next year. I am hoping with the approval of my case, I can pave the way for potential accomplished and exceptional candidates and future generations in similar unique careers and fields to feel inspired to apply and get approved for this green card category!
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
During my EB1A preparation process, we already had recommended our friend– a professor from Stanford University to your firm. Despite the uphill struggles due to the unique nature of my career, the hiccups and change of case workers due to the pandemic, we definitely overall had a pleasant experience working with the firm. We truly appreciated each of the case workers’ meticulous and detailed prep and research, especially Mr. Ingram, Adriana V and the manager Annie Mishra’s efforts in turning our EB1A RFE into an approval. We would continue recommending your firm to our family and friends! Thank you again for believing in me!
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

No Second Thoughts for Payments and Commerce Architect BK – Working with top tier firms in a variety of industries has always been a personal goal for Bharath. He always aimed for the very best and when he decided to move to the USA, he took steps to ensure his future and that of his family’s was secure. Working with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, Bharath had an entire team rooting for his success, and when he faced setbacks, they answered the call and guided him through his immigration journey.
}Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
My native place is Chennai, which is the 4th largest metro city in India. After graduating in engineering in India, I migrated to the USA for work. As a hands on technologist, I had an opportunity to work with several industry areas like banking, financial services and insurance for some of the top tier firms. Over time, with experience, I was able to acquire critical roles (primarily within engineering and architecture domains) with large firms. In the last few years, I have been focused on building expertise around payments & commerce architecture and building modern & secure platforms using Digital modernization (AI & Cloud). On the education front, I received my Master’s in Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in 2009-2010 through the executive education program.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
As they say, live your dream in America. To me, this is a land of vast opportunities and I always wanted to tap into that. Living and working in the NYC metropolitan area, there are no second thoughts about other market choices. Coming to America exceeded my personal goals. I always wanted both my sons (they both are teens now) to graduate and make a living here, given the range of opportunities that are offered here. In my personal opinion, this land is the default choice for ‘A +‘ grade entrepreneurs, experienced professionals and students.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
My visa choice was EB1 – Extraordinary ability. After many years in H1B and having to catch up on priority dates, I realized that the waiting game (over 12 to 15 years) limited one’s career growth, travel options and can impact not just the individual but also their child’s future (if they are not born here). There are few options to get around this problem, but in 2018-2019, I received a flyer from Chris Ingram’s team which busted the myth that EB1-A Extraordinary ability was reserved only for research scholars, and Oscar award nominees. I learned that those with STEM experience & qualified professionals with similar skills and backgrounds had success as well. However, it motivated and reinforced my belief to consider the EB1A option.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
When I look back, the journey with Chris Ingram’s team was rewarding to say the least. Over time (close to 3 years, including refiling), I had the pleasure of working closely with multiple case workers during this period. It was never surprising to get regular weekly updates, case status reports, pending items, and advice about our future steps from the Ingram team which kept me on my toes. I also received extended support from the team, which included both ad hoc meetings with at least a day’s notice, and scheduled meetings with case workers to address my query, in addition to my email exchange with the team working on my case. On my re-filing, I was 100% confident that this time I would be lucky and would get approved, given the quality work that we had done to capture the evidence, and build a strong case.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
One of the major challenges was collecting all the necessary evidence, for all the categories and for the final merits, to solidify the case and creating a winning document. To start with, it felt like climbing uphill to meet different category requirements. As I started working on my case with the team assigned to me, we tackled one category at a time. This involved capturing evidence and finding and addressing any gaps.
During this year, I switched jobs and lost one to two critical awards that I was recognized for with my previous employment. My journey was not straight forward like other testimonials that I see with EB1A clients. I was denied on the first filing, 2020-2021, approved on 2 categories, but an RFE was raised on the third, but finally got denied. I was frustrated to say the least, and was low on confidence to file again. I was fortunate to work with case worker, Andrea Morales, and attorney Camille. We discussed areas where I could recoup and do better next time. I was guided with clear directions. I again worked for six months to collect all new evidence to file my case. I was lucky this time. My special thanks goes out to my case worker Andrea and attorney Camille for taking me to the finish line.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was early morning 8 AM when I received the approval email (EB1A). I was about to start work. I was speechless for a moment, I rushed to my wife to share this news, which I later shared with my two sons. Getting a green card through EB1A was a dream, and to finally see this come true was an amazing experience. We went for a lavish dinner, and later celebrated with a long drive on the road.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
To me, many of my peers and co-workers are in the EB2 category, waiting for their priority dates to be concurrent. EB1A self-filing is a blessing for many, if an individual is ready to put extra effort and work with specialists and attorneys. To me, self belief and hard work matters, along with the element of luck. In my opinion, if you are with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, you are in safe hands as they have the expert knowledge and skilled workforce to win the case! I would definitely recommend The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to my friends and co-workers to benefit from!
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Changing the game: Architect Hoang used his skills to create dazzling displays of art using bamboo toothpicks. Intent on bringing his skills to the global stage and showcasing his magnificent creations, he began his journey to acquire an EB1 visa and consulted the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
Hello, I’m Long Hoang Tuan, a MSc. Architect who has more than 20 years of expertise in the Architecture and Design field. Throughout my professional years, I took on many roles from Head of Design to Head of Planning and Landscaping at different real estate development corporations and dedicated most of my time and knowledge to work on many housing and landscape development projects for both public and private entities. In 2012, I started to create a new art form branded BOARC, which had a new approach to Vietnamese handicraft art. The concept consisted of a combination of laser cutting technology and authentic Vietnamese material – Giant bamboo toothpick – to form an artwork. BOARC is an abbreviation from BO = Bamboo, Arc = Acrylic, Art or Architecture.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
The United States is considered the center of art in the world where new technologies are applied to art practices and its development is always at the top of the globe.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I consulted with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and decided to pursue an EB1.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
It was a very wonderful experience. They did a great job. It is clear the caseworkers are dedicated, professional and enthusiastic.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
There was a slight hiccup when USCIS asked for Evidence. But with experience, Chris’ lawyer addressed this issue, provided ample explanation and succeeded.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was a very happy moment, I am happy that my efforts and the legal team have been successful.I have started to create some artwork to celebrate.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Of course, I will recommend friends to Chris.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Multi-Cloud Architect: From a QA tester to Architect, Sathish initially did not think the EB1 visa was right for him. However, after speaking with an intake specialist and learning more about the process from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, he decided to pursue an EB1 visa. While the process was daunting, Sathish ultimately received the outcome he wanted.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am an Infrastructure Architect working for Amazon Web Services. I specialize in Security & Networking.  I started my career as a software QA Engineer in India way back in 2008. I moved to the US in 2011 and have since been involved in various digital transformation & Cloud Migration for large enterprises. I am an insightful and dedicated Multi-Cloud Architect. My primary focus is setting up a well architected framework for large enterprise customers with a focus on security, reliability, performance, sustainability, operational efficiency and cost optimization.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
I moved to the US in 2011 and I was amazed by the opportunities offered in the field of Information Technology. As a person who started my journey as a QA Tester, I could not thank the USA for giving me the opportunity to grow as an Architect. This country offers opportunities to develop new skills and scale yourself as a leader in any area you aspire for. This passion is what drove me to look for permanent residency options.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
Just like millions of my fellow Indians who work in IT, I was also stuck in the EB2 Visa backlog. My Priority date was December 2015 and I did have a slight ray of hope when the dates progressed to Jan 2015 in 2021. I was hoping my dates will be current & I had great hope that I would be able to get my GC by 2023. But I was disappointed when the EB2 dates retrogressed to 2012. With lot of churns and layoffs happening in the tech industry in 2023, I was looking for a way to overcome all these H1 dependencies & visa sponsorship. I was trying to work with Chris Ingram for EB1 case for my spouse, who is a Bharatanatyam dancer. I got a chance to talk to one of the intake professionals during my spouse’s case intro & she asked me to explore the possibility of EB1 for myself. Until then, I did not know of any convincing reason to apply in EB1. I am thankful to Chris Ingram’s team for providing the opportunity to explore the EB1 visa.

How would you describe your experience in working with us?
When I started working with the caseworkers, I did not have any idea about EB1. I wanted to target at least 5 categories & I did not qualify for any one of them when I started. It took a solid 10 months to a year to build my profile for the EB1. Chris Ingram and his team guided me for judging and scholarly articles. I was able to build my profile with six Categories at the end of 10 months. Thanks a lot for Andrea Morales & Eileen for helping me to build a profile. Patience was the key ingredient in achieving this success. I was impatient at times. But the case workers helped in guiding me with the right evidence at every stage of my case.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
The biggest challenge was in getting the Published materials about you. Initially, I got some media coverage, but the circulation numbers were not satisfactory & then I had to rework after the case had been compiled. But the caseworkers helped me to overcome this challenge & helped in compiling the case with the best evidence for submission. Also I had some challenges in compiling the final merits. I ensured that I added evidence for at least six categories for the final merits. Collecting the evidence for the membership was also a little challenging, as USCIS had a very specific criteria for establishing the evidence for Membership.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I was very excited when I received the approval email from USCIS. I remember it was a Thursday afternoon & I just came out of a very long customer meeting. I was casually browsing some of the emails & the approval email from USCIS took me to the moon. Finally, a year of hard work and effort paid rich dividends.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Yes, I would definitely recommend the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.  I have already advised my friends to take the advice of this law firm since they have a winning template for acquiring an EB1 – visa. They help you to evaluate your profile & customize it in such a way that you will be able to win your EB1.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Success in the Semiconductor Industry: As an established professional, Karthik works in one of the leading industries of the 21st Century. With that in mind, Karthik wanted a better option for acquiring his visa. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram worked with Karthik to secure his dream of living in America.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
Hello, I am Karthik from New Delhi, India. I am currently living in California with my family and work as a Director in one of the leading Semiconductor equipment manufacturers in world.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?I wanted to continue living in America for many reasons. My kids are being raised here and I consider America to be a land of great opportunities and career progression.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I already had a EB2 Visa approved from multiple employers, however the priority date as we all know is not moving at all. So, since I had always considered myself eligible for EB1A, I requested an evaluation and contacted the Law Offices of Chris. M. Ingram.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I would regard the experience as being positive. I would like to thank my entire team including Rolando, Adriana, Judith, Gladys & Victoria for all the help.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
The challenges mainly were related to scholarly articles and getting them published in reputable peer reviewed journals.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
One evening I got a text about my approval and was quite thrilled when I checked the status of my case and saw it was approved.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Yes, I would recommend my prospective friends who are highly qualified and eligible but are affected by the current backlog.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Digital Accessibility Specialist: As our reliance on the internet continues to grow, there comes a need to ensure our platforms are accessible to everyone. That’s where Poornima comes in. Her role as a Digital Accessibility Specialist ensures that digital content is ADA friendly and accessible to as many people as possible. Read more to find out about her EB1 Journey!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
My native place is Madurai, a southern region town in India. By profession, I am a Digital accessibility specialist and subject matter expert. I have 12+ years experience working for various industry clients and organizations. My role focuses on implementing digital accessibility standards for the digital assets including websites, mobile apps, documents to make it accessible for everyone including people with disabilities and ensuring the digital content is in accordance with ADA compliance standards.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
We moved from India to America in 2012. Before moving to America, my spouse and I had been to other parts of the world for short term company ventures.  America proved that it is a land of opportunities for skilled people. We love the places, infrastructure, opportunities, and the finest lifestyle it has to offer. This made us consider staying longer than expected to the point of settling here in America. I also personally like the fact that the diverse culture and heritage are valued to a great extent.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I had chosen EB1- Extraordinary ability visa. Like many others, my experience was related to IT industry. However, I had a strong feeling that my role was unique in the digital space since my work involves designing and developing inclusive digital assets that are accessible for everyone. I was looking for an attorney who could help me find out the eligibility for my competencies towards the EB1 visa category. Fortunately, I found The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram online and started with a short consultation which gave me satisfying feedback and confidence to proceed further with my application.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
Excellent! The attorneys and case workers I worked with had shown great professionalism with their winning and worthy advice on each and every category of EB1, prompt feedbacks on each of my milestones, and transparency in sharing the current trends and what can be expected. I am thankful to all my case workers including Samuel, Adriana, Sabrina, and Judith for carefully and thoroughly reviewing and offering feedback to make my application stronger to satisfy the categories.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
I would say my career space and some of the undertakings throughout my career helped a little to start with my application. However, it took around 1.5 years of my immigration journey to work on achieving each and every milestone. The efforts I took throughout these years were valuable and at the same time tiresome with sleepless nights to make sure that I focused on working for the categories along with my office and home routines. There were challenges in gathering documents almost for all the categories and for final merits as well, if I can point out couple of them, it would be articles publishing and invited membership.

Eager to seize a good opportunity, Dr. Rashmi recognized the value of her own achievements and sought out an EB1 visa. Working with The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, the system director found success in the land of opportunities.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am from India. I am a PT by background but work as a System Director/multi hospital administrator for Value-Based Medical services, UHS where I oversee 5 hospitals and 30 plus clinics within the system.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
This is truly a land of freedom. I believe its a secular and multicultural environment where I can be myself and my family can choose to live the life they wish to. It is the land of opportunities. If you work hard you can achieve your dreams.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I was on an H1B visa and because I felt that I had good professional achievements, I choose to apply for EB1 green card category.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
The friendly staff at the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram kept me positive, gave me hope and reassured me that there is light at the end of the tunnel and it is possible to get what I deserve when I have worked hard. Email responses were quick and my questions were always answered.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was resting and watching tv. I cried out of happiness. Me and my husband then let our parents know the good news and we celebrated with our daughter.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Yes absolutely. I think this firm has the versatile skill of helping clients through what is needed and showing them the way to make things happen.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

As an IT specialist, Ashish has worked in numerous fields bringing innovation to a variety of industries. His passion for his field has resulted in a successful career. Eventually, Ashish contacted the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to acquire his EB1 Visa.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am an Indian-born Australian Citizen. I have around 25 years of IT, Data, Cloud, and AI experience. I built solutions that help companies implement systems built on the Cloud. I have developed IT solutions for well-established industries in the US and across the world within different industries including Health Care, Consumer Services, Telecommunications, Utilities, Banking, and Insurance as well as Research and Development.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
I am passionate about IT and technology in general and have made a mark in this field. I wanted to take up a new opportunity and a new challenge in life. When I got here, I realized that the United States is very technologically advanced and I could truly make a difference in the field of technology in this great country. I am on my continued path to grow as an IT professional in the US (truly the land where dreams come true).
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I have made strong contributions in several critical roles within IT/Technology. Hence, I believed that I had strong credentials for the EB-1 category and so I reached out to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to understand the requirements.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
It was a great experience working with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. Each of the attorneys and the admin staff that I worked with was very thorough and highly knowledgeable. My case worker, Jackie Iffie, was always available to answer any of my questions via email or phone call. Throughout the process, she guided me on what was required and if I was missing anything. I highly recommend the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
I learned that putting together documents of evidence requires patience and time. It also required constant guidance from the team. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram helped me navigate all of these challenges.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
When I checked my status online, I received the best news ever. It was an indescribable feeling. It was a moment of great happiness for me and my family. We celebrated by dining out with family and friends. I am very grateful and thankful every day.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
I highly recommend the Law Offices of Mr. Chris M. Ingram. I have already shared his details with some of my friends. The team is very knowledgeable and hard-working.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

A desire to be at the forefront in his business studies drew Riaz to the United States of America and his ambition to remain at the leading edge in his career caused him to look into all possible visa options open to him.  Intensive research led Riaz to the experienced doors of the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram with no regrets.  Please read on as Riaz shares with us his personal journey to success.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I’m originally from India but grew up in Oman and Dubai. I work as Head of Data, Products and Infrastructure in the banking industry.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
Attracted by some of the top business schools in the world, I moved here around 12 years ago to do my MBA.  After completing my MBA, being in the US working in technology and financial services in New York afforded me the opportunity to be at the leading edge in both of these domains.

What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I was originally on a H1B and then tried the EB2 process to obtain a green card through my employers. This was such a lengthy process I decided to look into other options and chose the EB1 with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
Right from the get go when I spoke with Diana she was incredible and instilled confidence in me that it was possible. Sometimes that’s the hardest part! Diana also facilitated the intake/assessment process. I worked closely with Judith as my account manager and she was phenomenally patient, understanding, knowledgeable and assisted me with all the templates I needed to meet all the criteria for the different categories.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
Reaching out to folks that I worked with, getting letters of recommendation and establishing critical roles took a lot longer than I expected. It took months! Sometimes people were travelling or just busy.  There were many events I was involved in where I was serving as a speaker and/or judge, but it was difficult and time consuming to get the confirmation that I had done so in retrospect.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was in an Uber with one of my oldest friends in life when I found out my Adjustment of Status had been approved.  We were on our way to the airport to go on a camping vacation at Yosemite National Park so it turned into a double celebration of life!
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Absolutely! In fact I have already recommended the Law Offices of Chris Ingram to over 40 – 50 people. Why? Because it’s a very challenging process and the burden of proof is on you to prove you qualify.  The team are very experienced and have done it over and over and you need them to guide you through the whole process.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Ambar’s family settled in the United States and encouraged him to return. As a software engineer and tech entrepreneur, he propelled to the heights of success which allowed him to apply for an EB1 Visa. Working with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, Ambar was able to navigate the immigration process with confidence.

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

I am from Madhya Pradesh, India, and I am a software engineer by profession. I have also been a tech entrepreneur in India for over a decade.

Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?

My eldest son was born here (thus a US citizen by birth) though I took him back to India. Later my youngest brother also came here and rose in his career as a manager in a reputed organization. My son, wife, and brother wanted me back in the USA. I aimed to settle in America to give my family a better life and to reach greater heights in my career. The United States is better due to its quality of life and the respect I get in my profession.

What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?

EB1A was the visa of my choice because I had lots of credentials that matched the requirements of this highly coveted visa.

How would you describe your experience in working with us?

My experience with your firm has been very fulfilling. The confidence that your team gave me from the beginning was instrumental in going through this arduous journey.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
While I worked in the USA, I had to dig through much of my achievement history from the documents I had in India. Since more people were noticing my research, I waited until I felt I had the necessary attention from prominent institutes/folks in the field and online media before completing this process.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was evening, and I was shopping to prepare for an upcoming out-of-state business travel. I received the EB1A approval notification on my mobile app. I immediately pinged my case folks, Mary and Amy, for a cross-confirmation. Trust me, I was in awe and blown away for the next few days until I received the USCIS on-paper approval notice. I celebrated the news with my family including my brother and mom, who originally inspired me to pursue this path.

Would you recommend your family and friends and why?

Yes. I recommend your law firm, as I find your approach very sensible. With my experience, I can vouch for your immense expertise/specialization in the EB1 visa category, which has helped me to cross the bridge and can similarly help other deserving candidates.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Success in Cybersecurity: Shankar is a successful Vice President of Cybersecurity Engineering who knew that America was where his career could thrive. He reached out to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to make that dream a reality.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am from India. I primarily work in Cybersecurity securing organizations across the globe by contributing to better cyber practices and improving posture.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
I always wanted to work in Cybersecurity, and America was one of the major innovation hubs for this sector. I came here as a student to study and learn more. This opportunity translated to working for one of the big banks, and then I realized how I could apply what I learned and innovate better. Now, as a seasoned professional I feel there is tremendous opportunity in the space.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
When I did switch to my first job in the US, I had an H1B visa. As I spoke to my friends and colleagues I realized that I might qualify for EB1 but I think I really needed someone who was qualified to tell me and advise me better. I turned to Law offices of Chris M. Ingram and I feel extremely happy that I did.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I think it was a great experience; the guidance I obtained from the step-by-step walkthrough, and using the portal made working very easy. I feel as though I am moving through a very organized system thus making it very easy to navigate and understand. Working with Sanjay, Annie, Judith, Terri, Eileen, Gladys and Victoria has been great, all of them did their part to help with this case. I especially want to acknowledge Sanjay, my case worker, who made every effort to be available when I needed to speak with him.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
I received an RFE but decided to refile. I think this goes back to believing in yourself, and having trust in the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram on how well the case is built. I decided that refiling was the best course of action.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I think this was a fantastic moment. It was the 23rd of December, 2 days before Christmas, and there was a snow storm all over the country. I was playing with my 2-year-old, and then he said my phone chimed and got me the phone. I had just had a conversation with my wife, telling her that I did not expect my case to move forward until the New Year. Then my son got me the phone, and when I read it I was ecstatic. It was a magical moment. I had to read it many times to convince myself it was real. Afterwards, we celebrated it with a delicious dinner.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Absolutely, I never thought I would be applying for an EB1 and always thought it was meant only for someone who won the Olympics; I never thought this would be reachable. I am thankful for the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram for instilling confidence that I could do it, and also for the meticulous preparation that made it successful.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

A desire to elevate himself and to reach greater heights in his career motivated Kartik to continue his semiconductor career in the United States. After trying other visa opportunities and being unhappy with the lengthy delays and wait times, the Head of Engineering turned to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to seek another path to achieving his goals. Together we worked tirelessly to secure his EB1.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I am originally from India where I completed my early schooling and bachelors degree. I was one of the first to venture out to try and gain more exposure from globalization. Since I was very motivated to pursue my studies in the United States I moved here and finished my Masters in Microelectronics Engineering focused on semiconductor fabrication and technology.  From there on, I have been involved in the semiconductor manufacturing & supply chain sector and I am currently as the Head of Engineering for a semiconductor supply chain organization. I am responsible for leadership, management, directing the supply chain operations, automation and technology research.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
Semiconductors are the brains of contemporary electronics, allowing innovations crucial to economic development, national security, and worldwide competition. Semiconductors have fueled developments in communications, computers, health care, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and a plethora of other fields. Being able to serve and thrive in the semiconductor ecosystem is what the United States has enabled for me, driving cutting edge improvements in the field of technology. One key note on America — you are valued and recognized for your hard work and efforts and you are able to truly advance yourself to higher echelons of the organization.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I already have an EB-2 approved. However, for a country like India, the wait time is over a decade. With no changes happening to current green card laws and with huge backlogs I fundamentally believed that my credentials were worth reviewing for the Outstanding Talent (EB1) category Green Card. That’s when I started looking for other options. Given my credentials I contacted the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram about the possibility of an EB1 Filing. The assessment came through and the Ingram team determined that I easily qualified for the EB1 category.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I have a great working relationship with Chris and his team. Chris understands the entire immigration and legal processes and explains everything clearly. Adriana and Rolando have been managing most of my case and know every word of immigration law like the back of their hands. Adriana was easily accessible by phone and email to address all of my questions. Asli Levison provided me with an honest assessment of what was accessible and what had to be obtained for my situation during the initial phone conversation. They have the ability to emphasize my accomplishments in ways that I had not previously considered. Every discussion we had after that was in keeping with that approach, and any adjustments were supporting the initial strategy for my EB1 application.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
This was the moment for me to fit all the puzzle pieces together when it came to satisfying the requirements of the different categories. There were days when I was ecstatic because I had found all of the necessary papers for a specific category, and days when I couldn’t even find the ones I sought. I ended up exploring different approaches, and in some cases working to retrieve the case’s missing components. This meant that my evenings, nights, and weekends were all taken up with work. I was able to have the necessary stuff in place on time because my wife was very supportive of my efforts.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was at work when I received a text message informing me that there had been an update on my case. I checked my inbox and discovered that my case had been approved. I quickly called my wife to let her know about the fantastic results. We were both overjoyed that our efforts had paid off. My wife and I celebrated the rest of the day at home.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
In my opinion, Chris and his colleagues have a great understanding of immigration problems and the ability to get the job done properly. I would recommend Chris M Ingram’s law practice to anyone who is serious about their case and getting results.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

As with so many activities in life, things can seem quite daunting when you first consider them. Project Director Anjaneya was no exception when it came to applying for an EB1 visa; there was a lot of work ahead of him. However, as he explains below, having the assistance of the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram made all the difference in the world.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I grew up in India and moved to New Zealand in 1999.  I graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from India. In New Zealand, I obtained a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Auckland. Currently, I am working as a Project Director with extensive experience in leading expert-level projects on time. I am passionate about social impact and using business as a tool for positive change. As Project Director of a $120 million (NZD) housing project, the main focus has been to replace the traditional timber framing with a rapid construction methodology. I am also working on a greenfield project of a 50MW solar and wind Hybrid power plant.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
As a scholar and executive, I have been  actively engaged in identifying and developing innovation and new technologies in support of ongoing and new forest-based economic development activities, evident through my work over the years. My aim is to leave a legacy that others can benefit from and build upon. In addition to having access to the thriving environment that the US has consistently provided for the possibilities created by the richness and freedom of its society.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
After my initial meeting with Karol, I firmly believed that I had the credentials and qualifications for the EB1 category.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I had an amazing caseworker, Camille who patiently heard all my queries and provided all the answers. I have built a very strong professional relationship with Chris’ team, and I thank them for their efforts to lead me to obtain the EB1 approval.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
Initially, I thought it would be difficult to collect all documentation (about 400 to 500 pages). However, I started to collect all that was required in sequential order and once I began to work on it, I found it was very easy.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I received a phone call from Camille at 3 AM New Zealand Time about the outcome of my EB1 Application.  I was so elated I didn’t mind the early morning call!
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Yes, this is a highly experienced team. A 5-star rating.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Sachin worked hard on his masters degree. He worked equally hard on his career; advancing from structural engineer to a Departmental Manager then finally returning back to his digital passion.  Then Sachin waited.  He waited some more.  The firm he worked for had filed his visa application and ten years of patience resulted in annual extensions on his visa status and an expensive toll on his bank account.  Sachin then decided enough was enough and his research lead him to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and finally a green card.  Sometimes impatience is a virtue!  Read on for another inspiring success story.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m from Mumbai, India and I work for an oil and gas company in the US as a Digital Project Lead.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way?
I did my masters in Texas. I started off as a structural engineer and made my way up to Departmental Manager. Then within the same industry I moved over to digital which was more in line with my studies.
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?
I like the education system in America as you get more exposure to the technologies. Also, the industry is much more open with more opportunities to go up the ladder.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
My green card was filed for more than a decade by the company I worked for.  The firm’s application was rejected several times and my visa was extended one year at a time, which was very scary and expensive. I began looking into other options.  I wasn’t sure if I was eligible for an EB1 as I was under the impression you needed a PhD. My wife discovered breakthroughusa.com and was able to confirm that the testimonials were from real people with real success stories. When I had my consultation they made it sound possible, but they were also very upfront about the work that needed to be done. It felt good to have hope.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
The first year was very trying as nothing happened due to staff changes. However, once I was assigned a new caseworker, things turned around and everything was very good.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
It was more of a mental challenge than anything else.  Especially getting the reference letters.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
It was a good relationship. I liked the weekly updates, and they were always willing to talk over the phone as well.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
When my EB1 was approved the anxiety and stress built up over a decade were immediately gone.  We went out for a celebratory dinner that day.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
The people in Houston are great. There are so many different cultures there too. Great vacation spots to visit around the US and the culture is very open.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
My parents.  They can only visit so often.  I also miss the energy of the crowds in Mumbai.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Try various options. They may be difficult, but they are achievable. I lost 5-6 years worrying about my situation before looking.  You never know, you may be successful too.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

IT Professional with 17 years of experience – Even the best leaders need leaders, as Sanjeev went on to discover after doing his own research into applying for the EB1 visa. In his own words, “Each document has to be strong evidence towards your case and that’s where expertise from Chris and his team comes into play.”  Sanjeev, goes on to explain in detail the challenges he faced putting everything together and how the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram made obtaining his EB1 visa possible.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I am an IT professional, and I have been in the industry for 17 years.  I work as an SAP Practice Manager for a global systems integrator and solutions provider focused on providing strategic business processes, technology, platform, and managed service solutions.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
Being in the field of Information Technology, it’s very important to keep abreast of new technologies especially in the field of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. I am fortunate enough to work with great companies and clients where I always got to work on the latest and greatest technologies available in the market.  There were challenges along the way, for example, as a HANA Solution lead for the Asia Pacific region, I had to work with teams in different time zones and cultures.  Not only that, organizing collaborative marketing events with our software and hardware partners across multiple regions and countries was a challenge to bring the different teams on the same page due to language dependency.  Also, as a Project Leader for some of the clients, I have led multiple teams both onsite and offshore together with my other responsibilities of designing and executing the IT solutions.  With my skill set, knowledge and experience in the field of technology, I was able to successfully lead and execute very complex projects I was responsible for.  My work is always appreciated by the business teams which has helped me always win their confidence.
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?
I moved to the USA in 2014 to work in the field of information technology and have been living here since then.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1A?
Based on the experience I carry and the nature of my leadership roles and responsibilities while working on multiple technology projects, I found out that I may be eligible to pursue the EB1A journey. I got in touch with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, who further reviewed my case and found the matching criteria for EB1A eligibility. That’s when I decided to work with them on this journey and came out successful.
Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram – Best EB1A Lawyers
First of all, I am glad that I chose the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram on my EB1A journey.  They are a very professional law firm.  Everyone who worked with me on my case was an expert in the field of immigration and green cards, it was an amazing experience. All caseworkers are very prompt on the emails and calls and I never had to follow-up on my questions.  A special mention to Valerie, who worked with me almost 80% on my case. Valerie brings a lot of experience in this area, and she guided me through the process to prepare the content required for each of the categories for EB1A.  I never thought it would be that smooth but with the help of Valerie and her team, I was able to successfully achieve this.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
Preparing the content and gathering the evidence is a challenging task and of course you need some expert handholding which the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram provides. Most challenging was publishing the scholarly articles. I had already written technical blogs on SAP community network but that is not a platform eligible for EB1A. The articles must be scholarly in nature and should be published on international platforms.  It took a great amount of time and effort to write these articles and later to get them published was another daunting task.  I was surprised and extremely pleased when a couple of international platforms accepted my articles.  After my articles were published, there were thousands of views and comments on them, and I also got offers to write books on technology.  This further boosted my confidence to move on with working on the other requirements for the EB1A.  I am in the process of publishing a book now.
What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
Chris and his team are very professional and bring a lot of expert experience in the area of immigration and green card cases.  Since day one, they maintained a disciplined work culture and I never felt I was falling behind on anything. My case worker Valerie always guided me via phone, emails and their internal case portal.  The information is maintained securely on the case portal and is not shared via emails. Valerie was always available by phone in case anything needed her urgent attention. I recommend this law firm for anyone planning to hire an expert for any kind of Green Card journey.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
That was an awesome evening. My family and I were about to go to a friend’s place for a party. When I received a call from Valerie, we were in the garage about to get into the car and when she shared the news, I couldn’t believe it. We went back into the house, I hugged my wife and kids and congratulated them. A few days later, we all went for a holiday trip to celebrate.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
We are already in the US and we look forward to calling this country our home. I will keep on excelling in the field of technology and as they say, the US is a land of opportunities, I am also planning to start my own technology company in the near future. Also, I always do and will keep on doing philanthropy engagements to give back to society.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
Food and culture. India is an incredible country with many kinds of cuisines and cultures, from north to south, everywhere is different. I am going to miss it, but I plan to visit at least once in 2 years, if not every year.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
If you have not yet started, I would advise first to do some research online about the EB1A and if you think you meet the eligibility, please have an initial free session with Chris and his team who can review your case and let you know if you can move forward with it.
If you are already in process, I advise to keep the fire burning inside you.  This takes a lot of time and hard work to prepare the content.  Each document has to be a strong evidence towards your case and that’s where expertise from Chris and his team comes into play.  Closely work with your case worker and you will surely reach the destination. I wish Good Luck to all who are already on this journey!

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Dimitrios’ journey into America began with studying for his BA and then MBA.  The knowledge he gained went on to take him around the world.  A friendly referral to sign up with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and now he is coming back to where it all started; bringing with him not only his family, but a wealth of experience to enrich and build his new community.  Read on for another EB1 success story.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I come from Greece and I have been working as an executive at multinational banking institutions in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and the US.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way?
Through hard work, passion and commitment I was able to reach my goals and climb the ladder to become a CxO suite executive at big financial institutions. I strongly believe that being passionate about what you are doing and having set your goals early will lead you to success. Furthermore having a global perspective and being able to listen to people from different backgrounds and cultures is essential.
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?
I lived, studied and worked in the US back in the 1990s. I earned my bachelors and masters degrees in the US and then I worked at a multinational consulting firm in Chicago before I moved back to Europe to do my military service.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1 Visa?
I have been informed about the EB1 visa option through a mutual friend who had a great experience dealing with Chris Ingram. From this referral, I began working with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. I worked closely with him and his team to make this success happen.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
Very positive experience – the team was very helpful and showed courtesy and understanding.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example, evidence gathering?
Gathering all supporting documents was a challenge at some point in time but I was able to gather all the required documents in the end.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Attorney Chris and his team?
I have built a very strong professional relationship with Chris and his team and I thank them for their efforts to lead me into obtaining the immigrant visa.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was extremely happy as I was able to once again obtain the green card but not only for me but for my family as well. Very happy and celebrated accordingly.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to/living in the US?
By moving to the US my kids will be able to enjoy the benefits of being a US permanent resident. Also being able to work and study in the US without any visa requirements. Furthermore I will be able to continue my global career in banking and join a global institution based in the US.

What will you miss the most about your home country?
The weather and beautiful scenery along with friends and family. But we will be able to visit Greece frequently on holidays.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
To stick to the process and the ultimate goal and not be discouraged by any delays or unfortunate situations that may come up – just be committed to the journey and work with Chris and his team closely.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

It was a business trip to the USA that opened the eyes of Gopala, IT Cloud Architect, as to why America has earned the adage ‘land of opportunity’.  A further visit a few months later confirmed his desire and decision to make the move with his family.  Gopala turned to us when he was ready to change from a H1-B to an EB1 visa after knocking on the doors of other attorneys who said he simply didn’t qualify.  Here’s his experience of the process to success!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m from India and have been working as an IT professional for 20 years. My main fields of applications are cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
After working in multiple areas and disciplines, I ended up as principal architect within my industry, with mostly US based clients.
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?
I flew to America for the first time on a two month long business trip to meet clients. It was then I came to understand the kind of opportunities available in the US in comparison to India.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I didn’t believe the EB1 was a viable possibility for me until speaking with The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. Everyone else I spoke with said I would need a PhD or major awards in order to qualify.  Chris gave me confidence that my case was a good fit.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It was easy with the help of Chris and his team. They walked me through the whole process step by step and guided me in the right direction. They have done a wonderful job, in an excellent manner that ultimately increased my chances of success.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
The reference letters were the biggest challenge; waiting patiently for those who took a long time to send it through. Everything else I already had and was able to provide in a timely manner.
What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
It was very good. When I reached out to them and asked for a fast turnaround, they promised we could file my petition within a month and they kept their word, which I really appreciated.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was so happy. I celebrated with my family by going on vacation. It was a great experience from start to finish.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I want to start my own company and build more advanced products using AI and machine learning to reach out to more industries such as retail, healthcare, telecom, logistics etc.,.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
My parents and family, but I’m planning to travel and visit regularly.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
One suggestion I can give is to just contact Chris and he’ll sort out the rest.  The first email he sent was so detailed and full of information I just thought ‘Why didn’t I contact him sooner?’ An ordinary person can go to Chris and he’ll make them extraordinary!

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

‘Education and hard work!’ The mantra of Deepak, a software engineer who credited these qualities with his career progression. It is these same attributes he applied to the requirements of obtaining his EB1.  With the knowledge and instructions of The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, Deepak was able to apply himself to gain his green card and join the winner’s gallery of our approved clients.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m a software engineer working for law enforcement. I’m originally from India, but I studied in the UK for four years then came over to the US on a H1-B visa where I worked whilst completing my Masters degree.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way?
Education and hard work! The biggest challenges I’ve faced were usually getting the necessary visas to do the type of work I wanted to do as a software engineer.

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?
Coming to the US, particularly Florida, was great for two reasons: a good job market for software engineers and great weather!
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I heard about the EB1 visa but always thought it was just for people with a PhD etc. One day whilst searching the internet about visa options I saw an advertisement for BreakthroughUSA and thought I’d call them to get some advice. They were very helpful, explained what I could do to qualify for an EB1 and sent me away with homework to do. They touched base with me every fortnight or so to see how I was getting on then once everything was in place I became a client and we began the process of applying.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It’s a very doable process once you have good guidance from someone like Chris Ingram. When I first started I didn’t think I could even get three of the necessary categories, but with clear instructions and hard work I ended up with four!
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
The first challenge was getting articles written and published. Secondly was the writing of my letter of intent.  There were several drafts before I got it just right.
What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
Very good. I worked with several case workers over the course of my applications as they spanned several years. Sometimes there were challenges to get appointments, but once I did they were great.  They always had an answer for me.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was wonderful having the HB-1 and EB1 approved but getting my green card was the biggest celebration of all!
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am now looking forward to furthering my career options with even more prestigious companies.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
My family. It’s been a while since I lived in India!
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Consider the EB1, read it carefully then be prepared to work hard on it.  It’s very achievable if you put in the time and effort.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

IT Professional: Nehal is a nationally and internationally acclaimed Information Technology Manager who currently works for Hulu, an acclaimed streaming television network. Nehal has over 15+ years of software engineering experience, and has led major projects including building an integrated billing platform for its partner organizations in the entertainment business such as Disney and Comcast.
It has been our honor and privilege to work with Nehal. Our law firm works with many people like Nehal; professionals working in STEM at the highest levels.
America needs to secure the services of top professionals from around the world if we’re to remain #1 in the world in any area. We are delighted to have secured Nehal’s services to the American Economy as one of the driving forces behind Hulu.
If you work at a senior level within I.T. we’d love to hear from you today. Our consultations are free and we have an excellent record of success.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I was born and raised in Mumbai, India where I also graduated as a computer engineer. A few months after graduation I started working for an Indian tech company. Over the course of the next few years, I become an expert in PeopleSoft ERP and travelled the world to implement it for several businesses vertical across the globe. After coming to the US, I expanded my technology knowledge about open source solutions and how they can be used to solve business problems. Finally, I very recently joined a media/tech start up in Los Angeles wherein I manage extra-large to large tech programs which results in massive subscriber growth.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
It took about a decade & half worth of hard work to achieve some professional success. Being on a visa did put me at a disadvantage since it controlled which areas I could grow into and hence stretched the amount of time it took to achieve the professional success that I enjoy today.
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?
USA is the land opportunities where every dreamer and hardworking individual can expect to earn a decent wage and secure a good future.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I was born in India and the US has a birth country wise cap on how many GCs can be given each year. For India born individuals, the priority dates are years behind and the rate at which USCIS is processing these cases, it may take another few years before we get our GC. EB1 was more current and given my skills it seemed like a feasible path to take.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
The whole process of getting a GC is very long and testing and the EB1 was essentially similar. It needed a lot of documentation and patience along the way. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram made it as seamless and painless as possible by guiding me throughout the process.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
Documenting and evidence gathering took a long time. My team at the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram was very helpful, they provided guidance every step of the way and provided templates/examples which assisted greatly as well.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
The Ingram team is very helpful, always available to answer any question and most importantly, came through as very experienced. I see their guidance as one of the key reasons for the success of my case.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was elated and had this adrenaline rush. I ran towards my wife, called my family and friends. We went out and bought some donuts to celebrate.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am already in the US.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
I would miss my parents & relatives the most.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
It is a long, tiring and patience testing process. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram has a lot of experience in dealing with EB1 cases and if they believe your case has the strength, I would recommend taking that leap because it’s worth it at the end.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Mark is a nationally and internationally acclaimed Business Professional with exceptional corporate credentials in sales, training, ELearning and recruitment, having worked for a range of companies including Randstad – the largest staffing organization in the world.

Mark has a high-value career that is highly critical to the success of the Education and Training industry and the U.S. economy. With his impressive career and the help of our firm, we are pleased to help him secure an EB1 Green Card!

Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!

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

I am originally from a small town in the North of England called Chorley which is situated near Manchester. Me and my family now live in Orlando, Florida, we have been here for years… and LOVE IT! I own a Training and Development business where we partner with organizations to provide eLearning development, instructional design, consultancy, leadership & management seminars, coaching, personality assessments and keynote addresses.

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

I have worked in the IT, Education and Training industry for over 20 years gaining significant experience with a range of very notable global organizations along the way – in a range of positions. I have constantly challenged myself to seek out new opportunities and become involved in projects which ultimately allow people and organizations to be the very best they can be. Each day, each project, each client has its own set of challenges – but that is what makes me feel fresh, alert and motivated… I embrace new challenges and naturally have a ‘can do’ / ‘glass half full’ approach which has been an important factor both for my own career development and in securing the EB-1 Visa.

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?

We originally moved here on an E2 Visa and then adjusted to an EB-1. Prior to that, we visited the USA a lot on vacation… also me and my wife, who is also originally from the UK actually got married. It was around that time that we made it our objective to make the move here permanently.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

Although an E2 Visa is a great option for some people to move to the USA and certainly allowed us to initially transition to Orlando, we quickly found that we wanted to make this our home and although there are a lot of benefits with this Visa… the need to regularly renew and the amount of uncertainty that we experienced meant we needed to explore a permanent solution which is when Chris and his team suggested the EB-1 option.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

Wow, where should I start! To be clear and not scare people off… there is a clear process to follow… however immigration reforms and COVID-19 meant that unfortunately we were caught in the middle of a storm! However, the benefit of working with Chris and his highly experienced team meant that whatever curve ball was thrown our way, they had a strategy to overcome it. I promise you, their experience is key, particularly at the most challenging of times in making it to a successful conclusion!

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

After identifying the different categories that we were going to focus on to put the EB-1 case together, it was down to me to reach out to different organizations, membership groups, individuals, publications, past clients etc. to pull together the evidence required. This obviously has a number of challenges, some past contacts have moved on, some people have an autoreply to say they are on vacation or long-term sick, some people just don’t get back! Therefore, having good organizational skills was very important here to make sure we could obtain the necessary information for the application in a timely fashion.

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

Chris and his team are very professional but also have that genuine desire to help and understand and empathize with your situation. Their communication was clear and direct, and the case worker assigned to work with you is highly experienced – this gives you the confidence you are in safe hands! In addition, the online portal that documents your case progress is very helpful in being a 1–stop shop for everything related to your EB-1 Visa petition.

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

I guess there are two experiences, the approval of the EB-1… and then the approval of the actual permanent residency… or Green Card as it is a 2-step process. When my EB-1 was approved, I was actually working in the office when my cell phone began to buzz. The number that came up on screen was from the West Coast… my stomach started churning as I knew we were expecting an update that week. I picked up the call and there was a team from Chris’s office on loudspeaker who informed me that my case had been approved… without an RFE which they said was a huge achievement. It was such a relief! I drove straight home and told my wife… we were all so emotional!

In securing permanent status, I was again working in the office when my wife FaceTime’d me… she rarely FaceTime’s so I thought that was unusual. When the video call connected her camera was pointing at the kitchen worktop at home and it had 3 letters that had just arrived from USCIS on screen. Once again, I rushed to the car and drove home… it was the longest 15-minute drive ever! I was wondering if it could be the Green Cards. Anyway, I arrived home and we each opened our letter and there they were! It was just such a GREAT feeling!

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

Having lived here, there is already so much that we have experienced… however I can honestly say, there is not one day goes by that I don’t fully appreciate where we live, the opportunities available to us… I am so grateful every single day. The outdoor living, the water sports, grilling and eating outdoors, the 360 days of sunshine per year, the positive culture, the local community we live in, the attractions and theme parks, the business opportunities, the platform it has provided my family, my daughter’s softball team… the list goes on and on!

What will you miss the most about your home country?

To be completely transparent, I now consider the USA my ‘home country’. I love it here, my family love it here, it is the right fit for us. So although there are obviously family members who we miss… technology such as FaceTime, Social Media and Zoom bridges that gap sufficiently so that it is not really a problem… and trust me… living in Orlando, Florida with all the attractions and sunshine means it does take much for people to want and come and visit us here!

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

From our experience, you will need 3 key attributes to succeed: 1) Determination, I would love to say it is an easy process, but there will be plenty of bumps along the way! When times get tough you will need to have the correct mindset to pick yourself up and keep going 2) Patience, the process can be quite lengthy so understanding from the start that there is evidence to collect, there are forms to complete, there is a review process, you will need to respectfully chase people to help you present your case in the best possible light… these are just some examples of why you may need to commit to a longer timeframe than you would choose and finally… 3) A clear roadmap. Begin with the end in mind, consider where you want to be, what you want to be doing and work backwards to create (as best you can) a process that will guide you to a successful conclusion. Chris and his team can help you do that – I wish you all the very best of luck and thank you Chris and his team for what you have done for us!

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Rohan is a highly regarded Advisory Manager for the very prestigious Ernst & Young where he works in the Advisory Sector for Next Gen Tech Operation and Technology Transformation.
Prior to his role here, he was working for KPMG as a management consultant and prior to that, he obtained his start with IBM where he was able to work in India, Germany and finally in the United States Developing Marketing Strategies.Rohan has a background in Engineering and Management Consulting. His 14+ years of management consulting extend to but are not limited to him consulting CEOS/ CIOS/ CFOS on strategy, operating models, technology, shared services.
With his impressive career, we are so pleased to have secured an EB1 approval for him! Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I grew up in Mumbai, India. I have a Bachelors in Electronics Engineering from India and MBA from Germany. I am a Management Consultant, currently working as an Advisory Manger in a Big 4 Firm. I advise and support my clients to develop pragmatic and executable business and technology strategies that exploit emerging technologies like, Robotic Process Automation, IT Strategic Sourcing, Cloud, Mobile Computing, Digital Transformation while evolving legacy platforms, and enterprise architecture that deliver business value, simplification and rationalization.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
During 15 years of my diverse career for prestigious firms like IBM, KPMG and EY, I worked in several countries including India, UK, Germany and the USA and helped many clients across industries to transform their business and technology to achieve increased value and competitive differentiation for the businesses they serve.
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?
I came to the US on B1 and L1 Visa previously and worked for short durations. It has always been my dream and aspiration to work in the USA. Currently I am working on the H1B visa.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I had approved petition under EB2 category for several years however due to my nationality and the current waiting period under EB2 category, I was not able to file for my green card. After waiting for several years, I finally decided to pursue EB1 as I firmly believed that I had the credentials and qualifications for EB1 category.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It has been a great experience. All the efforts taken to form and to solidify the case are totally worth especially when you receive the approval in this category. It has been an interesting and enthralling journey.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
EB1 process was not easy as I had to collect a lot of evidences about my work, publications, awards, credentials etc. For me, the most challenging part was to get the recommendations from my clients and superiors about my work. However, I was pleasantly surprised when they all agreed to provide recommendations and offered great testimonies about my work
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
I had an amazing caseworker, Gretta, who patiently heard all my queries and provided all the answers. Gretta and Chris’ team helped me gather additional evidences and provided some great tips to strengthen my case. I had a weekly call with Gretta to track updates and my case’s progress. It was a pleasure working with the entire team.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was 6AM on Saturday morning when I was getting ready for my gym class and I saw an email notification with the approval. I was ecstatic and woke my wife up to share the good news. We both were extremely delighted as all our hard work had finally paid off. The celebrations continued for several days as we wanted to completely enjoy our success.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I firmly believe that the USA is the greatest country with the best economy in the world. Talent and hard work can help you achieve great heights in this country. This country has a lot of diversity but it respects your individuality.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
My family, friends, food and festivals.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Be patient. Work on your case. Reach out to your clients and managers for recommendations and testimonials. Make sure that you spend enough time gathering as much evidence as you can.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Vinod is a nationally and internationally recognized musician, performer and educator. He has composed several successful singles in the genres of pop, classical, acapella and jazz. He is a trained singer specializing in South Indian Classical or Carnatic Music. He was already working in the IT industry here in the U.S. but he knows that securing an EB-1 Green Card can open more opportunites for his love and passion for music. Check out Vinod’s “Shape of You” video.

Vinod has collaborated with artists globally from cities like Dubai, Toronto, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta etc.
As a well-recognized and accomplished performer that he is, we are so pleased to have secured an EB1 approval for him!

Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I am originally from India, but have lived in the US for many years now in a student visa and then a work visa. I am a software user experience designer by profession, but also an Indian classical musician by training. I am a singer with over two decades of training and performance, focused primarily in South Indian classical (Carnatic) vocal music.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
Years of training and practice are definitely the two most vital activities that helped me sharpen my skills as a singer. Having won several contests and scholarships for music in India, once in the US, I collaborated with many performers across the globe, both in person and remotely. I also made innovative music for the digital world, that got me a large audience in the millions online. Finding opportunities to perform in big venues, prestigious festivals and world famous artists is always the challenge – but if you’re smart and build the right contacts, that can make a difference.
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?
I came to the US as a Masters student and have been working as soon as I graduated.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
A friend of mine who received the same approval encouraged me to explore this option. Once I reached out to Ingram’s team (Angie and Gretta), they helped me understand what I had to achieve to meet the criteria for EB1. When they assessed I have a very good chance, that made it worth pursuing it.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
I actually enjoyed it – it was a challenge I loved taking up, but all the more because Gretta was equally responsive and kept the process going. I knew it would take several months to understand the requirements, assemble the documentation and evidence and even pursue certain opportunities to demonstrate my talent, but to plan and execute all of this has actually been very fulfilling.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
Biggest challenges were definitely gathering evidence. Sometimes, it took some effort to understand what kind of evidence would be most appropriate to meet a certain criterion. With sufficient examples from Gretta, I was able to work with her to put together a strong case.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
I worked mostly with Gretta, and like I mentioned in my previous responses, she has been nothing short of a great team player in this journey, guiding me proactively, explaining the processes, the risks, the requirements and many times discussing and dissecting the not so obvious interpretations of the legal language. This helped us put together the most appropriate evidence.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was actually working on some original music, when I received Gretta’s email. I only felt “It’s about time! Good!” because I was very confident I’ll get it. This has been one of those special projects in my life that I’ve studied, planned and executed meticulously. I had a lot of clarity in the strength of my application and confidence that we’ll get a favorable outcome.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am already here, working, but on a work visa in the IT industry. I look forward to pursuing several opportunities in music where I can make a living as a musician and educator.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
Not too relevant I guess since I visit India almost every year. But I always miss my home town Chennai, its beaches, food and my family and friends.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Be patient, ask questions, and be very meticulous.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Rob’s EB1 Success Story: Rob came to us with a major challenge. Due to his management level job coming to an abrupt end we had to assess, prepare and process an EB1 green card in 30 days otherwise his family would have to relocate back to the UK. Due to our passion and commitment to helping families we said that if he was prepared to accept calls at mid-night to work on his case then we’d devote everything we had to meeting his deadline. After around 27 days and many late nights we had his case ready, we filed it with USCIS and it was approved within 14 days. EB1 cases are hard work – but if you put the time and effort in with us – we’ll more than likely get you there. Thanks Rob for taking the time to share your story to inspire others. Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram – 310 496 4292.

As with so many activities in life, things can seem quite daunting when you first consider them. Project Director Anjaneya was no exception when it came to applying for an EB1 visa; there was a lot of work ahead of him. However, as he explains below, having the assistance of the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram made all the difference in the world.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
I grew up in India and moved to New Zealand in 1999.  I graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from India. In New Zealand, I obtained a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Auckland. Currently, I am working as a Project Director with extensive experience in leading expert-level projects on time. I am passionate about social impact and using business as a tool for positive change. As Project Director of a $120 million (NZD) housing project, the main focus has been to replace the traditional timber framing with a rapid construction methodology. I am also working on a greenfield project of a 50MW solar and wind Hybrid power plant.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?
As a scholar and executive, I have been  actively engaged in identifying and developing innovation and new technologies in support of ongoing and new forest-based economic development activities, evident through my work over the years. My aim is to leave a legacy that others can benefit from and build upon. In addition to having access to the thriving environment that the US has consistently provided for the possibilities created by the richness and freedom of its society.
What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
After my initial meeting with Karol, I firmly believed that I had the credentials and qualifications for the EB1 category.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I had an amazing caseworker, Camille who patiently heard all my queries and provided all the answers. I have built a very strong professional relationship with Chris’ team, and I thank them for their efforts to lead me to obtain the EB1 approval.
What were some of the evidence challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case?
Initially, I thought it would be difficult to collect all documentation (about 400 to 500 pages). However, I started to collect all that was required in sequential order and once I began to work on it, I found it was very easy.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I received a phone call from Camille at 3 AM New Zealand Time about the outcome of my EB1 Application.  I was so elated I didn’t mind the early morning call!
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Yes, this is a highly experienced team. A 5-star rating.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

EB1 Green Card Success – Well, I must admit to being very impressed with Isabelle’s rise to the top. Isabelle did everything right, she went to College in Boston to study Music Management and was able to secure an Internship in Los Angeles. Right from day one Isabelle was on a mission to be the very best and would work as hard as possible to prove she could get the job done. Isabelle never faced a problem she could not fix and was amazingly creative in all that she did. As a result she quickly found success and brought an unknown act through her marketing skills in social media to national and international acclaim. Whilst I would often see bands win GRAMMY awards I had no idea that those people behind the scenes who worked intrinsically with the band are also recognized as GRAMMY winners too and can get certified as such by the organization. Isabelle was able to get recognized by the GRAMMY organization and this in turn was the key to her being able to qualify for an EB1 green card. Amazing. Congratulations Isabelle you are totally awesome, a real inspiration to a lot of people. We wish you continued success.

Hi – I am originally from Stockholm, Sweden where I began my career as a makeup artist 15 years ago. In 2008 my family received an E2 visa and we made our home in Los Angeles. As the spouse of an E2 visa holder I was able to continue career in California working as a makeup artist with several TV-shows and commercial productions.
Before deciding to move to America I had traveled quite a bit to California since I have family in Santa Barbara. I fell in love with the country and this state specifically at an early age. It’s always been my dream to build my career and raise a family here, which has finally been realized, thanks to Chris Ingram and his wonderful associates.
Getting an EB1 green card was always my ultimate goal. The E2 visa was certainly a great stepping-stone but I knew it was not a permanent solution. My husband ran our E2 business for many years and although our son had grown up here but wasn’t born here, I always knew I had to find a way to make our stay permanent in the long run and so I knew only the EB1 green card would get the job done.

Knowing I had built quite a bit of a resume doing makeup, I read up on the requirements for an EB1 and even went to see another lawyer. Unfortunately, as most lawyers, he didn’t know much about the make up business I was in and wasn’t very optimistic. As I kept searching I came across Chris Ingram’s website and I felt immediately I had to try again. I emailed Chris and to my big surprise he personally called me up and spent an hour on the phone convincing me that I was an ideal candidate for an EB1 green card and he sounded very confident indeed that my case would be successful, of course he could not make any guarantees. For the first time in seven years I felt that I had a chance of getting my green card based on my achievements. It was an amazing feeling.
It took us almost exactly a year to put the case together, and I felt the whole time that Attorney Chris Ingram and his team knew what they were doing. I never considered giving up and I know they wouldn’t have let me! It was teamwork all the way and I have to say I have never experienced anything like it.

When it comes to talking about Chris and his Team I don’t know where to begin. Most of my experiences with lawyers have been pretty impersonal and I never had anyone tell me they were confident they could get me an approval. The level of trust and humanity I experienced was beyond what I thought you could get from a lawyer. Every time I emailed with a question, I got a thorough and genuine response. Lindsey, my assigned caseworker has felt like a friend, every time we spoke and she put my nerves at ease and reenergized me. Going through the EB1 green card process is no joke as the stakes are very high and the evidentiary requirements that need to be satisfied must be precisely and comprehensively satisfied. I can’t explain how much it means during something as stressful as having your life and future in someone’s hands. I honestly felt they all wanted my green card to be approved as much as I did!
I need to tell how I found out about my EB1 green card was approved. Well, given that I literally just found out that I was approved in the last 48 hours I can say I’m still in shock!! You can check the status of your case at USCIS online and so I read the status over and over and over and even double checked the receipt number to make sure I wasn’t reading someone else’s case haha! After making sure it was real, I screamed out loud of joy. And now my little family is off to celebrate!
When I now think about my future, just knowing what I built here can continue to grow is an amazing feeling. I love this country with all my heart and I’m very excited to think that in five years we will be working with Chris again – but for our citizenship this time!
I have always felt my home was here in the US more than in Stockholm so I am just thankful I get to stay where my heart belongs.
If I can give a word of encouragement to anyone going through this process or thinking about starting this process I’d say, have faith. Never give up. Trust Chris and his team – they are the best lawyers out there!!
One last thing – There are a lot of immigration lawyers out there that may not have the depth of experience as Chris and his team does and may tell you that you have no chance, as they did me, and had I not pursued my dream I would not have come across Chris. The reason why I was so delighted to have this opportunity to share my story was to hopefully inspire you to go for it, but not with just any lawyer, but with Chris because his team really does have the technical skills, drive and commitment to get you there. Yes – it’s hard work on your part but I’m so glad I did it, I can’t begin to tell you. I have my green card, my husband and son does too. You can’t beat that.
EB1 Green Card Success for Hollywood Make Up Artist Anna – We’re delighted to have won this case for Anna. Often times make up artist are not considered as that important, but in truth everyone who has ever appeared on camera for a major photo shoot must pass through the hands of a skilled makeup artist, there is simply no two ways about it. For 15 years Anna has been working her way up to make up profession from Sweden all the way to Hollywood California. What is equally impressive is that Anna has also trained herself and her body to such a degree that she is now often invited to work in front of the camera as a sports model. Because of Anna’s natural beauty and physical shape Anna is now highly sought after as a sports make up artist. Working in front the camera and behind the camera has given Anna tremendous insight into how makeup works on camera. We absolutely loved the challenge of working with Anna, not only was she a joy to work with but she was very determined to do what ever was necessary in order to provide us with the best possible evidence of her rise to success and boy did it pay off. US Immigration had no trouble approving this EB1 green card case without any hesitation. Anna we wish you all the very best in your enduring career.

Fashion Designer Ivan’s EB1 Green Card Success Story: In just two short years Ivan launched his hat wear company ‘Skulls’ and was so successful that he had the confidence to approach us to get a green card for himself and his family. We were very impressed with the progress Ivan had made and the press he had garnered so we took on the case. Together we worked very hard with Ivan, in fact we worked Ivan very hard to make sure that he developed and gave us the documentation we needed to meet all of the immigration qualification requirements. After nine months of effort we were victorious. Winning green cards is not an easy business – it is for the determined. The EB1 green card prize is quite coveted because it’s so hard to get, however, we’re the EB1 experts who know how to get the job done. If you think you’re ready for the challenge give us a call today for a free consultation. Tel: 310 496 4292.

Pursuing your Dreams can lead to EB1 Success –Melissa, an Australian designer always dreamed of pursuing her own label and designing and creating couture ensembles. Melissa’s hard work and determination led her all the way to creating her very own fashion line and thus the creation of an Alien of Extraordinary Ability began. After working for top designers and receiving international acclaim, Melissa realized that her achievements satisfied many of the EB1 Category Requirements. With her EB1 Green Card in hand, Melissa now looks forward to further expanding her fashion line and collaborating with other designers. As experienced EB1 Attorney’s, working with an extremely qualified and a motivated client was a dream. We wish Melissa the very best in her future endeavors.
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I am from Sydney, Australia. I am a fashion designer and I have my own label. I create women’s couture and ready to wear gowns. I love experimenting with color, movement and creating my own textiles for unique detailing. I have been working in the Fashion Industry for 14 years and my first job after graduating from the University of Technology in Sydney and was as a designer for Roberto Cavalli in Florence, Italy.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
My career as a Fashion Designer was kick-started with my first couture collection which I had created for my University Graduation. It gained National press attention and was chosen for a World exhibition in Germany. I sent my portfolio to the Roberto Cavalli Headquarters in Florence asking for work experience and a week later received a call from Mr. Cavalli personally inviting me to work for him. I worked as a designer for the first line for 2 years and then decided to pursue my dreams of having my own label.
I always believed and trusted in my work and never compared or worried what others in my field were doing. I believe there is room for everyone’s talent in this world and the biggest challenge is to always stay true to yourself and your art.

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?
I have never lived in the US before, but from the instant, I first visited on a holiday in 2013 I wanted to move here.
I knew it was the place for me! The first day of my trip I said, ‘I want to live here’! I loved the creative energy and buzz in the air! I was wearing some of my own designs throughout my holiday and was constantly asked where my dress was from, it happened everywhere I went! This feedback was very inspiring from a business point of view as I saw the potential my designs could have all over the US! I was excited at the possibility of moving to the US to live, explore and set up my business and collaborate with many creatives in different fields!
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
After intense research into all types of US Visa options, the EB1 Visa definitely stood out as the best possible Visa due to the direct EB1 Green Card process! This was golden to me! The freedom of not having to continually renew other kinds of visas or have certain restrictions was the most appealing and also that my husband would be able to work and live in the US meant we would be able to move forward with our lives and truly get set-up in the USA. There are great opportunities for both of us! We realized that through my work history I could fulfill at least 3 of the 10 categories for the EB1 so we knew it was worth a shot to put all of the effort and energy into the best possible Visa! Which has definitely been worth it!!

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It was an interesting experience for me delving back into my past and finding relevant documents and evidence, there were so many details I had forgotten about. Although there were intense moments and hard work/time involved, I knew it would all be worth it in the end with an EB1 Approval. My motivation was always strong. The best part of the experience (besides getting approved) was formulating the full case about my work and career so far as it is now a great ‘book’ of my best achievements that I will always treasure and have to remember. I felt getting the EB1 Petition Approval was an achievement in itself for me and now I get to live and work in the USA!
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example, evidence gathering?
The biggest challenge for me was the patience required and timing it took to gather letters from past employers for the critical role EB1 category. Especially my previous workplace in Italy! I had sent through to the Ingram team of EB1 Attorneys all of my other category documents promptly but the critical role section was truly relying on other people to put in the time and effort for me, which they did do willingly but often took longer than expected due to the fact that everyone in the industry is so busy and also company structures/employees had changed so much since I had worked there.

What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
AMAZING!!!! From the very first phone call, I instinctively knew they were the best team to work with! I had called many different US Immigration Lawyers when first starting the process and the Ingram team stood out as number one! The process was very important to us and I only wanted to work with the BEST! Throughout the entire process the whole team were consistently helpful, comforting, clear, thorough, precise, provided constant guidance and communication and overall professional and delightful to work with! I can’t stress enough how happy I am that I chose to go through this process with The Chris Ingram team as my EB1 Lawyers! I can’t wait to visit them and thank them in person when I move to the USA!
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was actually at my computer uploading some press items to my website (still doing everything I could to have the best chance of approval)! It was after midnight in Sydney and I thought it was a good time to check my email as it would be morning in the USA, and there it was! An email from the Immigration office saying that my EB1 application had been APPROVED! It was so simple and after all the work and time involved in the process, it was surreal to see the word ‘approved’ on the paper! I burst into tears as was overwhelmed with excitement, joy, relief and felt it was a great accomplishment! My husband and I had a celebration dinner and plan on having an EB1 Green Card party with all of our friends and family before we officially move to the USA!

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Following my dreams!!
All of the creative opportunities, collaborations and artistic/fashion projects I will be able to work on! I am looking forward to living in the heart of Hollywood amongst palm tree-lined streets (which I love) and dream of creating and seeing my gowns on the Oscars red carpet! I am also looking forward to traveling all over the USA and being more central to everything. Absolutely can’t wait!!
What will you miss the most about your home country?
My family first of all especially my nieces and nephews! My amazing friends who I consider my family too! But lucky I’ve pitched to everyone that they will be able to come and visit and stay with us so we already have lots of visitors booked in! I will also miss the beautiful area on the Northern Beaches of Sydney where I grew up and currently live, and the ease and beauty of it all so close to home.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Stay positive! Believe in yourself and your work and the EB1 Green Card Process is definitely worth a shot as the benefits, in the long run, are fantastic! If you apply for another type of visa there will also be paperwork involved so you may as well use your time and energy gathering paper and documents for the best kind of visa! The EB1 Visa!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do
Hi! I’m Jen – most recently I’m from New Zealand, but I am originally from England and definitely do still enjoy a cup of tea. (Earl Grey, please.) I’ve spent the past few years working in film.
Currently I’m working as an animation coordinator at the Academy Award Winning Weta Digital – and before that I worked in the editorial department for Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” trilogy and Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s (of Flight of the Conchords ilk) vampire mockumentary, “What We Do in the Shadows”.
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?
I’ve not lived in the US before.
The pragmatic answer for what sparked my interest in coming to the States was I felt like I’d already achieved all I could in my career here in New Zealand – I’d spend my day working on The Hobbit, then in the evening I’d hop over and work with comedians I’m a huge fan of for What We Do in the Shadows.
I know a lot more film work is coming to New Zealand, which is very exciting to see – so I hope that answer doesn’t sound too arrogant. The long and short of it though, is it was time for an adventure: so let’s go with this more whimsical answer! All of the books I was reading at the time had authors who were living or had lived in San Francisco – (Alan Watts, “The Wisdom of Insecurity”, Ed Catmull, “Creativity Inc”). I followed those signs and hopped on a plane to the land of technical hippies in pursuit of adventure.
As soon as my feet hit that San Franciscan pavement, I immediately felt at home. I interviewed around at a few places, and whilst employers were interested, none were willing to offer a job with the pesky employment sponsorship visa conundrum. This is how I decided to petition for a visa for myself!*
*(And I’m far too spiky of a person who’s still working on her vulnerability issues to even consider hoping to fall in love for the marriage option!)
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
I don’t think giving up was an option. I was very thankful to have Chris and his team guide me through the legalese, and I was happy to slightly fulfill one of my childhood dreams of being a lawyer by crafting some of the arguments myself.
At times I was definitely frustrated with the time frame of putting the case together – but that’s just impatient youth talking, and looking back, considering what was achieved, it couldn’t have gone any quicker or smoother. (Thank you!)
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris (and his team)?
A very positive relationship! I was always able to send through extra thoughts and queries to Chris and his team without doubt. All dealings I had with the team were very thoughtful, polite and prompt – thank you.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
Because of the time difference between New Zealand and the States, I was sleeping when Leslee, Lindsey, Kosta and Chris called through with the news – but it was a fantastic phone-call to groggily wake up to. (And definitely a dream come true, in more ways than one!)
Obviously, the reaction was a big “YAY!” – and I celebrated by booking my flight back.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
New adventures and new opportunities! I feel it’s definitely going to benefit my career – and I’m looking forward to not having a restricted Netflix selection, too.
What will you miss the most about living in New Zealand?
Kiwi ingenuity and hospitality – many times a stranger has given me a lift home from the bus stop when it’s been raining. I’m not saying that won’t happen in the US, but, I’ll probably need to be a little more wary of events and motives. Kiwis are absolutely lovely people – and I know I’ll always be welcome back.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Keep on keeping on! I know, tautologies like that are always terribly frustrating – but if you’re in the EB1 process, that’s really all you can do. Don’t underestimate yourself and your case – with a bit of thought, and with Chris and his team’s help on the case, you too can go on an adventure.
Update:
“VERY EXCITING NEWS – I have my Green Card in my hands!! The FedEx parcel arrived safe and sound this morning.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work on my case – I really, really appreciate it! 🙂

I’m so exciting to be (legally) pursuing this new life!

Again – a huge THANK YOU from the very bottom of my heart.
.
American best,
Jen”

We get some really interesting EB1 green card cases as you can imagine, but Liron’s case was special.
Liron (aka “The Techie Guy” is an IT Consultant from South Africa and rather than keep a very low nerdy profile like any self-respecting tech, Liron decided to write blogs and obtain guest appearances on TV news channels just to get an opportunity to talk about his favorite subject – I.T.
As a result of Liron’s efforts he became very well known and highly respected in his field and is now the “go to” person for many news outlets and multinational companies who want Liron to cover their product launches.
So when I got to hear Liron story it was clear to me that we had the makings of an amazing EB1 green card application.If you’re great at your job and want to use those talents in the US – talk to us and you never know, you could be our next amazing EB1 green card recipient. Good luck.
Just in this week I’ve posted a story about an Indian dancer, Hot Rod fabricator and today an IT Blogger.
Liron’s Story
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do.
I am a Technology Blogger from South Africa and an IT Consultant. I have been in the IT industry for over 20 years having worked in South Africa, UK and Israel.
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?
No. The move to the USA was fueled by the opportunity in technology and the sheer size of the market that I could engage with. This, coupled with the fact that South African opportunities are limited for my kids, drove me to relocate the family.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
With the help of the team from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram who carefully described each step, each category and each option until we were sure.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
Make no mistake, the process is draining. It is emotionally draining and a roller coaster of up and downs. Got to keep the eye on the prize and that it will be worth it in the end.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris (and his team)?
Incredible one. There was never a client/ lawyer relationship and really felt like the entire team was genuinely keen to get me that visa. When there were issues, it was like a dog with a bone – they weren’t letting it go and took on the fight and won !
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I kept checking that website for the approval until one am South African time. No word. I then woke up to incredible email from the team saying approved ! I read that mail several times before waking up my wife (mainly so she can check to make sure I read it correctly). Took a while to sink in….
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Everything being new and a nice shake-up with new experiences
What will you miss the most about living in South Africa?
The people.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Keep at it. Remember the reason you are embarking on this and remind yourself of that reason every time there is a set back or new documents required or new hoops to jump through. If it was easy everyone would do it! But you are in great hands with Chris Ingram and his team and I couldn’t have done this with any other firm.

On the cutting edge of technology in South Africa: When Niel first came to us, he had already experienced Immigration frustration by trying to get through the H1B lottery, but with job opportunities available to him, Niel sought our help to determine what other options he had to move his family out of South Africa. Fortunately, it was immediately clear to our team that Niel was a great candidate for the EB1 Green Card, and few short months later, he was approved and able to rest easy with the knowledge that his family would receive green cards.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m from South Africa where I’ve worked as a specialist software engineer developer and solutions architect for about 15 years. I’ve spent most of my career at two major blue chip organizations where I’ve designed and built many systems that are core to their businesses.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
As someone who doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree, I’ve had to prove myself at every turn. Early on in my career, this meant taking ownership of the tasks that the more senior guys really didn’t want and in doing so building up my skillset over time.
But that’s not really the full story here.
It was by pure chance that about 2 years ago I was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. I wasn’t meant to be the patient, my son was, but that’s not why I’m mentioning it at all. I mention it because I went through my school career and through a massive part of my software development career without any diagnosis or medical support. It was up to me to develop ways to work around it, establish habits to repeat and so on.
This was probably the single most important driving factor I’ve had in my career because in overcoming my A.D.D, I really built up more than just a personal skill. I learnt how to persevere, how to keep changing my angle of attack if it is not yielding the results that I wanted. I had no choice but to overcome the issue without even knowing I had an issue.
In the end, my approach turned out to be so different, that I quickly became the go to guy to fix problems or do things beyond the regular run of the mill stuff. As such, with the progression of my career the problems I had to solve became bigger and bigger and the systems I had to build became more and more important.
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?
I’ve not lived in the U.S before, in fact, my wife has never been outside of South Africa.
We briefly considered a move after surviving a horrifically violent home invasion in 2006 but we ended up staying in South Africa. Now, several years later my career opportunities have dried up, my children are growing up and we really want to secure a better future for them.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I accepted a job offer from a U.S employer last year but after not being selected during the H1B lottery in April I decided to see if an EB1 might be possible. The stumbling blocks seemed to start immediately.
Several attorneys told me that I wouldn’t qualify. The reasons varied from “you don’t have any research papers” to “you don’t have a PhD”. After discussing this predicament with my wife we decided to pay an attorney a fee to properly spend time on my case to see if I qualify rather than just scanning the subject lines. With that mindset I went back to find an attorney.
Luckily I came across the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and I received the required personal attention from day one.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
What seemed like a daunting task on day one was really broken down into small manageable work items by your expertise in this field. The information and feedback I was given meant that I was able to gather my required evidence fairly quickly or find some additional evidence where required.
The quality of work that went into the preparation of my documents was astounding. When we received the documentation I really couldn’t believe that someone else had spent that much time documenting what is essentially my life and to have explained it in such a way that I could get a favorable outcome was incredible.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
It helped my case tremendously that we were preparing to leave South Africa in 2006 because I had gathered most of the required documentation from my former employer at that time already. When we felt I could use more evidence from the employer, the company had changed ownership and was unwilling to issue any letters for employees prior to 2007. Though not ideal we could overcome the issue with signed affidavits from former management.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
We worked together very closely. Initially there was a lot of information for me to consume to get the process going and as soon as I was ready and the documents started coming together we were communicating daily, sometimes several times a day. I received meaningful feedback on revisions and suggestions on changes and help was merely a question away.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
We filed under premium processing and to say that I checked my mail every few minutes would be an understatement. As a day became two, two became three we really started stressing but we stayed positive, disregarding all the negative things we read online about cases being denied or at least going to RFE’s.
On this particular day, we just sat down for dinner when my phone beeped on an incoming email. I quickly scanned my phone and noticed it was from USCIS. I was too nervous to say anything and I wanted to show a strong face in case of disappointment so I excused myself, stood up and went to my home office to read the email on my pc. My hands were frantically shaking.
When I read the good news, I just froze. I made sure it came from USCIS and that it wasn’t a prank. It was incredible.
I wanted to shout and scream in excitement but I calmly walked to our television, opened YouTube and found the first song with anything resembling America. The song that popped up was Rammstein’s “America” and it opens with the band dressed like NASA Astronauts playing music on the moon, singing “We’re all living in America”.
I just let it play at full volume; standing there with tears in my eyes waiting for the rest of the family to realize what was going on. It took a few seconds and then it hit them. In unison they turned their heads to look at me and when they saw my face, well, let’s just say things went a little crazy.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
This is a really hard question to answer because there are so many things. We didn’t leave South Africa in 2006 because we felt we would be running from something. This is the opposite; it feels like we’re going towards something. Be it my career, a better future for our children, a stable economy or simply just to see snow and then to try to avoid it.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
It will be hard to live that far away from family and friends as well as not being able to visit Kruger National Park as often as we used to.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
This is not an easy path to take. If you choose to undertake this journey, you need to partner with someone who knows what they are doing. It can be done even when others might say it can’t be done.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Award Winning Creator – Chris has built an extraordinary career in animation and filmmaking. We just want to applaud Chris for all of his achievements in advertising. In recent years Chris worked for advertising giants like McCann Erickson and Saatchi & Saatchi as an Art Director and Animator before deciding to start his own company, Bepperton Entertainment Productions.
Bepperton creates advertising campaigns, branding, and media productions for various famous clients including the government of Trinidad and Tobago, his home country.
Chris has earned an absolutely dizzying amount of awards for his work, including two ADDY gold awards (2007) and two ADDY silver awards (2010 and 2011) from the American Advertising Federation at the top National Level. The ADDYS are the most prestigious advertising awards in the world, and with his 2007 Gold Win as an animator of an ad with McCann Port of Spain, Chris became the first Caribbean National to have won a Gold ADDY at the National Stage, a fact that was extensively covered in Trinidad and Tobago’s Press.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do.
I’m Chris and I am a filmmaker, Art Director and Animator from Trinidad & Tobago.

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?
I’ve never lived in the US before. I have always seen the US on the forefront of producing the best entertainment culture in the world, at the highest standards and practices. I want to be part of that community.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
My partner introduced me to the process, and I believed I had the qualifications to see it come to fruition.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It was a very comprehensive look back at my career and at times the process was lengthy but necessary in order to produce the best evidence for the case.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
In my case there was a lot of information, newspaper, blogs, awards and film and advertising showcases, so going through all of it one by one and choosing the best was sometimes up to interpretation, the lawyers assisted us and guided us through the process.

What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
I would say their line of communication was always open. They were accessible to ALL our questions and concerns and guided us through the process.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
We were taking care of our 14yr old dog who just had chemo, we had a rough month. This news revived us to be honest, we were in shock and very very happy! We would probably make a nice meal and relax in the backyard with our dogs.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Realizing my potential among the best and brightest in my field. Also enjoying the many cultural aspects that the US has to offer.

What will you miss the most about your home country?
My dogs and my backyard.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Be patient and don’t give up. Chris and his team work really hard in getting you through this, not ignoring any aspect of your case and brainstorming when it gets challenging.

We interviewed Kathy so she could share her amazing story for our readers. We hope you enjoy this interview and look forward to hopefully publishing your EB1 green card success story very soon.
1. Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do
I am from Toronto, Canada and I have been in the Music Industry for about 15 years as a Vocalist. My work has ranged from releasing my own material (as an Artist) that has hit radio, being a lead vocalist for the Fisher Price Little People CDs and being featured on numerous Gold and Platinum selling Cardio Workout CDs.
My main material stems from being the lead vocalist for all of Richard Simmons’ Supersweatin’ Workout DVDs and CDs since 2005. I recently recorded an album with him and our latest releases have been our duets “Piece of my Heart” and the ever popular “Hair Do” song.
2. 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?

I have only been in the US, particularly California just for vacation. My husband and I fell in love with the weather as well as the fact that being in the Music Industry, there are more opportunities in the US as there is a much larger market for the Arts. My music releases have always been signed to labels in the US so it’s very exciting to know that I can actually have the opportunity to live and work there now and advance my career even further.
3. How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I’ve had a few opportunities with either talent agents or music labels that have wanted to work with me in the US and unfortunately without a visa you can’t work. It’s been a topic that has been thrown around for years with my husband and when the timing felt right we decided to call up a few Immigration lawyers and find out more information. It was when we came across our consultation with Chris Ingram that I knew this was it. He just gave me that confidence that i decided to look no further. Given his track record of successful cases, I had already made up my mind right at the end of the phone call. He was it.
4. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?

The experience was like riding a rollercoaster. You are very nervous when you begin. There’s so much stuff that is unknown but with the proper guidance that was offered to me, it was a smooth, nail-biting but very exciting ride. There is so much information and material to collect but again, I had my team at my fingertips 24/7 whenever I needed help, it was there for me. I never ever felt that I was alone. The process was so pleasant and I am so happy that I took that chance. There was never a time that I considered giving up, my team always gave me hope, I was very nervous because I am one that likes to get “good results”, call me a Type A ha ha, but I kept going because I wanted it so bad, something that I dreamed of for a long time and my team was just an amazing support system that there was never really a moment where I felt I had to give up.
5. What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris (and his team)?
My team was super professional and answered my 1000 questions that I constantly bombarded them with. They made sure everything that I needed to collect and submit for my case was 110% pertinent to a strong case, but the team ethos was to provide as much emotional support as possible, almost like my therapist whenever my nerves kicked in and especially when it was time to submit. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram are like an extended family. Working together and making you feel like you are their number 1 priority. Always. They know exactly what is needed to build a strong case. Chris Ingram and his team definitely practice what they preach. I would recommend any person out there that is thinking of pursuing an EB1 green card, to just not sit and ponder but to give him a call and get that consultation. They are professional and amazing to work with and they can turn your dream into a reality.
6. What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I was driving down a street when Lindsey called me to tell me the great news that I was approved. I stopped the car to talk with her as I was so nervous to what she was going to tell me. After I found out I was approved, I hadn’t realized that I was parked in the same spot for over an hour just sitting there in shock. Let’s just say they call me Chatty Kathy and I was speechless for the first time! I called my husband and screamed the good news and we celebrated it by watching Entourage ha ha and looking at each other with excitement that we’ll be living there in the near future with the opportunity to work there! What an amazing feeling!
7. What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Other than the amazing all year round California weather, being able to further my career. The US is a bigger market. Knowing that there are so many opportunities for me as a Vocalist, I am just over the moon excited to keep things moving and advancing my career in the US. I would love to have the opportunity to get my songs featured in movies or TV and working out of the studios in LA and NY as a Vocalist, just as I’ve done here in Toronto.
8. What will you miss the most about living in Canada?
Canada is a great country except for the cold winters ha ha. But because of the market that I am in, the US has more room for me to grow. My music has always been released in the US so it just makes more sense to be there. I have lots of friends and family that I will miss but it will give us more reason to visit each other and keep in touch more often.
9. What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Believe in yourself. Nothing is impossible. Try to document every single thing that you’ve accomplished in your career. Something you might think is not important may end up being an integral part of your case. Never give up. It may take awhile but keep pushing. It will be all worth it in the end.

Oil & Gas Industry Success: As a Chemical Engineer Abdiel has amassed 20+ years of experience in the oil and gas industry. His journey led him from Panama to the USA and eventually he turned his attention to pursuing an EB1 visa. His advice to others, “Be realistic, but also be passionate.” The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram were able to work with Abdiel to help him achieve his dreams.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do?
My name is Abdiel. I am a native of Panama, where I live right now. I am a Chemical Engineer with an MBA and I have spent over 20 years working for multi-national companies with most of my experience in the oil & gas industry. During this time, I have held managerial positions with regional and global scope in different areas of the business. I have had the opportunity to travel to many places and live in two countries. I have developed a great appreciation for the value of exposure to multicultural environments and that has been a complement to the success in my professional and personal life. I have lived in the United States for a total of more than 10 years and during two different periods. I moved to the US right after graduating from high school.

What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?
I lived in the state of Oklahoma, where I obtained my degree in Chemical Engineering. Because of my early interest in oil & gas, I always saw the US as the perfect place to develop a career. I decided to go back home, where I had some interesting offers with American companies. After more than 10 years working in Panama,  I was sent to Texas on a 7-year expatriate assignment with my employer at the time. The experience was wonderful and I was able to reach a high level of satisfaction with my professional career and my personal and family life. Unfortunately, I reach a point where I could no longer renew my work visa and my company had a very strict policy in terms of green card sponsorships. I ended up being sent back to Panama with my family, where shortly thereafter we realized we could not reach many of the goals we had set for our lives.
I could see with great frustration the hard time my older daughter, who had lived most of her life in the US, was having in adjusting to the culture. I could feel how my younger son, who was born in the US, would have a much easier time, still he would have been much happier with the things he got used to in his home country.  I myself experienced the anticipation of a potential freeze in my career development and so did my wife.  During a vacation trip in Texas, I ran into a friend who had recently gotten her EB1 green card and she put me in contact with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.
How would you describe your experience in working with us?
I felt very comfortable with the whole process. There was always a sense of optimism and I never considered giving up.  In fact, this was a decision that I knew I would never regret regardless of the outcome of my petition. I just felt I had found the right path and the right people to take me through the process. I am not a superstitious person, but I thought there was something about the fate that took me to Chris and his team and there could be no other outcome than the approval of my petition.
My relationship with Chris, Lindsey and the rest of the team was great.  We did not speak too often, just because I felt they were so much in control that I did not feel we had to.  I knew that if I needed to know something, they were there to help me…and in fact they were the few times that I needed it.  I was updated almost daily on the progress of my case through the firm portal.  When I talked to them, I really had that feeling you get when you talk to a friend who is the only person that can help you with something that is the most important for you.  The case also progressed at the right pace. I did have some urgency to file as quickly as we could, but at the same time, I wanted it to be a winner when we did. Lindsey was not only understanding, but also helpful in balancing the two objectives.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was in an all-day work meeting at a hotel in Panama City. As soon as I saw the area code, I knew I was getting news on my case. I picked up so quickly that I started the conversation before I could even step out of the meeting room. Lindsey may have spoken for about 10 seconds, before telling me the petition had been approved…it felt like 10 minutes. I was not surprised, but still shocked. I sent my wife a pic of the US flag on the phone and she called right away. After giving her the news, I went back to my meeting with so much relief that I went on during the day as if nothing had happened. That day, I left earlier than usual and met my wife at church to thank God for such a wonderful blessing.
Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?

I want to get back to my professional career. I want to be part of the growth in the US oil & gas industry and all the benefits that it will bring to the country and society. Most of all, I want to see my family in a place where they can experience happiness to the fullest, because they can have the life that they enjoy.
A great thing about this move is that we are not going too far. I will miss my parents, my brother, the rest of my family and my very good friends. I know that I will get the chance to see them often when they come to visit us or we go back to visit them.
Would you recommend your family and friends and why?
Once you decide that this is what you want, go for it and never hesitate. Be realistic, but also be passionate…the pursuit of happiness is your goal and it deserves every effort. Your legal advisor must be someone you can trust fully and you will find this with Chris and his team. I want to share a quote from Paul J. Meyer that was always present in my mind during the process and proved to be right: “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon… must inevitably come to pass!

Taking on a client’s case is such an honor because the client has placed their future in our hands – but talk about pressure! Diana Sayers, former Miss Northern Ireland, came to us by way of a referral and I was delighted to make her acquaintance.

I could not believe, as I got to know her, how much work went into not only becoming Miss Northern Ireland, but also the responsibilities that came with the title. The good-will work that these pageant winners are called upon to do is immense, demanding and rewarding.

Attorney Chris M. Ingram talks to Enes about how he surfed his Way into an EB1 Green Card.

EB1 Success Story – When Enes first came to us he was devastated because he had just been denied an EB1 green card based on his championship windsurfing abilities and was now in a desperate fix. Enes needed an EB1 green card to be able to build his professional career in windsurfing in the US and now everything he had hoped for looked dashed.

Not wishing to sound overly dramatic, if you’re the one trying to get to live the American Dream and US Immigration says no it’s a very big deal – I’ve been there. Enes found us online and became inspired by all of the many success stories he had read, he wanted to one day be one of them. Today is that day. We spoke to Enes and carefully reviewed his case.

We felt Enes had a great case, a case we knew we could win where others had failed. We have over a decade of experience primarily working on O1 visas and EB1 green cases. We have battled with US Immigration over and over again. Over the years we have been perfecting our technique and presentation style down to a fine art.

Today, with a lot of hard work from our clients and the same from us, we are able to win the vast majority of our cases. We are totally dedicated and totally addicted to winning cases. When we win O1 Visa / EB1 green card cases or any case for that matter, we know we’ve changed that client’s life forever, it’s a feeling you’ll never understand until it has happened to you.

Be inspired by our testimonials. We’re so grateful to each one of our clients who pay it forward by sharing their stories for you – Thank you Enes, as always very much appreciated.

The Interview

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do?
I am from Turkey. I am a professional windsurfer. 2 X IFCA, 1 X PWA youth world champion, and top 30 world ranked windsurfer. I travel a lot and live life to the fullest.

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?
I came to the US in 2007 as an International Student, since then it’s been my main base.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
When I decided to stay in the US permanently, I researched my options and figured out that the EB1 green card might be my best option.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
Well, it was a very difficult process. In fact, it was the single hardest accomplishment that I worked hardest for. My first application was with a firm in my city. After 6 months of work, we failed. My second trial was with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and it was smooth and easy. If I could give one piece of advice to people, it is “DON’T GIVE UP.” You never know what is out there for you if you don’t pursue them. I thought about giving up hundreds of times, but I’m glad I didn’t.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris (and his team)?
They were super confident and gave me very accurate and professional answers. I wish they were my first lawyers and team that I worked with. Attorney Chris M. Ingram and his team took over my folder and reworked it and got my EB1 green card very easily. I can’t thank them enough.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
Well, this part is interesting. I was on a flight from Istanbul to Houston, Texas. Somewhere around the 6th hour of the flight, I was working on my emails then suddenly I got an email from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram telling me to call them ASAP. But I was on the flight so my only option was to email them back. And also, we were supposed to get an answer back from USCIS any day so I knew it was about the possible approval of my EB1 green card. They emailed me back by congratulating me on my approval. It was a very relieving moment and I was up in the air and close to God to thank him 🙂

What are you looking forward to the most about moving to the US?
Just being able to enjoy my lifestyle here and be able to establish my home and start my own company.

What will you miss the most about Turkey?
Well, I travel around the world all the time and get to see Turkey quite a lot, so this won’t be an issue.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Be patient and put your heart and soul into your application – and listen to Chris’ team = success. And the most important ingredient is “DO NOT GIVE UP.”

One of the constant joys of this work is that we get to help people from literally around the world. One day it could be India and then the next day as in this case we were able to work with Singer Songwriter Mark from Brazil.

It’s Totally awesome to have the privilege to be part of helping people from around the world come to America as EB1 green card holders to make America a better place, a blessed place. Thank you Mark for being so kind to share your story with us.

To anyone reading this article, even if you’re not sure you might qualify, please contact us as we help so many people work up their profiles to the point where they can indeed secure their ticket to the American Dream.

The Interview

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do.
My name is Mark. I am from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I’m a singer, songwriter, musician and producer who has been working in the music and advertising industry for more than a decade. I belong to the cast of composers and songwriters of Warner Chappell. I’m also a BMI member. My songs were licensed and published by Warner, Pump Audio, Pacifica Music, Pig Factory, Copa Music and El Shadday in Latin and North America.

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?
I lived in New York and Los Angeles. Actually, I was part of the roster of Grit PR, a promotion company that became my sponsor in the US when I applied for an O1 Visa in 2012.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
After the O1 Visa, I’ve decided that it was the perfect time to pursue something more definitive, in order to take my career to the next level in the US.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It was great. There are a lot of steps setting up a considerable amount of documents. Everything has to be discussed and it is important to be organized and detail-oriented. But, I must say the team is extremely committed and very supportive.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
The fact I already had worked on my O1 Visa helped me to gather and organize some of the evidence. With that said, I had to be extremely focused in order to put all the pieces together. I think now I really understand the meaning of the expression “irrefutable evidence”.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
Chris and the team really took the process to a much higher level in terms of how detailed and organized we have to be in order to achieve the goal. They were always there to answer my questions, being extremely supportive and committed to say the least.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was in the studio recording some music, when the telephone rang. I think I’ll never forget. It was a great sensation, and of course, there was some wine involved after that.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I’m looking forward to taking my career to the next level.

What will you miss the most about your home country?
People… some good friends and relatives. Well, the food is also great.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Be organized and driven. Be creative. Believe in yourself. END.

Alisson, again thank you so much for taking the time to share your amazing journey for our readers.

Although born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I was raised in Mexico City after my Family’s relocation to that city in the late 70s. In 1987, having moved back to Argentina, I finished high school and went on to study Chemical Engineering, graduating in 1995.

During my last year at the University, I took a part-time job with a paints manufacturer owned by I.C.I. (Imperial Chemical Industries) and thus began my career within the energy, steel, mining and chemicals industries (they’re all pretty much related) having had the opportunity to travel the World because of it. I have had the fortune of working in fun, varied projects such as the development of the first Argentine satellites (the SAC Series).

The development and launch of new fluorocarbon molecules in compliance with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols or the development of new steels and steel-pipe connections to cope with the most difficult environments in oil & gas exploration and production within deepwater and shale related projects.

Although I did enjoy the technical problems I was solving for the different companies I have worked for in my career, I also wanted to understand how the businesses were actually being run. This is why, in 2000, I decided to pursue a Master in Business Administration at the University of Texas at Austin. Since I am a believer in life-long learning, I have continued to seek out technical and business training in places such as MIT or Northwestern University. Only recently I decided to pursue another master’s degree on a subject I feel passionate about: Foreign Affairs. I thus joined a part-time program from the University of London’s CISD (Center for International Studies and Diplomacy), and I am currently working towards my Master of Arts in Global Diplomacy, aiming to graduate in July 2015.

My infatuation with America most probably began during a summer school exchange trip to Western Massachusetts when I was eleven years old back in the early 80s. This took place during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, in the Cold War’s late period. The people’s warmth, the feeling of purpose, the pride in the colors they all had a big impact in my psyche. That was probably the first time I felt myself becoming an American in spirit. The years I’ve spent studying and working in this beautiful country, plus my two Yankee sons (born in New Jersey of all places!), only helped to strengthen my feeling of belonging.

Due to personal and professional reasons, I had to move back to Argentina in 2006, spending eight years in my home country working mostly with Oil & Gas products in projects Worldwide. But last year, and due to the strong network of friends and colleagues we have in that city, with my Family we decided it was time to return to live in the US, and more specifically to Houston, Texas.

Given that in the past I had been living in the US under non-immigrant visas (F1 / H1-B), I needed to find a means to return to the US and to ideally do so as a permanent resident. This is when I started to seek out professional help for the endeavor, and this is how I ultimately found the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.

After having spoken with two other lawyers about my case, I did have my first interview with Chris in May 2013. Immediately I detected his breadth and depth of knowledge and experience about US immigration processes as well as his ability to read a person’s life story, condensing the most essential points required to make the case, and drafting potential paths to follow.

In July 2013, I signed Chris and the Team to help me pursue an O1-A Visa (in case I were to find a sponsor willing to hire me in the US), and, if I was lucky, an EB-1 Green Card based on the merits of my professional achievements over the last eighteen years of my career as a chemical engineer turned product developer turned business manager.

After securing a mining company’s interest in hiring me (starting in January 2014), both the EB-1 and O1-A cases were filed a day before Thanksgiving. Noteworthy was the massive effort pulled forth by Lindsey (the other associate assigned to the case) and Chris himself in order to meet the tight deadlines we had set for the case.

The days following the filing of the case were filled with anxiety. In spite of one’s hopefulness and trust on the (potential) strength of one’s case, one realizes that much depends on the assessment of the person at USCIS that is assigned to make the decision about one’s case.

Thankfully, and interestingly, the answer for the EB-1 Green Card came in earlier than the one for the O1-A Case and it was a positive decision! Just ten days after the original filing, on December 9th, I was granted Permanent Residence in the United States. The best news was that there was no need to answer any RFEs (Requests for Further Evidence)!

It was a Tuesday morning (December the 10th), and my oldest son Matthias woke up earlier than usual, he found me reading the paper in our living room, and we had a conversation about the case and how things were moving along (he seldom did this – perhaps a sixth sense?). Right before breakfast, as is my custom, I headed to my home office to check the e-mail box for news. I was almost knocked off my feet the moment I found an email from Chris containing the good news about the approval of my EB-1 Green Card. To make matters even better: just a few days later, on the 16th of December, we received notice that my O1-A case had also been approved!

Needless to say that the news has turned our holiday celebrations into a very special one. I’m very grateful for the efforts of Chris and his Team.

We are planning now to move definitely to the Houston area over the next few weeks. All of my Family is quite enthused about our new American adventure, and I couldn’t be happier about my investment in the help of Chris’s Team and the outstanding results it has brought up for me and my Family. The effects of this decision and its consequences will positively ripple through the rest of my personal and professional life. A true, brilliant Breakthrough! Cheers to Team Ingram!!!

The demand for top level engineers in the US is literally insatiable, so we’re looking for as many Engineers and IT experts as possible we can qualify for self-sponsored EB1 green cards. Rudra shares his amazing story to help inspire others to go for it.
1. Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do
[Rudra]: I was born and raised in India. By profession, I am an Electrical Engineer with a focus on Signal Processing. I hold a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from India, as well as Masters degree and certification courses from United States.
I have had the most exciting opportunities and have contributed to both academia and industry over the past 12+ years creating new technologies myself, leading cross functional teams to help them create new technologies, satisfying customers’ needs and enabling them to make solid investment decisions.
2. 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?
As a technical guy, I dreamt of being a part of Silicon Valley and contributing to the latest advancements. In order to do so, I needed a strong educational foundation, relevant research and industrial work experience in the international setting. Along the way I picked them up one by one until I landed in the west coast.
3. How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

Even after spending 7 years in the valley I didn’t have a predictable way to stay long term in the country and contribute even more.  Like other fellow engineers, I have been waiting in the EB2 queue only to realize that the queue is becoming longer and the priority dates are retrogressing faster. This is when I started reading about the US immigration laws and realized I would qualify as an EB1 Extraordinary ability candidate. I knew at that very moment that it wouldn’t be easy to prove I am an EB1 candidate because of my wide variety of experiences and contributions to the industry. I needed some one professional who can charter through all my achievements and form a convincing case. This is when I shopped around for a good immigration attorney and I am glad I found Chris’s team.
4. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
Fundamentally I believed I am an EB1 candidate. This was the driving force for me to put together all the pieces of the puzzle. There were days when I would be excited that I could get all the relevant documentation for a particular category and there were days when I couldn’t even find the required ones. I ended up finding ways and in some cases working towards obtaining the missing components of the case. This meant my evenings, nights and weekends are occupied with working. Thanks to my wife being supportive of my efforts, I was able to get the required items in place on time.

5. What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris (and his team)?
I have an excellent relationship with Chris and his Team. Chris knows in and out of how the entire immigration and law system works and explains in a very straightforward and simple language. Lindsey, has been handling major portion of my case and knows every word of the immigration law on the back of her head. She was very easily available over phone and email to answer all my queries. In the first phone call itself, Lindsey and Chris gave me a very honest picture of what is available and what needs to be obtained for my case. They could highlight my achievements in a way I couldn’t think of before. From then on, every discussion we had was in line with that strategy and any changes were reinforcing the original strategy. In my opinion, Chris and his team have an astounding knowledge on immigration matters and have the right acumen to get the job done. Forums aren’t appropriate place to get an understanding of a certain portion of law, they are mere opinions of individuals who aren’t familiar with nitty gritty of the law. I would recommend Chris M Ingram’s law firm to any one who is serious about their case and obtaining results.
6. What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I was at work when a text message came on my phone notifying that there has been an update on my case. I checked my email and found that my case is approved. I immediately called my wife who was in a meeting at that time at work. I asked her to come out and broke her the news. We both were excited to know our hard work paid off. Minutes later I received a call from Lindsey congratulating me. My wife and I took the rest of the day off and celebrated at home.
7. What have you enjoyed most about moving to the US?
The exciting work opportunities making a difference in peoples lives. The diverse set of people to learn from their backgrounds and experiences.
8. What do you miss the most about the India?
Family and Food.
9. What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Patience and Perseverance. There would be days when stars aligned in your favor and days when they wouldn’t. These are the only two things that kept me going forward. In my experience I found understanding the laws and being knowledgeable about how to fight for your case helps. You are the best person to dig and find your achievements. Lawyers can then strategize a best case around it based on current legal proceedings. In my opinion these two efforts complement each other and give you a good chance of winning your case.
[NB: Name and likeness changed to protect privacy]

EB1 Green Card Success: For IT Professionals: When I first encountered our client, he struck us as an exceptional professional specializing in the SQL Server Database Architecture IT space. Like so many professionals working in this field, they are often the unsung heroes of business development and security; every company needs their expertise, but in most cases, no one in the consumer world even knows they exist.

Getting an EB1 green card is about being able to demonstrate that professionals like our client do exist and that they are at the very top level of Big Data. Without their skills, many companies simply could not exist. Many IT professionals I work with are not used to being in the limelight, so one of the first things we have to do is to work with them to develop a public profile. Developing a public profile often requires getting published in the media that specializes in your field of expertise.

Our client took our advice, began getting out of his comfort zone, and reached out to various magazines. He was surprised at how open they were to publishing his ideas. Getting this public profile was critical to winning his EB1 case. Let us know how we can help you secure your EB1 green card. Get in touch today, and we’ll get you there in no time.

Question and Answer Interview:

1. Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do. I’m originally from India. I have a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, started my career as a software developer, worked in India for a few years, and then moved to the US on an H1B visa. In the US, I worked in the financial sector for very reputed global investment management firms. My core expertise has been with databases, and as my expertise grew, I was able to get myself into some very challenging projects, which eventually contributed greatly to these organizations and also got talked about in the media.

2. 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? As I said, I started my career as a software developer and moved to the US on an H1B visa.

3. How did you decide to pursue an EB1? My green card process was already underway, and my employer had already filed my petition under the EB2 category. However, the EB2 India category had a lot of backlogs, and it would have been a while before I got my green card. During this time, I came across Chris Ingram’s website, which talked about the EB1 green card process. While going through it, I realized that I already satisfied two of the conditions for EB1, and I also had one published article. That is when I had a consultation with Chris, which made me realize that I could qualify for the EB1 category.

4. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process, did you ever consider giving up, and what was your motivation to keep pressing on? The EB1 petition process went on a little longer than I anticipated. The only condition I was not satisfying comfortably was the published articles. However, Chris explained that I needed to have my articles published in reputed magazines in my field. I had two options: (A) write very basic articles talking about general stuff in my field, or (B) do original research and write articles about stuff that cannot be found anywhere else. I chose the second option, and did a lot of research on database internals to formulate my articles. The fact that I did not take the easy road made the process a lot more demanding, especially because I had to do my research in parallel with my regular job, which was equally demanding.

5. What kind of relationship did/do you have with Attorney Chris M. Ingram and his team? I had a good relationship with Chris and his team. One of the very good things that moved the process along was that I was in regular conversation with Lindsey, and in the last few months before filing my application, we had weekly calls to discuss progress. It was a long process, and there were times when Chris and his team were busy with other cases (obviously), but once I provided them all the required evidence, they moved very quickly to get the case ready and file.

6. What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate? I was finishing dinner, and me and my wife were talking about all the things that could go wrong with our case, how it was going to be tough because I did not have a PhD, etc. Suddenly, the phone rang, and when I told her it was from Chris’ office, she sank into the chair, bracing for bad news. But it was Lindsey, and when she said that our petition was approved, we both screamed and hugged. Our kids (one is 4, another 11 months) were scared because we were both screaming and laughing. Eventually, we went on a long drive and are planning to celebrate with an awesome vacation.

7. What have you enjoyed most about moving to the US? We love the lifestyle here in the US. On the professional front, both me and my wife are computer engineers, and the career opportunities here are unparalleled.

8. What do you miss the most about India? It’s hard to quantify one particular thing. India has its own culture, way of life, etc., similar to the US. Most of both our relatives are in India, and we certainly miss them a lot here.

9. What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process? The most important thing that any EB1 applicant needs to do is understand how USCIS adjudicates EB1 applications. This precious knowledge can be found by going through the material on Chris’ website, and by talking to him or his team. One of the key facts that I realized was that the EB1 process is very different from any of the other visa processes in the US. Here, you have to recognize the outstanding things that you have done and highlight them to Chris – for example, there is no way that the legal team would know that you were the co-author on an important paper. It is up to the applicant to bring up their successes, so that Chris can then formulate an EB1 argument around them.

We attract EB1 Green Card clients from all over the world and we’re always excited when we get a new client working at the top of their field on amazing productions such as the blockbuster film franchise ‘The Expendables’.

In this case we have film editor Gergana from Bulgaria who came to us for help and by the time we’d finished she had her EB1 green card in what felt like no time at all.

For us, helping people like Gergana succeed in the US is such a great rewarding feeling. We wish Gergana every success as she continues work on the blockbusters we love.

We’re glad to hear back from Gergana all of the great opportunities she achieved after years of securing her EB1 Green Card with the help of our firm. Below is her update on how she is enjoying life and skyrocketted her career in the US.

Update

I just wanted to send you and the entire team a big thank you. Four years ago, on this day, I got a call from your office that I was approved for an EB1 Green card. I will never forget that call.

I made the move in and I haven’t looked back. I couldn’t be any happier with my decision.

Today I work at LumaForge, a growing technology company, I had the honor to be the first employee of a little over three years ago. Yesterday, I was promoted to officially be on the executive team of the company. I am extremely passionate about my job but I also make sure I live a balanced life and enjoy the California sun as much as I can. My sister and her husband (who also were your clients) are visiting from San Francisco with my niece who will be 4-years old in September and happens to be my best friend. My sister is pregnant with their second child and expecting in October.

I also got very lucky and found a sweet guy to be my boyfriend and now we live together.

I hope you know that what you guys do is changing lives. I hope you are all doing well and are feeling appreciated every day!

Thank you for the great life you helped me create for myself!
Gergana

The Interview

1. Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do?
I am from Bulgaria and I work as a film editor at Nu Boyana Film Studios. I’ve worked on projects like Expendables 3, The Legend of Hercules 3D, Septembers of Shiraz.

2. 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?
Between December 2013 and March 2014 I was an intern in Udaya Entertainment, which is a company that was located in Santa Monica and Venice, California at the time. It fell in love with Los Angeles in general because there is always some filming going on. I felt that in an environment like this I will be able to get even more inspired and accomplish more.

3. How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I was having doubts for let’s say a year because I am doing very well with my career in Europe. My sister and brother-in-law who live in San Francisco (also thanks to the EB1 team of The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram) insisted on me considering it harder. It was always only a matter of time I think and I had a strong feeling that now is the time.

4. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
In the beginning it was difficult to start thinking of myself as somebody with extraordinary skills and abilities. I had to look back and find these achievements which seemed to me as ordinary but people would say “Wow! Did you work on that?”. Then because my job is so visual it was hard to imagine how this is gonna be represented on paper. Also I had a frustrating moment when I realized one of the 4 categories I was going for, wasn’t suitable for me so I gave it up. But the attorneys explained to me that with 3 categories, my case will still be strong enough. Turns out they were right.

5. What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
It’s been very easy to communicate with all the team members who were contacting me in the different stages of the process. They were friendly and helpful, having regular phone calls and e-mails was definitely something that helped me stay motivated. I’m very grateful my brother-in-law recommended them for my case.

6. What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
The afternoon before the call, me and two of my closest friends left Sofia City to go for a vacation at the seaside. But I insisted to stop at my parents’ house, have dinner with them and spend the night there. So when I got the call I was with my family and two of my best friends. I immediately called my brother-in-law who was helping me the entire time so I could share this moment with my sister and him too.

7. What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
A few things are very exciting to me. Firstly, I am curious how well I can do competing and working with the best professionals in the business. Also, I’m looking forward to having a whole new life too, to get some new and exciting life experience. And last but not least, getting together with my sister and her husband is something I’m very much looking forward to.

8. What will you miss the most about living in Bulgaria?
My parents, my friends, my colleagues.

9. What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Go for it. It seems more difficult than it is. There will be always somebody from The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to answer your questions and help you.

One of the most common issues I have to deal with when working EB1 green card cases is the sheer humility of many of my clients. Always self-effacing and not one to really brag about their accomplishments.

As I discuss the careers of my clients it’s as if when they hear the “wow’s” and the “OMG’s” in my voice as they share their stories only then does it begin to dawn on them that yes they have achieved quite a lot. Slowly I then have to walk through the EB1 green card checklist to show them how many of the categories they could in fact satisfy and how we can secure a green card for them.

Whilst modesty is a virtue to be admired, please when it comes to considering an EB1 green card application, lay that modesty aside just long enough for me to tell you that you qualify for an EB1.

Below is Michael’s story, a Kiwi about to embark on their American Dream.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do
I was born in New Zealand, although have lived in Australia for many years and more recently in Hong Kong. I am a Senior IT consultant advising organizations about the appropriate strategy in the use of technology to match their business requirements. Creation and execution of programs of works to deliver the outcomes they require.

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?
I have visited the US 8-9 times over the last 7 years. More so in the last year or two. A good friend of mine moved to the US proving to be a catalyst for this process and my decision to take action for a move. I had always considered and intended to live and work in the US at some point in my life even since a young adult. The USA has always been a place of intrigue and mystery for me, so much beauty from a natural perspective, and large cities often quite culturally diverse to others.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
After consultation with Chris and the team that an EB1 would be the best option for me. I hadn’t even heard of this before engaging with the team. The EB1 proved to be an excellent avenue to match with my professional work achievements and deliver the outcome of a green card.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
The process is complex, time consuming and requires careful navigation to meet all requirements. I have invested many days and weeks of my life to gather all the required information. I never considered giving up, but it was frustrating at times given the duration that it takes to work through all the steps. I was very determined to live in the US, so I think this helped me keep motivated.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris (and his team)?
I enjoyed a very professional but relaxed relationship. I found Chris and the team very approachable, knowledgeable and keen to work with me to deliver the outcome. They were happy to have face to face meetings as needed, fitting in with my schedule when I was in the country. I was not in the US for the bulk of the time the process was underway so we navigated time zones and such challenges with being remote quite successfully.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I think I was polishing the floorboard at my parent’s house at the time — it was a Monday morning in New Zealand. As you can imagine I was over the moon after 8 months of hard work and investment into the process, it had finally come through! I went out to lunch with my dad to celebrate and also had a bigger family function later in the week.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Being able to work and live permanently in the US. It has been a dream for so long, now I can realize it! I am looking forward to hang out with all my friends and enjoy what the wonderful country has to offer!

What will you miss the most about your home country?
I haven’t lived in New Zealand for 15 years, I have lived in Australia and Hong Kong during this time. I have found there is always something I miss about every place I have lived when I move to a new country. For New Zealand, some of the natural beauty and wonder that this country has. My family still live there so I will be back to visit them often and can still enjoy the country as a tourist for now.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
The use of an immigration lawyer for the EB1 is worth its weight in gold. Having Chris and the team navigate me through the process was critical. I would not have been able to achieve this on my own. If you are in the process don’t give up wherever you are at and if you haven’t used professional services as yet or aren’t getting the results you need then contact Chris and the team.

Hi, my name is Diana and I am from Medellin, Colombia. I came to the US on a student visa right after graduating high school. I’m quite determined and so I started from the bottom and worked my way up the ladder starting with an AA Degree in Visual Arts, then I did a course called Studies in Character Animation, and then I did a BA Degree in Art and Animation.

One of the benefits of getting a student visa is that once you have completed your studies you can in fact qualify for a one-year work permit and then hopefully you can find work and secure a graduate visa called an H-1B, which is exactly what I did. Again, the H-1B visa is great as it lasts for up to six years.

Armed with my education and lots of enthusiasm I found work as an intern in Pre-visualization. Since then I literally worked as hard as I could, always doing my best work and I got to work on some major film projects like Point Break 2, Iron Man 2, Bioshock, Green Lantern, Man of Steel and so forth.

In previs, as it’s often called, our job is to work with the visual effects supervisors and directors in creating animated versions of storyboards that serve as a blueprint for filming, editing and creating fully computer-generated shots. We mostly work on big budget action movies and we travel to shooting locations alongside the rest of the crew.

So I was getting to the end of the H-1B visa and so I had to find another visa opportunity that would allow me to settle. After doing some research into the different categories from which you can apply for residency, I felt that I had enough achievements and work experience to be able to apply as an EB1. Of course, the biggest incentive to apply for an EB1 green card was the fact that the category doesn’t have a wait period like the other work categories do.

I talked to Chris M. Ingram ESQ and he laid out the best strategy that we should adopt in putting together a winning case. I decided to go for it and the work began. It definitely felt overwhelming at times because of the amount of evidence that needed to be gathered, but getting the EB1 green card was my mission and I really wanted and needed it to continue my life and career here, so I wasn’t going to give up.

Chris’ team was really helpful and encouraging throughout the process and Chris was very straightforward and honest about my options and how to tackle the case.

I was at work and I got an email update saying my application was approved. I had to read it three times to really believe it! Then I ran to my husband and told him. We went out for a nice dinner and drinks to celebrate.

Hard work really does pay off in life. I came to the US with hope and dreams. I think I’ve proved that if you put the time and dedication in, America will reward you. In my case, the added bonus was that I met my husband at work. I’ve also been lucky to travel and live in many different cities across the country and had a blast meeting new people and exploring the different areas.

My advice to anyone going for the EB1 green card is – be prepared to work very hard indeed. Try to tackle one thing at a time to not get overwhelmed by all the categories and required evidence. Also, do not be afraid to ask for help. Finally, I couldn’t have done this without all the support from my co-workers and friends who wrote letters supporting my case big time.

I could not be happier.

EB1 Green Card Success – Firstly we’d like to congratulate Diana on being designated by US Immigration as an Alien of Extraordinary Ability in the area of Pre-Visualization. Secondly, we’d like to state how much we admire Diana for truly realizing the American Dream. Diana came to the US as a student with a dream to work in the film industry as an artist. To date she has worked on top Hollywood Blockbuster films such as Priest, Green Lantern and Man of Steel. Seriously who gets to do that!!!!! Well, a very talented lady in her twenties from Colombia. We could not be more proud of her – to get this designation whilst still in her twenties is astounding. Diana is the reason why we love doing EB1 green card cases and we look forward to doing many more.

Ian’s EB1 Green Card Success Story: One of the joys of working with O1 and EB1 green card clients is the fact that they are very professional people – they’ve risen to the very top of their profession for good reason. Ian was always great to work with because no matter what assignment we gave him he always came through and this made our working relationship very productive and professional.

Now that Ian has his EB1 green card he can develop his career in the US without any immigration concerns whatsoever – for life. We hope you enjoy this video series because Ian shares some really excellent nuggets of advice that will help you succeed too.

If you’d like any assistance in securing an EB1 green card please do not hesitate to contact us on Tel: 310 496 4292.

Being an EB1 green card law firm is really cool, no two ways about it. We get to work with the best performers in a wide variety of specialties. Today, it’s all about the Hot Rods! Our client Chris is one of New Zealand’s top professional Hot Rod Fabricators and Performance Specialists, with a particular expertise in drag racing. Chris has owned and operated Blackjack’s Speed Shop Ltd since 2002 (formerly known as Blackjack Engineering Ltd), which has a reputation for building top-class Hot Rods.

Thanks to Chris’ expertise with Hot Rods, he has also been a critical part of successful racing teams as both a Clutch Specialist and Crew Chief. The drivers that Chris has worked with include Del Worsham, Mark Vincent, and Grant Downing.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do. I am from New Zealand and I own and run a Hot Rod Fabrication shop. I also am heavily involved in drag racing both in New Zealand and in the USA.

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? No, I haven’t resided here, but I fell in love with America after my first vacation with my mom when I was 13 years old and it has been a love affair ever since. I have been back to the US 29 times over the years for both vacation and business.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1? After many attempts at various options, I was finally directed towards the EB1 as a possible option.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? The process requires a lot of time and dedication with regards to collecting all the evidence required. This is not a process that you could complete without the assistance of an EB1 specialist team.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example, evidence gathering? Trying to find the evidence required for the categories that I was going for that spanned a 25-year career.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team? I never got to deal with Chris personally, but I did have the pleasure of meeting the team who was preparing my case on two occasions when I was in the US on business. I found them to be great to deal with, very professional and unrelenting in going the extra mile to ensure my case would be successful.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate? Because of the time difference, I had only just got in to work to start my day. I was absolutely stunned and speechless because my case was processed and approved so quickly.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US? Being able to enjoy all our lifestyle activities without the big expense of airfares and a 13-hour flight.

What will you miss the most about your home country? Friends.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process? Keep your eyes on the prize, and don’t give up.

Duncan’s EB1 Success Story: Duncan has a great EB1 green card story to share because in this video series he outlines how from humble beginnings as a Runner in the Film and Music industry he rose through the ranks to be a top film and music video editor working with bands like U2. Having decided to relocate to the US, we were able to point Duncan towards an EB1 card and together we put the best possible case together, which was ultimately approved upon first submission.

It was wonderful to go and visit Duncan at his studio in West LA, California to film his amazing journey and to hear how well his family had settled in the US. Great Move? You Bet! If you would like us to help you achieve your American Dream, please call on 310 496 4292 and let’s make it happen.

Kim’s EB1 green card story was quite interesting because she came with her husband, an up-and-coming film editor, to see if we might be able to work with him in order to secure a visa for both of them. However, as the interview discussions progressed, it became apparent that it was Kim’s professional background that showed the most promise for an EB1 green card.

Kim was an advertising and marketing executive, and in her leading role, she had picked up quite a number of awards in her field. Winning industry awards is a surefire indicator of an alien’s candidacy for an EB1 green card. If you win any major industry award, it says that you have risen to the very top of your field. While winning awards is not essential to obtaining an EB1 green card, it certainly helps.

If you’d like any assistance in securing an EB1 green card, please do not hesitate to contact us on Tel: 310 496 4292.

My name is Christina, and I am the CEO and Managing Officer of Bespoke Leather Works. I am a British citizen and studied Fashion Design in London, receiving a BA honors.

I first began my career as a fashion designer, specializing in leather outerwear and apparel as well as leather fashion accessories. Since 2001, I have been living and working in the US with an O1 visa. My career path has been quite varied and colorful. I have worked on many exciting projects, including the HBO series *Sex In The City*. I have also designed costumes for high-profile A-list celebrity events. Now, at present, my career path has evolved towards the high-end furniture and home accessories market.

I began researching the EB1 green card application criteria. It was something I had been discussing with my previous lawyer at the time and decided to consider other immigration attorneys. I was finding the O1 visa application process every three years quite cumbersome and wanted to make my status more permanent. It was at this time I came across The Law Offices of Chris Ingram. I found the website very informative and decided to take advantage of the free phone consultation they were offering.

During my initial consultation, Chris made me feel at ease and confident that we had a strong case. This was such a contrast from my previous attorney who told me that EB1 green card applications can take years. I was also happy to discover that he is a fellow ‘Brit’ and fully understood the process and how stressful it can be. He evaluated my achievements and immediately began crafting my case. Working with Chris’s team was fantastic. We were working to a very tight deadline; we had three weeks to pull all of the information and paperwork together. Together, we set deadlines, and the team guided me through the process with expertise and patience. Chris and his team run a tight ship.

The office is extremely organized and efficient, which is imperative when handling this much information. All correspondence was via email, which was so convenient for me. They cross-referenced every single referral letter and piece of press. When it seemed that my case needed more information, Chris helped me dig deeper, to fill in any gaps. You will be surprised how much you can forget you’ve done over 10 years! Chris is a true professional as well as a people person. I cannot stress enough how much you will appreciate that when you work with him.

The application was sent out in February; we received the approval from USCIS in March! (And this was without premium processing). I was completely shocked and beyond thrilled! I now have in my hand an official EB1 US Green Card and am truly enjoying the benefits and freedom of it.

I would highly recommend The Offices of Chris Ingram to anyone looking for an immigration attorney!

We first moved to the US in late 2001 as I used to work for Hilton Hotels. They asked me to come over after 9-11 and lead a big project for two years at what used to be the Worldwide HQ in Beverly Hills, CA. Hilton handled an H1-B visa for us (for Oct 2001-June 2003). While we were in the US that first time, we got to know Chris and his family through some mutual friends (as he also lived in Valencia, CA). He and his family are wonderful people, and he is a man of great character and integrity. We returned to the UK after the US secondment with Hilton ended.

When we decided (in 2005) that we wanted to move back to the USA, we immediately thought of Chris for our E-2 Entrepreneurs Visa. He communicated exceptionally well throughout the whole (quite daunting) process, and we especially liked the way we could monitor our case progress on his website online (to avoid expensive phone calls – both at an attorney rate and international dialing, etc).

Our E-2 went through with no hiccups at all, and we moved back to the USA in Feb 2006. He handled our E-2 renewal (2-year) in Feb 2008, and then he saw an opportunity (based on extraordinary ability, which was rather humbling to say the least) to apply for our Green Card (EB-1 status). There was an initial pushback from the INS, but he responded expertly; we provided additional information and got them as a family! We got our Green Cards in late 2009, as I recall.

We would highly recommend Chris – an expert in his chosen field as this is his only area of law. He really genuinely cares about each of his clients and communicates clearly and concisely. We also liked the fact that he has gone through (and is still going through the same journey as us towards Citizenship, so he has personal experience of how to navigate the waters). Above all, Chris is what I hope to be as a good Christian man and father when I’m older!

Paul

Attorney Comments:

I’ve known Paul for nearly a decade as a client. I remember when we first met at a BBQ and how he aspired to make the US his home. Paul became my client, and we set about the task, first starting with an E2 Visa and then we set about going for an EB1 green card for himself and his family.

The one thing that has always struck me about Paul is that from the very beginning, even without knowing much about the EB1 process, he already knew the application was going to be successful. Confidence can make all the difference in life, and as a highly successful Keynote speaker, Paul exudes so much confidence that he inspired me.

Paul’s confidence stems from a firm belief that if you really want to achieve anything in life, you simply have to focus your efforts toward that goal. Then it simply becomes a matter of organized steps in a singular direction. It’s not magic or hocus-pocus; it’s just confidence in one’s ability to remain focused on a task until the job’s done. Working with so many extraordinary individuals is quite humbling because as you get to know them and work on their cases, you learn so many things about why and how they got to where they are now. For Paul, it’s confidence and hard work. What is it for you?

Kesh’s Careful Research Paid Off: Company director Kesh was looking for a new change in his lifestyle and was excited to move to the USA. As a specialist in Insurance and Outsourcing, Kesh has served on many expert panels at various seminars and conventions and enjoys national and international recognition for his services to this field. Although quite modest about his many accomplishments, Kesh is also a recipient of the highly prestigious Best Outsourcing Advisor award by the National Outsourcing Association. After careful consideration and consulting various sources, he collaborated with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to pursue his EB1. We hope you will enjoy reading Kesh’s remarkable story.

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

I would describe myself as a Company director who specializes in Insurance consultancy and outsourcing. Whilst I enjoy a very high level of success being based in the UK, for a long time I felt that the US offered even greater opportunities both professionally and personally.

Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?

My main motivation was that America seemed to offer a higher quality and standard of life for my family. I’m married with 2 boys who are 5 & 6. Living in London certainly has its charms, buzz, and excitement and I loved working in that environment, but at some point, like many people, you reach that stage where you feel like you’d like a complete change of lifestyle.

After some careful research and planning, I decided that Champaign, Illinois would be a great place to take my family to the next level. I knew relocating to the US was not going to be as simple as hopping on a plane and working, quite the contrary. I was certain that there would be a lot of red tape and I’d have to plough my way through as I explored all of the visa options. My goal was to find one that gave my family and I the long-term security we’d need. I was recommended to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram by a friend who was also looking to relocate but had not done so yet. They had done a lot of research and had decided that this law firm was the best one. Nevertheless, it was important to me that I still talked to other lawyers and compare what each of them had to say.

What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision?

I guess it was Chris’ advice and passion that really stood out for me. I wanted a clear no-nonsense path, and Chris presented the EB1 green card for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability. I had no idea how I might qualify for this ‘super visa’. Chris and I discussed all of my accomplishments, some of which I had quite honestly forgotten at first, and he made the call that the EB1 green card was my best option and that I would qualify. Then it was down to me to pull the trigger. I did.

How would you describe your experience in working with us?

One thing I would say is that working with a law firm with an eight-hour time difference is quite interesting, but once we got the rules around working together sorted, it worked very well. The law firm has an online case management platform that allowed me to upload my documentation as it became available, and then they would review it during their time zone.

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

When I got the news that my case had been approved, I was over the moon – we couldn’t believe it. Deep down we knew that the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram would get us over the line; they have a great team that works well together.

The processing of the entire case from start to receiving our Green Cards took longer than expected due to the various branches of US Immigration we had to go through, but the most important thing is that we got the right result in the end.

We’ve just got back from our Embassy interview where our green cards will now be stamped into our passports, and then our actual plastic green cards will be mailed to our new address. Wow! It’s finally real, so here we go!!!!

Today we are celebrating another sweet victory for getting an EB1 green card for Indian dancer – Manjula. Winning cases is our life’s blood, every win brings to life the American Dream for another family. We must win.

We like to invite our clients to share their stories, their hard work and our close partnership help to win their cases. Together we are able to win these cases. Indian Dance cases are very challenging, you have to have the right blend of evidence and if you do not have it you must be prepared to do whatever it takes to get it. If you can get us precisely what we need we’ll win, it’s that simple.

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

Advice – Getting a great portfolio of publicity photos of your performing is key. Flyers, Programs & Brochures and tickets.

From Sydney, Australia, a professional Indian Bharatnatyam Classical Dancer, founder and artistic director. My dance career spans over 20 years, starting to perform at 5 years of age in India and as a professional across Australia, USA & Singapore. My goal has always been to get Indian classical dance accessible to audiences in Australia.

My journey has been amazing to a point where I was able to do just this but more importantly donate financially towards assisting charity organizations reach their philanthropic goals.

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

Only with sheer hard work, sustained dedication, passion and commitment did I achieve my dreams. I never forget that there is so much more to learn, a lot more to achieve and that hunger drives me forward. Walking into the unknown in Australia was my biggest challenge.

Dance dreams in my mind and holding onto hope were two things that supported me. I literally started from nothing and built a successful dance career in Australia producing, choreographing many full-length dance drama productions. I have been teaching a generation of young kids to adults for the past 20 years.

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?

I have never lived in the US before but have always loved this country visiting on numerous occasions covering both the east and west coasts for my dance performances and family holidays catching up with relatives & friends. Having seen the young generation and their eagerness to learn dance was motivating enough for me to set my sights towards the US.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

My US family relatives suggested I look at EB1 as an ideal option. When I researched this topic on the internet, I did come across people with extraordinary ability using the EB1 route. It took me less than a minute to Google search “Indian Dancers EB1”. This brought me straight to Chris Ingram’s office website and rest is history.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

I had to put in the hard yards but I always believed in my ability 100 percent. The EB1 process is daunting at first but when you work towards understanding, satisfying the criteria it gets better. If for example as a performing artist it helps your EB1 petition to showcase your art in a famous venue try and do exactly that.

My journey in life is always dance but I use this as a platform to support charitable organizations and help people. This is an area where I was unique as compared to others. Show you are different—it is important to concentrate on gathering evidence from the most prestigious sources possible. One needs to hit the right notes and the probability of success goes up a notch. You need to deliver what the team at Chris Ingram want.

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

My first challenge was to understand the EB1 categories that suit me as a classical dancer, then grasp what is involved and finally think from a USCIS officer’s point of view what they would want to see. Expert advice & guidance from the team at Chris Ingram was an important milestone.

Most importantly I had always maintained evidence on all my dance performances, all my theatrical production work, press reviews, DVDs, videos, dance photos, ticket sales and awards going back many years. I made sure my website showcased my entire story and I was able to deliver to Chris and Team on what they were looking for.

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

Great team, fantastic experience—these guys know what it takes. I must thank Amrita who worked with me for months answering questions, collating information, Tomas for his expert advice and patience and not to forget Tanya, Alicia, Lindsey and Chris himself who took time answering many emails. I cannot wait to meet these awesome people. You are halfway there in your EB1 journey when you choose Chris and team.

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

I was choreographing my next theatrical dance production well past midnight. It was 1am in Sydney when I saw an email pop up from USCIS offices. My heart skipped a beat as I gathered courage to read the email. The words “we approved your form I-140” was enough to send me into a frenzy as all the hard work for the past 7 months now had value.

This moment was so surreal it can only be understood when it happens to you. Getting an approval in 8 days was something I could not comprehend. I had read so many success stories and to be a part of Chris Ingram approval gallery is mind boggling. Celebrations have not stopped and we plan to fly down to Hawaii, one of our favorite places.

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

Finally, I can look forward to starting my new challenge using Dance to perform, teach, support charities and hopefully inspire younger generations. Catching up with my cousins, meeting childhood friends would be something special and all this as a US permanent resident is the icing on the cake.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Australia gave me hope, supported my dance passion and provided a superb lifestyle to my family. Sydney will always be special—my daughter was born here and we take our memories with us. The years of sweat will come to an end, the numerous friends and the bond will be missed.

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

Believe in yourself, it’s very important as this will carry you to your dreams. Your extraordinary ability should speak for itself but make sure you back it up with solid evidence. Choosing Chris Ingram and team is your next big win, work with them, do not hesitate to provide more evidence. Do not hold back—flood your evidence, the more the better when it comes to EB1. Now is not the time to be humble. You need to have an obsession to go for gold and get your EB1.

Dancing a path to success: Being a dancer takes skill, practice and determination. With hard work and years of discipline, Pari’s expert dance talents have resulted in worldwide recognition.

We are beginning to get quite a reputation in the Indian cultural dance space. We have Pari who specializes in Kathak, Maya who does Bharatnatyam and Mrya who does Kuchipudi dance. This goes to show that whatever form of dance you specialize in, if you can be considered an expert in that art form then you can be considered for your EB1 green card. Give us a call so we can make a free evaluation.

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

I am from Delhi, India. I am a professional Kathak dance artist. Kathak is an Indian classical dance from the northern India. I started my career as a dancer when I was very young. I have performed all over India and many other countries around the world. Along with being a performer, I am also a choreographer and have presented many of my original creations. Currently I am the Artistic Director and Kathak teacher at Anila Sinha Foundation in Illinois.

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?

I had the opportunity to visit the US many times in the past due of my dance performances. I used to travel with my Guruji (teacher), the legendary Kathak dancer, Pandit Birju Maharaj. I have performed in the US at many places from east coast to west coast and have also held many Kathak workshops for students in the US. During my visits I was very impressed by the lifestyle here. The people were very good, honest and rule-following. The social system made life easy and comfortable. There are a lot of opportunities available for those who have the drive and are willing to work hard. I have always dreamed of settling down in the US.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I am working in Chicago for an Indian dance school since year 2005. I was on a P3 visa which I had to renew each year. In these 10 years I taught many students. Many other dance schools in different states and countries have invited me for dance workshops and performances. But because of my visa status, I was not able to accept these invitations or travel internationally. I then decided to apply for an EB1 visa which would allow me to grow personally and to share my knowledge and expertise with a wider audience.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

After a lot of searching for a long time for a reliable and reputable Immigration lawyer I found the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. And now I know that my decision to work with this firm was the best decision I made. I must say, the entire team working for my EB1 visa was very professional, prompt and helpful. Since the day I started my EB1 processing, everything went very smoothly. I got clear guidance from the team members, starting with Lindsey Blue when she explained the whole process to me, Chris M. Ingram, Leslee Williams, Alicia Martinez, Erika Carlin and Kostas Moros guided me at every step. All the instructions and communications were very clear and timely, making it easy for me to gather all my documents and submit my paperwork on time.

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

Fortunately I had most of the evidence documents with me. Due to the clear instructions I got about what evidence I needed for the different categories I was able to gather the remaining documents. I didn’t have any problems at all in getting all the evidence needed.

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

All the members in the team were very efficient and professional. The website is very clear and helpful. After reading the success stories and talking to Lindsey, I was able to confidently decide to use this law firm. Though I had to deal with many different people at each stage, the whole process was seamless because each member knew their job well and did it efficiently and promptly. They all seemed to take a personal interest in my case making me feel that I was in good hands. I am so thankful to Chris and the whole team. They helped me to get my EB1 visa and make my dream come true!

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

When I got the news, I was heading out to teach my dance class, I had just pulled my car out onto my driveway when I got the call from Kostas that my EB1 was approved, I can’t express my feelings in words. Oh my god, at first I couldn’t believe it, I was in tears. It was a very relieving moment that my long awaited wish had come true. Then I called my friends, and my uncle to give them the good news. When I went to my dance class, I was so happy and couldn’t stop smiling. My students were asking me, “What happened you are so happy?” That evening I celebrated with two of my best friends, Medha and Kamalji, at Lou Malnatis’s Pizza (Chicago’s famous deep dish style).

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

I am looking forward to having the freedom to travel and perform all over the US and different countries. I want to expand my student group and teach in many different states. Eventually, I would like to start my own dance school in the US.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

I grew up in India; all my childhood memories are there and I will miss it. But as they say, where you live becomes your home. Since I have spent so many years here in the US, I feel at home here.

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

I would say your search for a good immigration attorney firm has ended here at Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. You are in good hands. Just trust them. They know their job.

EB1 Success Story: Our client celebrates dancing her way to an EB1 green card. Our client came to the US to study for a PhD in Bio-Technology but all of her life she has been a Kuchipudi dancer having been trained by the best Gurus in India. In the Kuchipudi world our client is quite a celebrity. We decided to see if we could share all of our client’s accomplishments in dancing with US Immigration to see if they would consider giving her an EB1 green card based on her extraordinary abilities in dancing and having put the case together to our delight they said yes. We could not be happier for our client as she is an awesome person and a great dancer who can bring a lot to the cultural diversity to America and bring joy to those who are very familiar with this art form and introduce new dancers to this art form too. We wish her all the very best. If you’d like us to consider your talents for an EB1 green card please call us today on 760 754 7000 Direct.

I am from India. I am a performer of Kuchipudi (Kuchipudi, is a dance/theatre performance tradition from the South Eastern part of India). In addition, I also have a master’s degree in Bio-Technology from India and a PhD from the United States in Genetics.

After receiving my PhD in 2011, I wanted to seriously pursue my performance career in the US. Since I was with a student visa (F1), I had certain restrictions with pursuing a professional career in performance in the US. Without a permanent resident status, I would not be eligible for certain performance opportunities in art festivals, as well as grants. I also had restrictions with the amount of international travel I could undertake with my F1 Visa status. I decided to pursue a Green Card in the EB1 Category in the Performing arts. Finding a law firm with experience in applying in the Performing arts Category was the biggest caveat. The performing arts category is very difficult to satisfy and also requires a good Attorney who can present a very convincing case. It is one thing to have achievements, but another to present them as a clear, succinct, unique and a convincing story for the immigration officials. I spent almost about 6 months looking for Attorneys and law firms which had processed cases like mine. I found Attorney Ingram’s Law Firm on one of my searches on the Internet. After reading the success stories of other clients, I was convinced and retained them.

Right from the beginning, the process and communication from the law firm was very organized. The case is processed electronically, so that the client is also involved in the process. It is very transparent and interactive. When I was hearing stories of case rejections from my friends, I was a bit worried if I had taken the correct decision by applying in the EB1 Category. Lindsey Laird, from the law firm who was handling my case would always say that my case was a strong one. I was not fully convinced then, but after the approval I am strongly convinced about their assessments regarding my case.

All the members were very professional and interacted in a very courteous manner. Most of the daily meetings and information exchange was between me and Lindsey, and I have interacted with her the most. I really don’t know how to thank her for all the timely help she has provided. She really made sure that I was aware of the finer points which the immigration officer would want to look at. The tabular format which they provided was very objective so that I could upload the information in the right place.

Attorney Chris Ingram was very clear, concise and gave me the correct advice regarding the filing of my case, based on my unique set of requirements. He also presented a very convincing case highlighting all the points making my case unique for the immigration officer. In the end, my case breezed through the immigration process and I received my acceptance in exactly 3 months of submission without any RFE.

I just finished dinner and I got a call from Lindsey, asking me if I had checked my mail. Expecting the worst, I was silent. She broke the good news that my case has been approved. My initial reaction was utter disbelief and I was not convinced and kept asking her if there was any mistake, and the name on the notice of approval was really mine. After talking with her, I was scared to check online, but after a few minutes I gathered the courage to look it up. I was very happy and then broke the news to my family in the US and India.

I am in the process of registering a small dance/theatre ensemble. I am excited about the new opportunities for participation in the festivals. I am also looking forward to engage in teaching activities.

For immigrants considering an EB1 process, I would strongly recommend Attorney Ingram’s Law Firm for processing their visa applications. For others who are already in the process, I would strongly recommend they collect all the information of their achievements, and present them in a concise manner. It is always good to have a good interactive process with the Case workers, so that they can present a great case for the immigration officers.

Thank you very much.
[NB: Name changed to protect privacy]

EB1 Success Story: Our client, a formally trained Kuchipudi Dancer from India was able to utilize her passion, skills towards achieving a Green Card through the EB1 process. While our client initially came to the United States to study and later work, she continued to practice the art of Kuchipudi dance and participated in competitions, teaching, judging the work of others and performing all over the world. With her Green Card in hand, our client can continue to pursue her talent and reside in the United States. We wish her all the very best. If you’d like us to consider your talents for an EB1 green card please call us today on 310 496 4292.

1. Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I was born and raised in India. I am a Kuchipudi (Classical Indian Dance) dancer. I started learning dance at an age of 5 and have been a dancer since then. I gave several dance performances in India and the United States. I also teach and conducted lecture demonstrations about the dance form. I participated in and won in several dance competitions.

2. How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
I have been performing at international stage for the last 5 years. In spite of that, I did not consider myself even close to getting a green card on extraordinary ability. I had to work slightly differently having the green card as my end goal. Being in the field for many years, it certainly required some work from my side to get all the documentation required and collect evidence for everything, but it was not very far fetched. The Chris Ingram Law group helped me a lot along the way.

3. 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?
I came to the United States to pursue my MS in Engineering. I worked in a software company for few years after that. I continued to perform Kuchipudi dance at national and international events during this period. I wanted to pursue dance full-time and settle in the United States of America.

4. How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I heard about EB-1 green card from a senior in my dance academy in India and was very interested in learning more about it. When I did some research online, I found the Chris Ingram Law firm’s website and they worked with classical Indian dancers before. After setting up some appointments with their specialists, I still had my doubts whether I should go for it, or not. There was a limited downside if I didn’t get it, but a huge upward swing. After a lot of thought, I signed up with Chris Ingram Law Firm and then started building the case. There was no looking back after that.

5. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
The EB1 petition process was quite involved. I would not have been able to file it on my own without the guidance of expert lawyers who know the in’s and out’s of the field. They have clearly outlined 10 categories that one must satisfy. There were 3 or 4 categories which I was strong in, and we determined that at the beginning of the case. I started gathering evidence in these categories. Chris Ingram Law firm has a very neat online system, which was very helpful in organizing all the documents I had. The lawyers were very experienced with previous RFE’s that other similar cases have received and helped me fill the gaps in my petition.

6. What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
I had many challenges in evidence gathering. Some of the challenges were to increase my coverage in media and work with press folks to get all the necessary information. Another challenge was in getting recommendation letters. You need to get the letters from the top people in the field and it was hard to get some time with them to discuss it.

7. What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
I worked with many people in Chris Ingram’s team. I must say it was an amazing experience working with each and every one of them. Right from the beginning when I worked with Arianeh who was the intake specialist, to other people like Amrita, Tomas and Alicia. I had a very special relationship with Amrita. She was very encouraging and motivated me at every step of the way. Hats off to their team for their expert guidance, hard work and great communication skills.

8. What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was traveling and out of the country when I got to know. I looked at the USCIS website that night and was pleasantly surprised to see an Approved status. I jumped up and down not believing what I saw. I then e-mailed Chris’s team of the good news. It took me a few days for it to actually sink in.

9. What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am looking forward to the freedom the country has to offer and the great opportunities that lie ahead of me.

10. What will you miss the most about your home country?
I will miss some of my family who is still back home.

11. What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
My biggest advice to anyone who is considering applying for an EB1 is to hire an expert like Chris Ingram’s team.

The RDB Legend Continues. Every so often we get an exciting celebrity client who we are thrilled to represent before US Immigration. One of those clients is Manjeet from the world-famous band RDB – Rhythm Dhol Bass. Because we had previously worked with him on securing his O1 Visa, we were especially eager to help him get his US Green Card. Along with building an impressive musical career and receiving a large amount of critical acclaim and fame, Manjeet has collaborated with other global superstars like Snoop Dog, Ludacris, and 50 Cent. Manjeet won a Canadian Screen Award for his original song “Dal Makhani,” and US Immigration decided that this achievement alone was enough evidence of extraordinary ability to merit an EB1 Green Card. Wow! We are so excited to share his EB1 success story.

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
My name is Manjeet and I was born in the UK and raised in the UK until 23, at which time I decided to marry and moved out to Canada in 2002. I am the lead singer and producer for a band called RDB (Rhythm Dhol Bass) that started back in 1999, and I am now officially known as Manj Musik as a solo artist.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
After moving over to Canada, it was a great move as I got to collaborate and connect with some amazing US-based mainstream artists such as Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Tpain, etc. It was these collaborations that got me to build the bridge between the USA and India, which is where the core of my work is.

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?
I have never lived in the US but due to so many opportunities opening up, it was only right to apply and try and get my EB1 and move over.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram has always been my go-to firm for all of my visa needs, and I remember years ago I was lucky enough to have a O1 visa approved for 5 years thru Chris. They are amazing to work with and due to their success with me in the past, it was only right to apply for the EB1 with them.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
The experience was amazing as it was so smooth and the online system helped so much. Each individual is amazing to work with and really do understand all the questions you throw at them.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
Collecting evidence initially was not really the challenge but when the officer requested more evidence on certain subjects, this got a little tricky. But my allocated attorney did an amazing job of actually researching more evidence for me – even I was surprised at what he was able to find.

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
I have an amazing relationship with Chris because of our history but since the filing, I have really got to know most of his team and see a very family type of atmosphere, which is soothing to know.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
LOL – I was sitting in Mumbai in a meeting and I received a call. Unfortunately I was unable to answer but when I heard the voicemail, “Hi Manjeet, it’s Chris Ingram’s Office, you might want to call us back,” I jumped for joy and called my wife instantly.

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
Opportunities, Weather, Friends… everything, really. I have been travelling into the States for so long now, it was only time before I was going to move there.

What will you miss the most about your home country?
Well I moved out of the UK 15 years ago and I’m not missing that at all…lol but I will miss Canada. The good thing is Canada is right next door and so easy to fly back and forth so I won’t miss my friends and family too much.

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
I would say you definitely need to go with The Law offices of Chris M. Ingram as they are the BEST!! Secondly, I would say collect double the amount of evidence and when submitting, try and give them more than what they need.

Securing the American Dream – When Hesam started with us, he had already done his research into his options, but was torn between the O1 visa and the EB1 Green Card. With ties to the US and a job offer in hand, the O1B could have been a great option, but upon review of his case, we saw significant achievement that couldn’t be ignored. On our advice, Hesam chose to go straight to the top and go for an EB1 Green Card, a decision that proved to be the right one as he was approved by US Immigration. Hesam put his heart and soul into the case and kept the faith all along, and ultimately, we were able to make his American Dream come true with an EB1 victory!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m Hesam, a film director from Iran and I’ve been working in this business for about 20 years.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way?
I followed 3 simple rules in my career:
Always try to do something new or creative; otherwise, don’t start at all!
Never repeat the same thing, even if it was a huge success!
Always assume that your current project is the most important project on the earth!
For a film-maker, usually the biggest challenge is finding someone who’s ready to invest in your crazy ideas! It’s the most difficult part of my job, but if you believe in your idea, everything works out eventually!

Have you ever lived in the US before? If so, under what circumstances? If not, what aroused your interest to move to the US?
No, I have not; but anyone who works in the film business knows that the US is home of the entertainment industry. I wanted to move to a place with more prospects for my career, and where else in the world is better than the US?

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I decided to go for an EB1 as soon as I read about its advantages in an online article. It was an ambitious decision and I knew getting it wouldn’t be easy at all; but I also believed that the EB1 was the only thing worth fighting for!

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
At first, it looked a little bit scary! I wasn’t sure if I could provide all the necessary evidence for satisfying each category. I had no idea where I should start but Chris and his team broke it down into small easy tasks. They guided me through the whole process and helped me to prepare each single document. After a couple of months, we had all the necessary evidence, maybe more!

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example, evidence gathering?
Sometimes I had to find evidence from 15 or 20 years ago. It was difficult because the internet wasn’t that popular in those days, and I couldn’t find them by a simple google search (for example, a specific film festival press coverage).

What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
One of the biggest joys of working with Chris and his team was the quality of communication. They were always there to guide me through the process. We had scheduled phone calls and routine emails from the beginning of the journey to the very end. I especially liked the Online Case system through which I could be in touch with the team all the time. I could see my tasks and my progress for each step. This easy-to-use, web-based system was an excellent way for us to constantly be in touch and work together to finalize the case.

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
It was the last day of me and my wife’s spring vacation. We were strolling in a beautiful garden in Isfahan (one of the most visited cities of Iran) and we were about to order some drinks. My cell phone rang and I heard the news. We were shocked and couldn’t believe it for a few minutes! What did we do? We doubled the order and had a small celebration on that memorable afternoon!

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am looking forward to participating in world-class film-making projects. I am especially interested in the technical aspects of cinema and the US is the best place for pursuing it.

What will you miss the most about your home country?
I will definitely miss my family and friends, but thanks to technology, at least I can be in touch and even see them online whenever I want!

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Never give up! Be patient! Always follow the instructions provided by Chris and his team carefully and above all, believe in yourself!

Jewelry Designer Perfects His Craft: As a child, Saeed often heard stories from his father about the land of opportunity, the United States of America. Saeed had heard that individuals known as Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, often can pave a pathway to residing in the United States on a permanent basis, a process known as the EB1 Green Card. As a jewelry designer, director, instructor and author, Saeed possessed all the requisite qualities to become a successful EB1 Green Card Holder, as fulfilling the EB1 Category Requirements was a smooth process. As an EB1 Attorney, having a client like Saeed was a dream. He was extremely motivated and never defeated by the hurdles that laid ahead of him. We wish Saeed all the success now that he is able to fulfill his American Dream!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. I have been a jewelry designer, design director, instructor and author for more than 10 years ago.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
After 8 hours working in office, I just started to learn and practice at home for 3-4 hours. Everyday for 12-15 hours, I worked hard to perfect my craft. After 2-3 years I started to teach what I learned in some institutes and universities, and then I started writing my first book to teach to more people around the world! I won first place in the first jewelry design award in my country, and then won more than 11 international design awards in Italy and Hong Kong. After each victory, I never stopped moving forward and just wanted to achieve bigger goals! In 5 years I worked very hard, wrote more than 700 pages in 2 books, and instructed more than 600 students.

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?
I’ve never been in the US, but my father lived there for 5-6 years in the 1970s. During my childhood, my father always told me stories about US. He said, “you should go there one day son!” When I got older, I always saw the US photos, specifically Manhattan, NY or Los Angeles, CA, and I could see myself living there. I thought to myself “I should go there,” the land of opportunity! I think that made me attracted to it unconsciously.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
Well after some of my achievements, I heard that there was a way for people who are successful in their own career to go and live in United States, and that’s when I started to do more research about it.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
It was a great and unique experience for me. When I started to prepare my documents, it was a little bit hard for me at first, because of our Persian language. I had to translate all of my non-English documents and evidences and it took long time but I was never disappointed. The best experience I had with my EB1 Visa process was the online system to upload all documents and manage my case. Every day I could see my case status easily. Another good thing was I did not have to post my printed documents via courier, which is quiet pricy and takes more time; I just simply scanned and uploaded them into a high-tech online system which was very interesting and helpful in completing the EB1 Green Card process.

What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
The biggest challenge I had was getting my evidence because I had to translate them from Persian to English via an official translator and then upload both documents to the online system. It was so many documents – newspapers, TV shows – but I could manage them very well, of course, with the advice and help of The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.

What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
It was simply amazing! Chris is the last lawyer I called! Before I found Chris, I had called over 15 different lawyers, most of which were Iranian, but after I saw Chris’ website and emailed him, I found what I was looking for! Fortunately, there was an Iranian person on the Chris’ team, Shirin, who helped me a lot during my process. Shirin was always available and answered all of my questions with emails and phone calls patiently. I would say the entire team was very professional, precise and dutiful!

What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I was eating dinner with one of my friends when I got a call from Chris’ team. I did not expect that phone call to tell me the result because it was just 5-6 days after sending my case to USCIS, and I expected to get the result after 2 weeks! When I heard that my case was approved, I just couldn’t believe it! I couldn’t stop the tears that flowed from my eyes! I celebrated the day after with some of my friends and we had dinner and drinks together!

What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
I am not going to America to be average! I am going to make my dreams come true, to achieve my goals and do what I really love to do – to have my own brand in jewelry and make a great impact!

What will you miss the most about your home country?
Of course the first thing I think I will miss is my family, who always helped me and supported me a lot. The second thing I will miss is my friends, who I love a lot!

What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Never give up! I never dreamed about success – I worked for it! Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it!

I was born in Canada and have been living in England for the past 15 years. As a sound monitor engineer, I work with bands during live shows to ensure they can properly hear each other on stage.

I have worked with bands like Foster the People, Nas, Passion Pit, The Hoosiers and Amy MacDonald. I am currently the sound monitor engineer for 30 Seconds to Mars, a band fronted by Oscar winner Jared Leto. I also toured the US with Foster the People on an O1 visa.

I started my career in sound engineering in college when I was a sound technician for a musical production. This sparked my interest in the technical side of live shows, and I enjoyed the work.

I have always been a musician, but as my career as progressed, I became increasingly frustrated with the sound engineers. I worked with because I couldn’t hear myself or the musicians around me. I decided I could do this better myself. As I started doing gigs, I developed a reputation for being a good monitor engineer and I started my career with the Hoosiers. Once I left that band, folk singer Amy MacDonald was in need of a sound monitor engineer, and sought me out. From there, I was able to further establish my reputation and because talented monitor engineers are rare, I continued to get gigs with top artists.

In 1993-94 I studied at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. While there, I studied drums, and initially started my career as a drummer. I later turned to the technical side of the business and became a sound monitor engineer. My wife, Julia, and I have been wanting to relocate to the US for a long time. I have been working on O1, O2 and P1 visas for American bands almost exclusively for the past five years. Though I have managed to work with top indie rock and pop bands, my first love is country music. Because most country music artists do not travel to the UK, this industry is almost impossible to break into unless you are in Nashville. So to start a new adventure and work with artists creating my favorite type of music, I have to be in the US.

The EB1 green card process is difficult. There are a lot of documents to gather and it can be quite stressful. I was on tour for much of the time that the petition was being prepared, and that did not always allow me access to the Internet or the ability to transmit documents as needed. One of the categories I worked up was Critical Role, and I had to request letters from those people I had worked with. Getting the promise of the letter is easy, but waiting for the letter to be returned with a signature and following up the people was quite frustrating at times. But we never considered giving up. This was something we wanted very badly, and though I questioned the need for so much stuff at time, I kept going because I knew that Chris and his team were putting together a great petition and that if I followed his instructions, I would be good.

My relationship with Chris and his team was fantastic. Whenever I had a question or a worry, they were right there to make sure I had nothing to worry about. I would like to mention Lindsey, who I worked closely with. Lindsey is the EB1 Green Card specialist and was incredible. Working with Attorney Chris M. Ingram, Lindsey talked me through the whole process and guided me in the right direction. I really appreciated that Lindsey very much a calming influence on me during what is a very stressful time and she was also very patient.

I was picked up our youngest child from school when the phone rang. Lindsey was calling to congratulate me. I was trying to stay calm as I was surrounded by tons of other parents. I was very happy, but also I was keen to know what I had to do next. Later on that evening, my wife and I opened a bottle of champagne that we were keeping for a special occasion. I think that was a pretty special occasion for sure.

I am anxious to explore my career opportunities in Nashville now that I will be able to work freely in the US. Additionally, the quality of life overall is better and my wife and children are looking forward to the new adventure. And of course – the weather.

We will be leaving behind friends and family, and they will be missed greatly. We will visit regularly, but are looking forward to making America our home.

Don’t give up on the process. It can be long and frustrating, especially when you are trying to gather evidence and still maintain your life, but Chris and his team know what they’re doing and will make sure that everything is done right.

EB1 Green Card Success – Well, I must admit to being very impressed with Isabelle’s rise to the top. Isabelle did everything right, she went to College in Boston to study Music Management and was able to secure an Internship in Los Angeles.

Right from day one Isabelle was on a mission to be the very best and would work as hard as possible to prove she could get the job done. Isabelle never faced a problem she could not fix and was amazingly creative in all that she did.

As a result she quickly found success and brought an unknown act through her marketing skills in social media to national and international acclaim. Whilst I would often see bands win GRAMMY awards I had no idea that those people behind the scenes who worked intrinsically with the band are also recognized as GRAMMY winners too and can get certified as such by the organization.

Isabelle was able to get recognized by the GRAMMY organization and this in turn was the key to her being able to qualify for an EB1 green card. Amazing. Congratulations Isabelle you are totally awesome, a real inspiration to a lot of people. We wish you continued success.

Hi Chris and the Team, We are very VERY excited!! We can’t thank you and your team enough you did an amazing job…. We heard the news on Thursday Night at 11.30pm after Helen received a text from USCIS we logged onto the site with extreme caution expecting the worst and had to read the ‘case approved’ part several times before it sank into our heads that we had actually been approved for an EB1 green card. All that waiting around and frustration just seemed to instantly disappear. Helen got so emotional she started to cry.

We can honestly say it was one of the best moments of our lives and what made it even better was that we were going away on vacation with 11 of our friends for Helen’s 30th Birthday, needless to say it was by far the best Birthday present anyone could have given her.

Thanks you so much big hugs from both of us on a job well done 🙂

Matthew & Helen

EB1 Green Card Success: Helen and Matt worked perfectly together as a husband and wife team. Helen, the busy New York City fashion designer made sure that her work really stood out, while Matt worked tirelessly and meticulously to make sure that every aspect of her outstanding work was duly documented for our law office. It was hard work but we certainly got there to much celebration.

Helen now has her EB1 Green Card Petition approved. Now both Helen and Matt are completely free to live their American Dream. We love working with designers, fashion models and photographers and we’ve gotten green cards for all of them. If you are working at the top of your game, maybe we have a green card opportunity for you too. Why not give us a call and let us show you what we can do. Call us on 310 496 4292 for a free consultation.

My name is Emma. I am originally from the North East of England, the product of a Yorkshire dad and an Irish mum. Since I graduated from University in 1999, I’ve been employed by an oil major and have worked all over the world, including stints in Brussels and most recently Houston, TX……I love my job and the variety of people I get to work with from all over the world.
My most recent stint as an expat was in Houston, TX and I’ve been here since 2008…..I absolutely love it. The lifestyle and weather are wonderful, the opportunities are endless in my area of work, the people are friendly, my friends are great and I volunteer with a dog rescue organization. I bought a house, adopted a dog and decided that after 10 years of moving around, this was where I wanted to put down my roots.

I was stuck, I was on an L-1A visa, with only around 12 months left. My company doesn’t sponsor green cards for employees and were about ready to ship me off to another assignment in Asia……initially I tried to find an employer to sponsor a visa or green card for me, but at such short notice with the tight timeline I was on that was impossible.

I started looking at options for how I could stay in the USA and work and live here, I wanted someone who would understand the situation that I was in and that was how I found Chris….as a fellow Brit who had been through almost exactly the same experience as me, I felt comfortable that Chris & the team understood my situation.
I was amazed when his office told me that I could qualify for an EB1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability green card and that we could do it in a matter of a couple of months ! I felt that I was in good hands and trusted Chris and his team from the start.
I ended up applying for the EB1A Extraordinary Ability Green Card, this was the fastest route to a green card for me and with a national award that I had won early in my career and the work experience I had built up, we felt that I could qualify……I wanted to go for the Green Card as I wanted to be able to work for any employer I chose and knew that already owning a house and having my roots here this was where I wanted to be. Applying this way also meant we could go for premium processing and get a response in (a very very nerve wracking) 15 days.
I retained Chris and the team on April 29th and on June 22nd, I had an email from US Immigration telling me that my I-140 petition had been approved. The work permit & travel authorization came shortly after and we expect the actual green card in the next couple of months – which is truly amazing !
There was a bump with the I140 application, we had a very difficult Request for Further Evidence from US Immigration, but Chris and his team strategized with me how to best resolve this given the tight timeline and they were amazing, I was ready to give up a couple of times and they kept me going every step of the way ! I can still remember that they were every bit as excited as me when the approval came through !
The relationship with Chris  and his team: They completely understood my situation and moved heaven and earth to help me, but at the same time, they were completely honest and realistic with me about the things that could happen and were and were not possible. They feel like my family now and I will be eternally grateful for what they did for me !
I was sitting on the sofa on a Friday night having given up hearing anything until the following week when Celeste from Chris’ office called – it felt amazing – just amazing ! I had also received another job offer that morning and I knew that I was going to be able to stay in the USA and make everything work. I can’t describe the relief and excitement !
I love the weather, the space, the friendliness of the people, the opportunities……
I miss Fish & Chips most of all – you can’t get anything like it here at all. Everything else, Cheese & Onion crisps, digestive biscuits and bacon you can get at the English stores 🙂 The first thing I do every time I go home is go eat Fish & Chips with my parents !
Explore your options and do your research. I had no idea about the different kinds of visas that were out there. Work with a good immigration attorney who understands….immigration is a minefield and you need someone like Chris who is able to navigate through it for you….
Don’t give up….ever….even when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, keep going !
My friends threw me a party when my approval came through, they were so impressed that they had a friend with “extraordinary abilities”, they wanted to know if it came with a cape and superpowers !
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

I have been working in Europe as a Senior Engineer on the largest offshore pipeline project ever attempted. This European Parliamentary sanctioned, award-winning, world-class project was a success, but all good things come to an end. This prompted us to look at what we would do when the project was completed.

While working in Switzerland on this project we purchased a house in Florida. After only a short time, we fell in love with the way of life we experienced while on vacation there. This prompted us to look into the possibility of making Florida our home base. Initially, it looked nearly impossible without being sponsored by a company. It became evident that very few companies were willing to go through the long and difficult process of sponsoring an international Expat. This prompted us to contact an immigration lawyer to see what could be done.

We found Chris M. Ingram ESQ doing a search on Google. Honestly, I have to admit that I probably did not do as much research as I should have, but we lucked out when we found him. It was talking with him personally that made us decide to take the plunge and start the green card process with him. Chris was very upfront with us. He told us there were no guarantees, but also promised to do everything in his power to make it work. Chris then suggested that we go for the EB1 green card, a green card that does not require a job in the USA or a sponsor. Chris Ingram did everything in his power; using his detailed knowledge of how the immigration system works to present a case that was accepted in half the time it normally takes to accept an EB1 green card case.

Chris’ legal support team worked hard on our behalf to make sure documents were relevant and done correctly. They also guided us on how to find and present the documentation needed to prove the EB1 case. Sometimes it was as simple as asking what makes us extraordinary, and how can I prove that. Other times it meant asking for specific documentation and compiling it in a way that would be presentable and understandable to the personnel reviewing EB1 cases. In short, Chris Ingram kept the promise of the first conversation I had with him; he did everything in his power to get us approved.

When we found out about our EB1 being approved we were ecstatic. We were finally able to solidify our plans for the future. Our boys would be able to go to University in the US as a resident without any special visas, saving us a pile of money. For my wife, it was her dream come true. She wanted to put cold winters and weeks without seeing the Sun behind her. She loved the Florida Sun and warm weather. For me, it meant that I would be able to work without the problems associated with being a Foreigner in the US.

This may sound strange, but one of the things I am looking forward to is the ease and cost of doing things. I can throw away garbage without paying a large fee. All recycling is put into one container; I do not have to separate it myself on a Saturday morning at the recycling depot, it is just picked up at my house.

If I need a tradesman to work on my house, it does not cost a mortgage payment and two weeks wait to get the work done. Yard work is done by a company that does the whole community for a very reasonable fee. When I order something online, they actually are able to ship it to my house.

Lastly, I can live with my family in a beautiful home in a gated community for the cost of a basic two-bedroom apartment in Switzerland. Actually, this is a slight exaggeration, a two-bedroom apartment would actually cost more than what I paid for my 6-bedroom, 6-bathroom house with an attached pool and hot tub, overlooking a private protected conservation area.

And finally, there is the Florida weather; it does not take long to get used to flip flops and shorts.

EB1 Green Card Success: When it comes to Innovation in the Oil and Gas pipeline business, John is something of a genius, but he is certainly much too modest to admit it. Let me take a moment to say something to all of our readers. I speak to a lot of very talented people who are so modest unless you really dig into their achievements you’d never know how gifted they are. John is like that. America absolutely needs the best and brightest to come and settle here. The challenge is self-identifying as being amongst the best and the brightest. For some people, you simply need to ask yourself one question: why are they paying you the big bucks? For others, it’s why are you trusted with such important responsibilities. How about this one: why do you think you or your company won a particular award? John was an absolute pleasure to work with because he is very much a task-oriented person and winning EB1 cases is all about completing detailed tasks. John, thank you for being an awesome client. From all of us here, we wish you every success living your American Dream in Florida. I look forward to visiting you in your new six-bedroom house, hopefully, there is room as I have a big family and staff wanting to come and visit (LOL).

EB1 Green Card Success – Iliya in his early twenties proves the theory that you’re never too young to qualify for an EB1 green card if you can demonstrate your extraordinary ability in your field.

Iliya is a software developer who designed and trademarked MoneyWiz and Sync Everything! – one of the most popular personal finance apps available on the Apple operating system.

Iliya has developed quite a professional profile where his work has been discussed in one-on-one interviews and product reviews in various technology and Apple publications such as MacStories, iGuides, and iPhoneLife to name but a few.

You could say that Iliya programmed or coded his own green card. What we loved most of all about working with Iliya is his approach to working on his green card case. For Iliya, he was very professional and workmanlike in that he just made getting his green card his job and worked his case in that manner to completion, no fuss, no distractions, we just worked together as a team on this project, and after we submitted the case, it was approved. Congratulations Iliya on doing an outstanding job.

Hi – I am from Bulgaria, Europe, and I am a serial software entrepreneur. So far I’ve started 4 software companies and working on my 5th. Our interest in the US came after traveling extensively around the world and in the US, being able to compare different countries (including Bulgaria) to the US and meeting a lot of people with similar interests. Eventually, we’ve decided that of all the places we’ve been to, we liked the US the most, and that’s how we decided to pursue US green cards. For us, the USA offered everything we wanted – the ability for professional and personal growth.

After I found the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, I decided to go with them because they were very confident that they could win my case. As anyone knows, applying for an EB1 green card is very expensive and so I really felt I had to choose the very best law firm to represent me. After talking with Attorney Chris Ingram extensively over the phone and deciding to go with him, I was appointed an EB1 specialist who would be responsible for working closely with me day to day to ensure that the right documentation was gathered, compiled, and presented so that the Attorney could work the evidence into hopefully winning the case. My EB1 specialist was Lindsey. Lindsey became my primary point of contact, and I found that when you depend on someone for something that important for your life and future, it tends to get really personal… I’m glad I had the pleasure of working with Lindsey though.

I would tell anyone that putting together a great EB1 green card case is an arduous process. It takes time and a lot of work. I never considered giving up though…I’m just not that type of person. After all, I believe that one must work hard and prove him/herself if he/she wants to be allowed to be part of the world’s most influential country. If you can’t “survive” the process, the USA is not for you. My motivation? Well, in one hand I really wanted to live in the US and on the other hand, once I started the EB1 petition process, it felt like a challenge. And as with every challenge, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t do my best to win it.

Obviously, the best part of the process was getting the approval, so here is my story – It was a morning, and I had a scheduled call with Lindsey when she brought the news to me… as soon as you hear “I have news from USCIS,” your heart starts racing. And when she told me “You’re approved,” I felt like I just won the lottery. I asked her several times, just to make sure she’s not joking… no, she wasn’t joking 🙂 After you fight for something for a long time and you finally get it, it just feels rewarding! A job well done! My wife and I invited many of our friends to celebrate the news with us.

The next step was our move to the US – Well, first off, it’s downright exciting… having to plan it all, decorate a new home, buy a new car… it’s exciting. But I suppose the best part is the optimism that comes knowing that you’re in the hot spot of the world and everything you want can be achieved. It’s the feeling that you are giving yourself, your family, and your future children a better life and opportunity. That’s what matters to me the most.

My advice to anyone would be to just see if you have a chance at it. If you do, then do everything you can to get that “You’re approved” phone call. Be patient and never give up. The only thing standing between you and your EB1 green card is your dedication.

I’m originally from Dublin in Ireland. I have had a few careers: working in law, music, television programming, cable TV, and online media. The one constant in all my jobs has been a fascination with the internet, and its ability to completely reinvent industries it collides with: whether travel, media, music, retail, anything really.

My work has taken me to many places, and I have been fortunate to live in the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Venezuela, and now the US! I always had fun whenever I came to visit America and felt energized and enthused, whether here on holiday or business. Eventually, I came to realize that America really is a meritocracy in the sense that hard work and effort really will pay off, and there are very few limitations based on where you come from.

Americans are open and interested in what you can contribute, not what you have done in the past, or what your parents did in the past. I received a personal recommendation.

I applied for an EB1 Green Card. This gave me maximum flexibility: I applied for it on my own account, meaning I could work for any employer and did not require sponsorship or labor certification.

The process was remarkably fast. I filed on 5 March; I received my green card on 28 June. The entire process took 16 weeks. I was very fortunate in that I did not encounter any issues with USCIS.

I really appreciated the absolute clarity which was brought to bear. I was never in any doubt about who needed to do what by when. Information was shared transparently: it was really clear at all times how much things would cost; how long things would take; who was dealing with what; and how matters would be conducted. Chris is refreshing in his candor: he was very straight with me about my prospects and what I needed to do in order to prepare my case in the best possible light.

I was sitting on my sofa with my dog, and I thought I would log on to the USCIS website just to make sure that everything was in order, and to check things out. This was about a week after I had filed. I logged in using my receipt number. I was amazed to see the status on my case as ‘Decision’ and that my petition had been approved. I had to re-read it 3 or 4 times. I couldn’t believe it! It was a wonderful feeling, very exciting.

Like many others, I like the sense of opportunity and freedom from living in America. I also like the fact that America is comparatively young, and is still figuring out many issues on what kind of country it wants to be. I miss friends and family who remain in Europe, though now they get to visit me here in New York!

If you want it, do it! Figure out why it is you want to be here and let that guide your actions.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card, you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

I am from Toronto, Canada, originally, and I am a fashion photographer. Right out of university, I was looking for work and I started working as an assistant to a professional photographer – at the time I knew nothing about photography. Even though I didn’t know anything about the technical side of photography, it was something I could see myself doing. Eventually, I got a used camera, and started playing around with it. I have several friends who were actors, so I started doing head shots and other gigs.

I ended up moving to Vancouver, which is a smaller city and I was able to make several great contacts. I was working in Vancouver when I got a call from one of the agencies I worked for that needed a local photographer to photograph Kristin Kreuk – one of the stars of Smallville – for Spin Magazine. This was the beginning of my celebrity work.

I had lived in the US for a very short period in the US while I was attending an acting school. All throughout this time, I was assisting photographers, and I realized that Los Angeles is where everything was happening. This was where I would need to be to really launch my career.

I always had a plan to come back to the US. I began doing research and taking meetings with lawyers in both Canada and Los Angeles. It was during this research that I came across the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. He was the first attorney that had actual interviews with former clients discussing their experiences. When I watched those videos, these experiences were very real, and it carried a lot of weight with me.

I called Chris, and we had a long talk about my options. When I went to visit him at his office, we really hit it off and I was inspired by his own immigration story and how hard he fought to get his family here.

I already met with several attorneys by the time I met Chris, and he really took the time to listen to my story. One of Chris’s biggest talents is seeing the facts of a case right off the bat. Chris told me I had the credentials to satisfy the elements of an EB1 application.

The EB1 process was a long road for me. I had to bring the evidence to the firm, and I was striving to provide more and more throughout the process. It took a long time, and looking back, I probably could have done it a lot faster. It was easy to let self-doubt creep in during the process, but ultimately it was my life and I really wanted to move to the US.

This is your life, and it can be quite emotional. Coming from Canada – a country so similar to the US – there is not a huge culture shock, but it is still life changing, so there is this heaviness, a lot of emotion involved.

Chris’s help was very crucial throughout the entire process, and he has sensitivity and knowledge about exactly what US Immigration is looking for in the cases they approve. He really pulled out the big guns for me.

It becomes a very close relationship for the period of time you are working on the case because you are communicating on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day. It becomes a form of emotional support because it can be up and down. The paperwork can be frustrating, but ultimately patience is required.

I found out my EB1 was approved in the middle of one of my training runs. I like to go for long runs to clear my mind and, at the time, I was training for a marathon. I had a day off and went for a long run. I was about an hour and a half in when I got the call. I almost dropped, because I wasn’t expecting the call and I definitely wasn’t expecting such life-changing news. I continued my run for another hour and a half. When I got back, it started to sink in about how hard I worked for this, but also about how grateful I was for the opportunity to come to America. With a green card in hand, I have really been able to move forward in building my career.

I love everything about Los Angeles – the opportunity, the level of talent, especially in my industry. It’s very competitive but there are amazing people here who are really pushing forward, and pushing me to be better in my career. I feel like I am in an area that is top-shop.

While I love Los Angeles, and my life is here in California, Canada will always be home – there is a sense of safety when I go back to Vancouver.

My advice to those considering an EB1 would be take stock of everything you have done. Review the 10 categories and see which ones may apply to you. I tend to downplay my accomplishments, but Chris was able to convince me otherwise. If you can look at your entire career and fulfill three of those categories, you probably have a good chance.

EB1 Green Card Success – Our website attracts a wide variety of professionals, many of whom are so modest that they’d never consider themselves as being ideal candidates for the EB1 green card for aliens of extraordinary ability. Yet, from the first time I talked to Rob I knew instantly that he was a great candidate for a green card. In fact, I had to convince him he was a great candidate. I guess belief in one’s abilities is very important, my role is to see if I can genuinely see a possibility and show the client precisely how we can get the job done so they feel enthusiastic and motivated to take the plunge. For Rob we chose the following EB1 categories – Judging, Critical Role, Published Material, Exhibitions and High Salary, so we had five categories to work with. You do not have to be a Nobel Prize winner to qualify for an EB1 green card, but you do have to be very good at your job and recognized as such from as wide a variety of sources as possible. We can help you break all of these requirements down so you can see for yourself whether or not you have that EB1 potential. Our initial consultation is free, so give us a call today at 310 496 4292. One phone call could really change your life.

Hi – I am originally from Stockholm, Sweden where I began my career as a makeup artist 15 years ago. In 2008 my family received an E2 visa and we made our home in Los Angeles. As the spouse of an E2 visa holder I was able to continue my career in California working as a makeup artist with several TV shows and commercial productions.

Before deciding to move to America I had traveled quite a bit to California since I have family in Santa Barbara. I fell in love with the country and this state specifically at an early age. It’s always been my dream to build my career and raise a family here, which has finally been realized, thanks to Chris Ingram and his wonderful associates.

Getting an EB1 green card was always my ultimate goal. The E2 visa was certainly a great stepping-stone but I knew it was not a permanent solution. My husband ran our E2 business for many years and although our son had grown up here but wasn’t born here, I always knew I had to find a way to make our stay permanent in the long run and so I knew only the EB1 green card would get the job done.

Knowing I had built quite a bit of a resume doing makeup, I read up on the requirements for an EB1 and even went to see another lawyer. Unfortunately, as most lawyers, he didn’t know much about the makeup business I was in and wasn’t very optimistic. As I kept searching I came across Chris Ingram’s website and I felt immediately I had to try again. I emailed Chris and to my big surprise he personally called me up and spent an hour on the phone convincing me that I was an ideal candidate for an EB1 green card and he sounded very confident indeed that my case would be successful, of course, he could not make any guarantees. For the first time in seven years I felt that I had a chance of getting my green card based on my achievements. It was an amazing feeling.

It took us almost exactly a year to put the case together, and I felt the whole time that Attorney Chris Ingram and his team knew what they were doing. I never considered giving up and I know they wouldn’t have let me! It was teamwork all the way and I have to say I have never experienced anything like it.

When it comes to talking about Chris and his Team I don’t know where to begin. Most of my experiences with lawyers have been pretty impersonal and I never had anyone tell me they were confident they could get me an approval. The level of trust and humanity I experienced was beyond what I thought you could get from a lawyer. Every time I emailed with a question, I got a thorough and genuine response. Lindsey, my assigned caseworker has felt like a friend, every time we spoke and she put my nerves at ease and reenergized me. Going through the EB1 green card process is no joke as the stakes are very high and the evidentiary requirements that need to be satisfied must be precisely and comprehensively satisfied. I can’t explain how much it means during something as stressful as having your life and future in someone’s hands. I honestly felt they all wanted my green card to be approved as much as I did!

I need to tell how I found out about my EB1 green card was approved. Well, given that I literally just found out that I was approved in the last 48 hours I can say I’m still in shock!! You can check the status of your case at USCIS online and so I read the status over and over and over and even double-checked the receipt number to make sure I wasn’t reading someone else’s case haha! After making sure it was real, I screamed out loud of joy. And now my little family is off to celebrate!

When I now think about my future, just knowing what I built here can continue to grow is an amazing feeling. I love this country with all my heart and I’m very excited to think that in five years we will be working with Chris again – but for our citizenship this time!

I have always felt my home was here in the US more than in Stockholm so I am just thankful I get to stay where my heart belongs.

If I can give a word of encouragement to anyone going through this process or thinking about starting this process I’d say, have faith. Never give up. Trust Chris and his team – they are the best lawyers out there!!

One last thing – There are a lot of immigration lawyers out there that may not have the depth of experience as Chris and his team does and may tell you that you have no chance, as they did me, and had I not pursued my dream I would not have come across Chris. The reason why I was so delighted to have this opportunity to share my story was to hopefully inspire you to go for it, but not with just any lawyer, but with Chris because his team really does have the technical skills, drive, and commitment to get you there. Yes – it’s hard work on your part but I’m so glad I did it, I can’t begin to tell you. I have my green card, my husband and son do too. You can’t beat that.

EB1 Green Card Success for Hollywood Make Up Artist Anna – We’re delighted to have won this case for Anna. Often times makeup artists are not considered as that important, but in truth everyone who has ever appeared on camera for a major photo shoot must pass through the hands of a skilled makeup artist, there is simply no two ways about it. For 15 years Anna has been working her way up to make up profession from Sweden all the way to Hollywood California. What is equally impressive is that Anna has also trained herself and her body to such a degree that she is now often invited to work in front of the camera as a sports model. Because of Anna’s natural beauty and physical shape Anna is now highly sought after as a sports makeup artist. Working in front of the camera and behind the camera has given Anna tremendous insight into how makeup works on camera. We absolutely loved the challenge of working with Anna, not only was she a joy to work with but she was very determined to do whatever was necessary in order to provide us with the best possible evidence of her rise to success and boy did it pay off. US Immigration had no trouble approving this EB1 green card case without any hesitation. Anna we wish you all the very best in your enduring career.

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

I was born and raised in Bordeaux (south west of France) and my wife Shu is from China. We met each other during our study in Bordeaux, at Esmod International, a Fashion Design school. Right after school, we launched together our own media and communication agency, and pretty quickly we moved to Paris because Bordeaux is a lovely city but not exactly the perfect place for business. Since that time, our company has never stopped growing, and our multi-platform media brand “Be Street” became the go-to reference guide about urban/street culture in France and Europe. We were able to hire a few people and create campaigns for brands like Nike, Converse, Casio, New Balance, and much more…

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

At the beginning, I didn’t know what type of visa would be the best option for me. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram were recommended by a friend, and after a few call conferences with Chris and his team, they suggested we pursue an EB1 green card.

What was your experience with the EB1 green card petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?

I never considered giving up! Honestly, it was a lot of work, but it was the price to pay to fulfill our dream. I tried to stay focused throughout the process and be responsive to answer all the requests from Chris and his team.

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

During the process, I always felt very supported by Chris and his team. It was more like a partnership than just a client/lawyer relationship. They were all very involved in my case, and they’re all truly passionate people – I really felt like they were fighting for me the whole time. I got weekly updates by phone and other updates by email. I always felt I was in good hands.

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

Probably one of the best days of my life and the most amazing Christmas gift (my case was approved on Dec. 24th). I’ll never forget that morning when I received this email from Lindsey asking me to call her back when I have a minute. I was with my wife, and we didn’t know if it was to bring good or bad news. When she said our case was approved, we just jumped and screamed like crazy people all over our place.

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

The opportunity to bring our business to the next level and raise our family in one of the best places in the world.

What will you miss the most about France?

I don’t think we will really miss France because we’ll have to be there at least a few times a year for business purposes. We’ll keep our offices and staff in Paris, so we’ll always stay very connected with this country even if we plan to spend most of our time here in L.A.

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

Never give up! Work hard, trust in Chris and his team, and whatever it takes, do it – you’ll never have any regrets. Just being taken on as a client of the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram means you’re already halfway there.

EB1 Green Card Success:

We work with the best and the brightest from all over the world – it’s amazing. Benny from Paris is a very cool personality. Benny is quite young but has successfully published his own high-end Urban Street scene magazine called Be Street and is constantly courted by the press and other media. Recently, major sporting brands have reached out to him to put on events that will promote their brands to this urban demographic.

As always, it really does take an in-depth consultation with the prospective client to persuade them that yes, they are great EB1 green card candidates. The truth is that many high-flyers are so modest that they wouldn’t even consider themselves as being aliens of extraordinary ability unless a previous successful client or we persuaded them. Well, Benny was certainly modest, but I only had to look at all that he had achieved in such a short period of time to see that it would be a fun and exciting case to put together. We got to work, and sure enough, within just a few months, he was approved.

We love EB1 green cards because we get to work with very interesting and accomplished people. As we win one case, we’re hungry for another. If you’re talented, please get in touch and let us give you a fair and honest evaluation. Even if you’re not quite there yet, we’ll show you how to get there if you’re prepared to put the work in. We’d love to hear from you, so call today!

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

I am from Dublin, Ireland. I have worked in the fashion industry for the last 21 years, having started my very first job on the shop floor of a boutique, progressing on to one of the largest retailers in Ireland to start my training within the buying sector.

My last position in Ireland was for an international buying office before moving to Los Angeles to work for one of the largest fast fashion retailers, having obtained a H1B visa.
I had never lived in the US before so this was a great opportunity for me.

Why do you want to live in America? What’s so special about America?

I had thought about moving to the US on two occasions prior (when I was 20, then again when I was 28) as I have a brother and sister living here. For various reasons, it didn’t work out, and I had a lot of responsibilities in Ireland with property so I finally thought that it wasn’t going to happen until I got an opportunity from the company I am working with. However, the process was very long and it took 1 full year to get an H1B visa.

I relocated to Los Angeles for work and immediately loved the lifestyle. I arrived in October and by January, I had decided I was staying, and so in order to do this, I knew I needed a green card. A green card would give me complete independence, and I’d be able to move from company to company or even strike out on my own. There are several ways to get a green card, so I have explored all of them before making a decision on which path I should take.

The EB1 green card would help me build my future in the US. Unfortunately, I had a very bad experience with the firm that processed my H1B visa process as it took 1 year along with a huge amount of issues I had with the law firm my employer had appointed. In hindsight, I should have gone for the O1 work visa (for aliens of extraordinary ability) as this visa is not subject to any restrictive quotas and is granted in a matter of weeks if successful.

Lawyers tend to specialize, so if what you want is not in their core competency, they will either discourage you or try and muddle through themselves, badly. So following this, I decided to take this into my own hands. The firm that secured my H1B visa was encouraging me to proceed with the EB3 visa, which would take about five years and is really designed for candidates with only two to four years of college education and barely any experience. Moreover, I could only be hired if my employer could prove by way of extensive advertising that there were no Americans qualified to take my job. Obviously, this was not an appealing process. The law firm also mentioned the EB2, which still has many of the above restrictions and only takes about two years to go through the process.

What was your visa choice and how did you come to that decision? How would you describe your experience in working with us?

After talking with a few people in my industry, the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram came up a number of times. My first point of contact was Lindsey and she was more than helpful. After discussing my position and salary, she suggested the EB1 green card option, and over the course of that week, I went back and forth a number of times as the firm that did my H1B did not want to lose me as a client as they do a lot of work for my company and they were adamant that my EB1 green card application would fail. Despite their negative feelings, I summoned everything I could and decided to choose the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to represent me for my EB1 green card application.

My experience was amazing. I chose the right firm – Lindsey and the rest of the team were more than patient with me. I sent numerous emails asking questions. Attorney Chris M. Ingram and EB1 specialist Lindsey guided and reassured me that I had a very strong case and in the event I was not successful, I could gather more information to support my case.

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

My job is very demanding and Lindsey and the team worked around my schedule to ensure they got the information they needed. Lindsey made herself available even before 7am. Nothing was an issue. I would say that my relationship with this law firm was outstanding – I must admit I know I was not an easy client for so many reasons, I was very anxious so Lindsey always had to work hard to put me at ease every time I had a concern. Attorney Chris also worked with me to let me know everything was going smoothly. I think getting constant reassurance and support was crucial for me.

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

So what was I doing when I got the call that my case was approved? I was in a manager’s meeting, deep in the stresses of the day. So I could not jump up and down when the news was that I was approved. I had to keep my composure until I could get by myself. I didn’t and still don’t believe it is real. I am in shock. Thankfully, my mum and nephew are arriving for holidays this weekend, and I will celebrate with them.

Would you recommend your family and friends and why?

I’m so happy now – I have so much to look forward to, and needless to say, I’m glad I found the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to represent me. Make sure you spend time researching the right firm – your choice will determine how successful you are.

EB1 Green Card Success:

What we love about working with EB1 Aliens of Extraordinary clients is that oftentimes they have gone to other immigration lawyers who have told them that they are just not extraordinary enough and then they get written off, and then they happen to find our website and we see their achievements in a completely different way. Before you know it, we’ve won their case. Why is that? The secret to EB1 green card success is determination and confidence. If you can muster both, then we can get you an EB1 green card in a matter of months.

Most people do not build their careers with the thought of one day getting a green card. Instead, they just focus on advancing themselves in their career. When it comes to qualifying for an EB1 green card, you have to have achieved certain things, and even if you do not have them today, it does not take too much effort to strive for those specific EB1 green card requirements that will distinguish you for an EB1. Our success is based on knowing precisely what US Immigration needs to see to say yes, and then working closely with our clients to have them do those things so we can present them as qualifying clients to USCIS. In this case, Roisin came to us, we worked closely with her, she did everything we asked of her and more, and we prepared and filed her case, and it was immediately approved. So let the celebration and good times begin.

Tell us about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do?
I am originally from Dublin, Ireland, however, upon completion of my education and Film School degree , I moved to London to commence my career as a Creative Director & Video / Commercials Director: As a Creative Director I work across Photography, Film and Design in the creation of imagery for Artists and Projects , with a great deal of experience in Music ,working with Artists such as Elton John & U2, among many others…
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?
While living in London I applied through the Irish Lottery program for a green card , which I was fortunate to be granted. I then spent great periods of time in America , however , family issues in Ireland over a period of years would always mean that I needed to return to Europe to deal with various situations, while continuing my career as a Creative, working on projects which took place in Europe and the United States over a period of years.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
As I was spending more and more time in Europe due to my family commitments, I needed to hand back my Green Card to US immigration when back in Europe I applied for an O1 Visa and was very fortunate to be granted that Visa, which, as a Creative, allowed me the opportunity to live and work in the USA, while also living in Europe. As an O1 Visa needs to be renewed every 3 Years now that all my Family issues have been resolved, I am now in a position to make a permanent and full time move to the USA, where I will pursue my career …
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
I already had experience of the process of visa application to the USA, so, I was aware of the procedure – for the EB1  one really does need to present a great deal of information and to be detailed in the process – I am a detail orientated person so I took the challenge to supply a large amount of material for review by Chris, Lindsey and the team at the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, so we could edit and select the most appropriate material for the presentation of the case.  I never considered giving up as I knew a positive result would be worth it and wanted to ensure we had the best chance possible for us to be successful in the application – Chris had been recommended to me by 2 friends, who had been successful in their application with Chris & the Ingram team. Chris, Lindsey and I discussed my case in detail and we agreed on the best strategy. These conversations have continued throughout the case.
EB1 – Green Card: As Creative Directors go working in pop culture there is only one name that is at the very top in this field and that is Tom. Whether, working with Elton John, U2, Jay Z or Fink – Tom is the must have Creative Director if you want that enigmatic A-list look. Tom has been a long time client of the firm as he has referred many top professionals to us who work in front and behind the camera so they can get their EB1 green cards squared way. No pressure Tom ☺ Anyway without exception we’ve always been able to come through for Tom getting all of his referrals EB1 green cards. We work with many entertainment professionals who need to come to the US to work freely in their area of specialization; US Immigration calls these people aliens of extraordinary ability. As you can imagine there are many people who would like to consider themselves suitable EB1 green card candidates that are clearly extraordinary such as a make up artist for a top TV program or Stuntman for Vin Diesel and there are some that are clearly not – e.g., ‘I was an extra, a Droid, in the Star Wars movie’ or ‘I was one of the background apes in Planet of the Apes’……Continued Part 2

Product Manager Success: Hello, I’m David and I’m a Product Manager within my own company based in the United Kingdom.  My wife and I started our company some 15 years ago and have been able to realize some reasonable success as we have moved forward over the years. Our company designs and produces specialized automotive components, which we bring to market through various channels, retail, dealership, distribution and OEM market segments.  I’m the Lead Designer and also Production Manager for our small range of products.

I’ve never had the opportunity to live in the US but my wife did enjoy an extended period of time in Florida when she was attending college.   For me it’s been a lifelong ambition to end up in the US, particularly Southwest Florida where we have visited many times, it’s the dream and hopefully one day it will become reality for us. This particular VISA did throw up some considerable challenges, however with the advice from the paralegals at Chris’s office it turned out to be quite straightforward but comprehensive, it’s definitely a challenge!
If you fit the bill for this EB1 VISA then you’ll already have all the information you need, collecting, formatting and uploading the information was the tricky part.  I have to say `giving up’ never crossed my mind but I did enter into this process with an open minded view of achieving success, I was pleasantly surprised at the final outcome.
I received excellent service from Attorney Chris M. Ingram and his team.  It was so unusual to have a law firm call when they said they would call, if there was a delay then a colleague would call ahead to say there was a 7 minute delay with the phone call, “standby” they’d say and then they would call, promptly.  The level of service was very unexpected and greatly appreciated, especially when navigating this exciting lifestyle dependent adventure.
Well for us it’s still a daunting process, we have a business to transfer, new friends to make, continuation of education for the children.  I think once we are settled into our new home and we have started our `new life’ so to speak we’ll then be able to realise the fantastic opportunities that we hope will present themselves to us and to be able to enjoy the possibilities for personal growth for the children and perhaps we can all look forward to a more relaxing future, that’s the plan.
I feel this particular VISA does provide wonderful opportunities, if you are already in the process of an application then go for it, stretch yourself to `go above and beyond’ the requirements and with Chris and his team holding your hand every step of the way you’ll find success, Good luck!
Hi
We did it!  Well done everyone!
The queue outside the embassy was around 45minutes long.  Once inside the first `registration’ took 20 minutes.  Then a further 20 minute wait for the actual interview.  We were surprised by the interview in that it took place at a little reception window.
The interview part probably took 10 minutes in total.  7 minutes of which was finger printing, confirming addresses etc. raising our right hands and swearing to tell the truth, it was all fine!  Only 3 minutes were devoted to actual questions regarding the business and more specifically me.  The chap wanted to know details about why I’m special.  Being modest I struggled a little and it threw me a little but he only asked a couple of questions which took a further 3 minutes.  All done, you are approved!
Sweet!
So, the passports should be back with us in 5-7 days.
You know, I still don’t think it’s sunk in, even now, it’s all a day dream, I can’t believe it!
Guess I need to take you to dinner then!
Thanks for everything!
EB1 Green card Success: David called me to discuss relocating to the US so he could launch his acclaimed Quickshifter technology to the US market. I have to admit I had no idea what a Quickshifter was. At first I considered maybe the E2 investment visa would be the ticket, this way he could spend money opening a production company and create some US jobs in the process.
However, the more David told me about his Quickshifter technology and how it electronically makes racing motorcycles go even faster by enabling them to shift through their gears more efficiently I began to consider him as potentially being an alien of extraordinary ability.
My instincts were right and before the conversation ended I was convinced David had a great case, more than David could appreciate. We worked up his case for a couple of months and sure enough his case was approved within days. Many of my EB1 green card clients are far too modest to consider themselves as being aliens of extraordinary ability. I get a real buzz from discovering them. Please review our EB1 videos and if you get the spark that you just might have a case please give me a call on 310 496 4292 Today.

The interview
Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about your career and what you do?
My name is Daniel, and I am from Manchester in the UK. I have spent 9 years working in the Private Security Industry, mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan. My role is Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager for the company, ensuring that the company complies with all aspects of ISO 9001 and the new industry accreditation called PSC.1, which is purely for Private Security Companies operating in war-torn countries.
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?
I have not lived in the US before, but I have visited the US numerous times. In particular, in 1995, while working in the British Army, we conducted the largest ever joint US/UK exercise replicating the WW2 invasion in North Carolina, and it is there that I knew I wanted to live in the US.
How did you decide to pursue National Interest Waiver (NIW) Green Card?
I had tried many times before to find a way of living in the US but could not – I had tried many avenues to no avail. I had spoken to Chris previously, but I did not have the right credentials to progress a case. After some years, my role changed, and I went back onto your website to read the success stories with envy. While doing so, I came across a success story for the EB1. The paragraph below the story asked if you qualified by meeting certain criteria – I read the criteria and realized, in my new role, I had the right credentials. My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately got in touch with you. However, when I spoke to Chris and Lindsey, they decided that an even better fit would be the National Interest Waiver green card, and it was easier to get than the EB1 green card. So it was good news all the way, I guess.
What was your experience with the National Interest Waiver (NIW) green card petition process? Did you ever consider giving up? What was your motivation to keep pressing on?
The experience was a very good one all round. Yes, it is a nervous period of time because once we had submitted, I had tried miserably to put it to the back of my mind and carry on with life as normal, but that is very hard to do. I was always speculating on how good my life was going to be once accepted, but now and again, I did think about the worst scenario of being rejected. My wife and I tried to stay as positive as possible and put all our faith in the Law Office of Chris M. Ingram having done a first-class job in representing us and the case put forward to USCIS for adjudication.
What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris (and his team)?
A brilliant relationship. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram kept us updated with the process, kept our spirits up whenever we called, and had the utmost patience with us – I can’t thank you enough.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did you celebrate?
I had worked on Christmas Eve until lunchtime. My wife and I then visited my mum’s grave and was literally just parking up at home when I received an email saying to ring yourself soonest. I can’t tell you the knot that formed in my stomach, and my heart was beating so hard I thought it would pop out of my chest. I told my wife to go in the house while I had to make a call – I did not tell her as I didn’t want her to worry. I rang your office, expecting the worst, and immediately you told me that you had the most wonderful Christmas present for me and that I was approved. I have not experienced that euphoric feeling for a long time, and I nearly cried.
Those wonderful words that will change my family and my life forever, and all for the best in making our dream come true. I did not tell my wife but printed out the official approval notice you sent me and put it in an envelope for a Christmas present.
I could not properly sleep Christmas Eve with the excitement but yet had to subdue the feeling so my wife would not know. On Christmas Day after opening all the presents, I then gave my wife the envelope – she opened it and could not digest the words. She looked at me and I told her…yes, we are approved for the green card. My wife and daughter burst into tears of happiness – A massive thank you, you don’t realize what you have done for us – truly wonderful.
What are you looking forward to the most about moving to the US?
We are looking so much forward to moving to the US, buying our home, and setting up our business. More than anything, we are looking forward to integrating into the US way of life and living our life in complete happiness.
What will you miss the most about the United Kingdom?
I certainly won’t miss the weather, that’s for sure, or the food. The only thing I will keep with me from moving away from the UK is some memories of years gone by, but that will be it.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1/NIW green card or who is already in the process?
Organization is the key I would suggest. Ensuring all your data is in order first and foremost to make the process easier. It is not an easy process by any means, but if you want it enough, it is thoroughly worth it. My advice would be to use the Law office of Chris M. Ingram first and foremost. I am not just saying that but sincerely mean it. I read the copy of the case file you put forward and I was utterly amazed at the job you had done – it was a first-class service.
Be patient and believe in the experience, professionalism, and dedication of this law firm – fabulous all around in every way and cannot fault a single thing.
I would just like to say thank you ever so much for your patience with me. I had my wobble moments, and your consistent patience with me was brilliant. Lastly, I want to say thank you so much for what you have done for my family and myself, you have made our lifelong dream come true.
Update: We have just got back from our London embassy interview and all approved. They did say that they couldn’t find our medical records, but the medical company has just let us know that the embassy now has them. So all in all an overwhelming feeling of relief and euphoria – so happy it’s now all over and awaiting the return of our passports.
Once again, my family and I would like to extend our sincere thanks to you and the whole team for helping us get through this. This could not have been possible without the services of yourselves, and we are so grateful to you all. Hope you have a great weekend, and I will be in touch once we have our passports back.

Musician Marc Editorial: Marc had a taste of the US when his band toured the country on a P visa. Looking forward to more consistent work in the US, Marc turned to us to secure an O1 visa for him. In this video, Marc gives us an insider look at the music industry and his achievements to date. We were certainly inspired by his story, and we hope you are too.
If you’d like assistance in getting your O1 visa, please give us a call on 310 496 4292 today.

Discovering Your Extraordinary Ability: For some of our EB1 clients, they never even considered that their talents and abilities were extraordinary enough to merit special consideration by US Immigration. Doris had been dreaming about coming to the United States for years, and had wasted “10’s of thousands of pounds” on trying to start a business in the United States and get a visa without the assistance of an Immigration Attorney. As her testimony will show, after coming to us to find out more about her immigration options, we were able to show her that she was truly an individual with extraordinary ability. We’re so delighted that Doris is now the proud holder of an EB1 Green Card. We wish her all the very best in the pursuit of her own American Dream.

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

I have spent the last 20 years living in the UK and working as an IT consultant, mostly in the European market. I worked in project management, application releases, and change and test management spaces for the most part. I think one of the best things about being a consultant is that you have the flexibility of working within several markets and industries thereby gaining experience and transferable skills much quicker.

Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to live/work and be a part of the American way of life – the freedom to pursue your happiness, your greatest aspirations and live freely and this has been the driving factor in my contacting the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.

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

I started as an IT Support Engineer for a huge media organization in the UK providing service and desk side support to business users for a couple of years. Then I moved into project management for the same organization, delivering technical infrastructure projects from news studio settings to move relocation planning and completing. Soon after I left to work for other organizations as a project manager including working for one of the world’s fast moving goods in Switzerland.

It was during my project management experience I realized, I am most productive when dealing with release, change and test management issues and this led me to having professional training. I also looked for positions in these areas, I got sucked in while working for an industry standard testing tool manufacturer and a global consultancy firm as a test manager delivery and transformation project. Since then my experience has enhanced and transitioned into managing and setting testing frameworks, processes, defining/implementing testing strategy, approach and providing continuous process improvement for reputable global companies.

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?

I have not really lived in the US but I have visited several of the US states because a lot of my extended family members have been living in the US since the 70s. While visiting I saw how your surroundings can either push you to be greater as compared to putting you in a status quo.

My desire to live, work and grow in the US might have started right from my high school days from decades ago. I believe there isn’t any other country in the world that does compare, if you have the drive and determination in making something wonderful the US enables you to have such avenues towards getting your dreams accomplished.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I initially contacted the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram in 2010 and spoke to Chris M. Ingram as I was trying to analyze what possible options were out there that would best suit my dream of relocating to the US. At that time I thought franchising or setting up my own business of any sort in the US was my best option. At that time I didn’t think this law firm would be able to assist me so I parked the idea of furthering any engagement. By 2012 in my journey of setting up my own business in the US through a San Francisco development company I lost several 10’s of thousands of pounds – ended without any capital, no business startup and nothing to show for all my time and investment.

Sometime later, I decided to re-engage with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram to see if there was any way I could actually obtain a suitable visa of some sort. I wanted to be able to say that despite everything, at least I did all I could possibly do to achieve this dream regardless of losing so much money. I did re-engage further and we started looking at several types of visas. The great team of specialists/experts in their fields were able to guide me onto the EB1 path as the best option.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

The process was a nice experience that enabled me to cultivate article writing abilities about my work and industry. Lindsey and the entire team were able to offer their support, and direction from them helped me position my case with relevant evidence gathering.

The process took several months to complete which was nerve-racking but once my petition was submitted, the turnaround time from the government was very quick and straightforward.

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

Giving the requirements for the EB1 petition, I only needed to satisfy three categories, the most difficult one was the scholar/writing evidence. I had to write and publish several articles with leading online or print magazine organizations. Finding those and getting them to review/editorialize my articles for publication took months but the challenge was an enjoyable one because I now have published articles to add to my resume. The other two categories were pretty easy to present to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram for approval which took just a couple of weeks to complete.

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

Chris and his team are very resourceful and knowledgeable in their respective fields. I remember my first conversation with Chris, I wished I followed through then it would have saved me huge financial losses. Re-engaging with Chris and his team and investigating the various visa types and the best route for me to take was very rewarding. At the early stages I did not think I have three categories to qualify for EB1 but their analysis and guidance provided me with the confidence to choose that route.

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

I was actually at work and I saw a missed call on my mobile phone from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, then I saw an email from Tanya while leaving work. I started to wonder this has to be good, so I emailed Tanya to call me, which she did. Behold, Tanya delivered the best news yet, the answer I had been waiting for. I think I had an out-of-body experience. After I finished talking to Tanya, I went down on my knees and thanked the greatest being who is the true Alpha and Omega for this blessing. When I got home on Thursday evening because I currently do a weekly commute in my job, I told my family members who were equally excited. A proper celebration is being wrapped into Christmas and New Year’s Day to usher in the year of wonderful achievements.

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

I am looking forward to finding a great job with work/life balance and for the chance for my daughter to go to some of the best schools around. I think getting the best value out of myself and contributing to a great society is something I am also looking forward to do.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Having spent 20 years in the UK, my brothers, sisters, and mother will be something I will miss because we are quite a close-knit family. I will also miss the baked beans, accessible African food markets, and the ability to walk around as compared to driving around all the time.

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

My advice is for a potential immigrant to discuss their concerns with a legal team. If they don’t have one, they should get one because there are so many ways you can qualify that you may be unaware of. Chris M. Ingram’s team offers due diligence and their duty of care will guide you through gathering your evidence, reviewing your documents and materials. The process will also give you individual confidence, that if you can convince a complete stranger about your professional experience who isn’t in your field, you would be able to gain any job opportunity you so wish to apply for in your field when you land on the shores of the United States.

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 a 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!

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.

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 represented a change in scene, new challenges and something both of us have always wanted to do. Now was the time to do it!

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.

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 the 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 with 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.

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.

Horticulturalist Grows A Truly Extraordinary Career: One of the best parts of our job is getting to meet truly extraordinary people who have amazing talents in their respective fields. One of these people was Angela, an award winning Florist and Horticulturalist who has worked her craft for famous clients like Paul McCartney, Burberry, the show Downton Abbey, Disney’s Maleficent and many more. And, one of the best parts of this extraordinary career is that Angela started in the floral industry at just 16, and worked her way up to teaching and owning several of her own floral businesses. Wow! We wish her all the best.

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

I am from London in the UK, and my husband and myself are in the Floral Industry. We are a very niche type of business as we freeze-dry botanicals. We have been in the flower industry for 30 years. We are at the cutting edge of the flower industry providing very unusual floral products, producing freeze-dried flowers that will last for years but still look and feel fresh.

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

I started work in the flower industry at 16 years of age. Working my way up over the years to teaching standard until I owned several of my own floral businesses. I went on to win a “Gold Medal” award at a major horticultural event. I’ve created flowers for so many high-end events, and our clients ranged from Prime Minister to events attended by the Royal Family, to London Fashion Week and Burberry, Downton Abbey and many blockbuster films and TV adverts. Supplying freeze-dried floral displays to many celebrities and to thousands of brides to be. The challenges have been to try and be adaptable and innovative in our approach and most importantly to us, to give every one of our customers a great service.

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?

We have visited the US many times and have loved the people we have met along the way. We have made many friends over the years and are looking forward to the next chapter in our life for us and our family. We hope to be part of a community, and to feel like we really belong in the US. We are looking forward to finally putting down some roots in the States.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

We decided to pursue the EB1 visa after talking firstly with Chris and then Lindsey Blue on the phone. We discussed our past experiences and if we met the criteria for that type of visa application. We felt that the EB1 visa would give our family more security and a long-term plan.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

We have found the EB1 petition process very time consuming. You have to be persistent as you have to try and back up all of your claims with signed evidence. Our EB1 case involved going back over 30 years and getting people to send letters and references. This can be very challenging and frustrating. You need to be persistent. The team at Chris Ingram’s offices were so helpful and we felt they led us along the way with great determination, especially Tanya and Kostas, so we would like to give them a big thank you for that.

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

We found it quite difficult to get together all of our past evidence but found that if you don’t give up and keep going you can get to the final goal, the approval for the EB1 Visa. In our case 30 years is a long career to remember. Still thinking of things now that I missed out. Many sleepless nights were spent thinking and with my brain whirling with thoughts.

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

We found the whole team very professional, calm, and we can really recommend their services. We thought it was so thoughtful when each of the team emailed us with congratulations and individual kind comments the day after we received our EB1 visa approval.

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

Watching the TV with my family when Lindsey called. My immediate reaction was shock and relief in equal measures. We called up all our family and friends and told them and texted them throughout the evening. We celebrated late into the night along with a bottle of champagne. We are planning to have a special meal out later this week.

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

We are looking forward to the new challenge of starting a new business in the USA. It will be a fresh start for our young family and us. Of course the sunny weather in California will be a big bonus along with its wonderful people.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

I will miss our friends and our family as they are elderly but they have been very supportive of our move to the USA. I’m sure they will love to visit for holidays.

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

Don’t give up even when you have doubts about yourself or your EB1 case. Trust the people who are helping you with your visa. Have lots of confidence in yourself and your own abilities.

Building Your Career and Moving to the United States – Tracy had a 20 year career in the tourism and hospitality business, and a desire to relocate to the United States she never thought that she would actually qualify for the EB1 Visa for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability. During her search for immigration options, she looked into a variety of visas but only considered the EB1 Green Card after speaking with our office. Tracy had an extremely strong case from the get-go as her years of experience left her with impressive accolades and recommendations from others in the field. We are extremely delighted that Tracy was able to secure her EB1 Green Card with our assistance and we wish her the best!

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

I am from Scotland in the UK and I have been in hospitality and tourism for over 20 years. I have mainly been in Marketing, Sales and Business Development Roles in luxury hotel brands. I have opened, re-positioned and built teams at hotels. I love this industry it is so diverse, and I get the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people.

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

I started as a junior receptionist in a small hotel in my hometown and worked my way up through every department within a hotel. I loved tourism and although that was never my chosen career path it was one I fell into and as they say the rest is history! The only challenges I felt were deciding what direction I wanted to go in. Whether it was an operational role or a business development/strategy role, so I decided that I needed to try both and was a hotel manager for a while so I could understand the operational side and found out it was not the path for me, and instead I would remain in a more strategic role.

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?

I have never lived in the USA. I have vacationed in the USA since I was 13 and I have a small amount of family on the west coast and that is where my love affair with the USA began. I have travelled in to the USA now on many many occasions and every time I visit there is something new to explore or learn about this vast country.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

My husband and I had spoke about moving to the USA for many years and we had been to see many US Immigration Lawyers about different visas and we never felt we got a positive response and we concluded that there really can’t be a route for us. Until we were on holiday in Florida and I was chatting about why can’t we get a visa and my husband said if we really want to make this happen we can so we decided while we were there we would try another couple of attorneys but received similar responses until we came across Chris M Ingram and his team. I had never thought about EB1 Visa I had always focused on H1-B, L1 or an E Investor visa. I had a long telephone call with Lindsey and she made me believe in myself and that this was possible and so the journey began in February 2016.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

I just focused on what the team at Chris Ingram had asked me to do. The team made it so easy to fulfill the EB1 Categories as we had an online system where we could just upload all our required paperwork and ask any questions where they were answered usually within 24 hours. We also paid for premium processing as I am not very patient when waiting on an outcome and we had our decision within 10 days, a great big yes!

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

Some of the challenges were trying to get a hold of my peers who were writing my recommendation letters and ensuring they knew exactly what was being asked of them. It also turned out to be fun as I actually got to catch up with my old mentors so there was a bonus. I believe the system and the checklist Chris and his team gives you is a thorough step-by-step guide on how to gather the evidence so I felt this part was straight forward.

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

I can’t praise these guys enough. They held my hand from start to finish and even when I had ridiculous questions they were there to help me! Nothing was too much trouble for them and I really can’t thank them enough.

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

I was on a sales trip with work in Italy June 2016 and my husband called to tell me while I was in a museum in Turin. I had to sit down, as I really didn’t believe that we had been approved. I asked him to check and check and triple check he was inputting the correct reference number and sure as he was trying to tell me it was our application I was notified by USCIS via e-mail that I had been approved. I was in shock and I had to take a couple of days to really let it sink in… I still can’t believe after all these years our dreams are about to be fulfilled and they aren’t a pipe dream anymore! We will celebrate by going out to our favorite Italian restaurant (one we will miss when we move to the USA!)

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

New opportunities, new cultures, meeting new people and new geography to explore.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Friends and family and my hairdresser!!!! But technology and travel are amazing and the world is not such a big place anymore.

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

If this is really what you want you can get there. Believe in yourself and your ability, that is key. Please, please use an attorney, don’t do it yourself and I say that with conviction. I can highly recommend Chris M. Ingram and the team. The way Lindsey and the team prepared the case was second to none and I could not have prepared an application to that level. It was so professionally put together.

A Star That Continues to Rise: When we first started with Dawn, she had made a name for herself in the UK’s fashion circles as a stylist to the rich and famous, but Dawn’s career accelerated forward, becoming not only a recognized name in Britain’s fashion world, but in the Middle East as well. Dawn is a leading stylist and fashion guru that has been featured on a number of television shows, as well as authoring her own column and leading fashion events in the UK and the United Arab Emirates. With a career like Dawn’s, her extraordinary ability was evident, and we are so pleased to have secured an EB1 approval for her!

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

I am a fashion stylist, novelist and TV presenter from the UK.

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

I started as a journalist straight out of university working for national newspapers and magazines then I moved into Fashion Styling when I bought my own vintage clothing retail business. I then went on to work in luxury fashion as a stylist and writer. TV Presenting became a passion when I was asked to present TV Fashion Expert segments for major news channels, and during a few years spent in Dubai I had my own weekly fashion segment on the largest English speaking channel. My job entails regularly hosting Red Carpets, entertainment shows and Fashion and Celebrity led content. I have also just finished writing my first novel which is being published in the fall. I work in a very competitive business so I’ve had to work hard and not get demotivated.

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?

I have never lived in the U.S but for fashion and entertainment both New York and LA are the best places in the world – it was the obvious choice.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I wanted the freedom and flexibility to be able to freelance between the UK and the U.S while I was establishing myself and the EB1 green card gave me that. Plus, I must be a glutton for punishment or highly competitive because when I found it was the hardest to get approved I was even more determined than ever to pursue the EB1.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

It was honestly a long process, but I had some fantastic people work on the case who really took it as their own and made a massive impact. It was the USCIS Processing times that were really insane, I would recommend premium processing, with the benefit of hindsight I should have done this.

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

Evidence gathering was lengthy and takes a lot of time and dedication, never underestimate the level of evidence needed and keep it fresh and up-to-date. Getting letters from people is also something you have to constantly chase.

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

Well over the years I’ve seen the team change quite a bit, some great staff members have left and some great new ones joined, being geographically so far apart everything was done over email and the phone but I always got a sense of each different person and their role and always knew who to go to for what.

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

Actually it was about midnight here when I got the email and I immediately burst into tears. I’m taking a trip to New York to celebrate.

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

Oh, so much, the weather, getting to live in my two dream cities LA and New York, the food, the people…the list is endless.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Not that much to be honest 🙂

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

I would say go for it, don’t be put off by the pretty scary description of the classification, but be prepared to work really hard over a period of time, constantly supply new evidence and understand the importance of testimonials to your application. There is a lot of waiting and downtime (without premium processing) but ultimately if you are successful it is totally worth it!

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Producer Hits EB1 Success: It’s our great privilege to introduce you to music producer Eliot aka Beatbutcher. For a person so well connected and working with some of the most iconic artists in the Hip-Hop world Eliot from the UK was remarkably humble. No ego. Funny thing most Brits in particular are very humble about their accomplishments, too humble for US Immigration that for sure. Anyway, after discussing Eliot’s case we knew we had a winner on our hands. When one of your co-writers is 50 Cent, I think the case was won right there. Anyway, we’re pleased to share his story with you. Enjoy.

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

My name is Eliot aka Beat Butcher & I am a music producer & sound designer from the UK, specializing primarily within the Hip Hop and R&B genres. Basically I write and perform the backing tracks/beats/instrumentals to songs & help direct the song creation process. I also create content & products aimed at the music production/technology market, that is to say I make/record sounds that are on the market for musicians for use in their music. I have produced for a long list of artists including G-Unit, Xzibit, Jadakiss, Plan-B & Mr Probz and I have created content for products released by Steinberg & Drumbroker.

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

My answer to this question could be an essay in itself, as it’s been a long journey with plenty of hurdles. But I will keep it short, there is no manual on how to build a music career & everyone’s path is different. Everything was a learning curve and it took me quite some years to understand what would work for me in a sustainable way. Building a network in America whilst living in the UK is not the easiest of things, but essentially a lot of traveling, hard work, networking & talent paid off. Once I had a few notable names on my discography, finding work with bigger names became easier & here I am now.

3. 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?

I have never lived in the States, my reason to move to the States is career-based. My network is largely in the USA & the cutting edge of the music genre I make lies in America. I also have a lot of very good American friends that I have met along the way, who I consider family.

4. How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I actually initially inquired about a Visa as I wasn’t aware that I was eligible for a green card. My knowledge of US immigration is scarce, so I was delighted when I heard that a green card was possible. As Visas can be restrictive & only last a few years, and it was my intention to move to the States for the foreseeable future & the EB1 makes that possible.

5. What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

It has been a lot of work, pretty lengthy & a bit frustrating at times. But the team have worked hard & I’m very happy it’s been approved!!

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

The main issues were with applying the EB1 guidelines to my profession, the guidelines are written with other parts of the entertainment industry in mind. Other than that, it was figuring out who the best people might be for me to get letters from & making sure those were written in a useful way. I have done a lot of work over the years, so sourcing/remembering some of the articles to support my case and picking what would work the best was also challenging at times.

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

We have a good relationship, the team are all friendly, hard working and personable.

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

I woke up to an e-mail from the office saying I should call them when I had a moment. Unsure what it was about, I was a little worried, so I called as soon as I could & was happy to find out it had been approved. I haven’t celebrated yet, but I will celebrate once the whole green card process is complete.

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

I’m moving to LA from Europe, so an obvious thing is the climate & also the creative environment. I’m looking forward to being able to seize more opportunities, being able to make new contacts and strengthen my relationships within my network.

10. What will you miss the most about your home country?

Free health care.

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

Be aware of the time frame it might take & be patient.

Ok – now you’ve read BeatButcher’s story, how about you? Are you ready to take the plunge? Start here by go through these categories and see how many you can satisfy today or maybe able to satisfy soon with some focussed effort. We look forward to hearing from you when you’re ready.

Michael is an oil and gas executive who has traveled the world for his work in aviation fuel, but after spending more than eight years in the US on non-immigrant visas, he knew he had to secure his future in the US for himself and his family.

Michael’s career is quite impressive, but he had not yet pursued a green card, and through the EB1 Green Card, Michael discovered that the EB1 Green Card program meant his entire family could all achieve permanent resident status.

If you, too, need to secure your family’s future in the United States or want to build a future in the United States, there is no time to waste – give us a call today.

Tell us a little about where you are from and what you do?

I am originally from the Caribbean, the tiny island of Barbados. For the last 30 years, I have been working internationally in the oil and gas industry living in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean and working in 51 countries along the way as far north as Yellow Knife and as far south to Melbourne.

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

I have been fortunate enough to have been placed in a number of very challenging business opportunities and worked in them with some tremendous people who have supported and advised me, allowing me to enjoy and succeed in those opportunities. While the experiences of an international career have been tremendous and irreplaceable there have been challenges. Three would include balancing work and family demands, the logistical and emotional stresses on my wife and children of moving regularly internationally. One professional challenge has been having a parent company as small as mine. What a larger company would consider small logistical HR issues became problematic (tax reconciliation) and working globally in a multi-national without a company interested in your progression or job prospects was certainly more challenging.

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?

I lived in the USA as a graduate student and also was posted before to the USA for 8 years, so our girls grew up here, you could say. One daughter is particularly Texan. We were posted a second time to the USA by my company, during that stint when our daughters both decided they wanted to go to university in the USA, we decided in order to keep the family together we would try to all live in the USA. This meant leaving my employer of 30 years.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

This was on the advice of Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

We had worked initially with one of the largest immigration firms in the USA and were making slow progress working with a senior partner who did not even raise EB1 as a path to residency. A friend of mine spoke about Lindsey Blue and the excellent experience his family had had with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. I contacted Lindsey, we spoke by phone and she, with the staff of Chris Ingram, revolutionized our immigration experience. Her advice was surgical and succinct, she was supportive and responsive. Fantastic, simply fantastic. With the support and guidance of Lindsey and the rest of the staff I would describe my experience as nerve wracking but surprisingly smooth and quick.

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

There is a fair amount of paper work involved, but no more that say your annual tax return if you are international or run a small business. Evidence of your professional prowess is critical, fortunately I had a large number of industry leaders who were prepared to provide testimony and evidence, I am forever grateful to them for taking the time to do so. There was lots of support from Lindsey as well, guiding me in who best to use and how best to present this evidence, this helped tremendously.

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

I would say professional and also warm. We were in frequent contact and I was impressed that they understand how important this process is to most of their clients and made every effort to not only be informative and clear in describing the process, but personable and patient in answering questions and as appropriate offering encouragement.

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

I called all the family together and told them the news, there were tears and prayers of thanks. To be honest initially we were pretty numb, we had so much riding on this application since I had decided to leave my company before I knew for sure we would be successful. Have you ever had a major operation? There is that feeling when the anesthesia start to take effect before you fall asleep when you are totally relaxed and at peace, after the stress of the previous year that is how I felt. The joy came afterwards like the tide slowing coming in as we took a holiday together to visit some of our favorite spots.

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

Being close to our children, enjoying the vast beautiful country (California is one of our favorites), the numerous and varied professional opportunities that such a large economy has to offer.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Hmm, we are also British citizens and consider home both the Caribbean and the UK. It is increasingly clear that parts of the USA while changing are still actually pretty provincial compared to the parts of the UK we called home. I will also miss the authentic openness of my Caribbean culture.

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

Talk to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, be as immaculate as you can be with your preparation, be patient.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Richard is an internationally-renowned and highly accomplished film producer who has won important national awards at the Chinese Academy Awards for Documentary Film and the Taiwan International Documentary Festival. Richard had travelled all around the world for his work before he reached out to us to inquire about the EB1.

With a career like Richard’s, his extraordinary talent was evident, and we are so pleased to have secured an EB1 approval for him!

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

I started to work with some very talented local filmmakers about seven years ago. I helped to bridge the gap between them and the International Film Market. Gradually, my productions finished one after another and I got chances to be shown at festivals and win awards. Then I grew to judge other people’s work.

During this period and for a couple of years, I took on so many responsibilities. I later had to give a lot of them up, because I learned that I had to choose just a few most important things to do.

The American Dream is Alive and Well

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?

I have travelled a few times in the US for conferences and film scouting. Those trips aroused my interest to move to the US. I wanted my further development to be in a place with one of the world’s best business’ and natural environment.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I thought my past experiences might help me get an EB1 approval, which I felt was the fastest way that I can realize my dream of living and working in the US, so I decided to pursue an EB1.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

My experience with the EB1 petition process was very good.

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

Yes, evidence gathering is a big challenge, especially when some of the evidence is in the local language, and sometimes acquiring evidence from many years ago would cost a lot of time and energy to gather.

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

I worked closely with the team. Whenever I had a question, I could easily get an answer from the team. This is the most valuable thing for me. I am the only one who can search and gather the evidence quickly, but I couldn’t keep it ongoing, if I didn’t have someone experienced with petition cases to advise me promptly.

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

I was working when I found out I was approved. I felt very happy. I haven’t really celebrated it yet.

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

I look forward most to make new friends and build up a successful business model for my future work.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

Food, and old friends!

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

I would advise them to consult thoroughly with the attorney from the very beginning, trust the team during the process, and keep working hard on the research and gathering until it’s successful.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Raj is a Marine Engineer that has traveled all over the world and has worked with some of the best global organizations in the Maritime and the Oil and Gas industries. After more than a decade in the US on a working visa, he knew it was time for him to secure the future of his family.

Raj has a high-value career that is critical to the success of the gas industry and the U.S. economy. With his impressive career and the help of our firm, we are pleased to help him secure an EB1 Green Card!

If you, too, need to secure your family’s future in the United States – give us a call today!

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

I was born and raised in India. I am a Marine Engineer and my initial career and work took me all over the world on board large oceangoing tankers carrying crude oil, petroleum products and liquid natural gas (LNG). I finally settled into a corporate career in the parent company in Canada and became a Canadian citizen. In Canada, I worked in various technical, operational and managerial roles in developing and enhancing organizational capabilities in improving and optimizing fleet performance, ship efficiencies, reducing emissions, increasing safety & reliability and reducing risk. In my Maritime career, I had the opportunity to live and work in many exciting places such as Singapore, Korea, Japan, Norway, India and eventually in Canada and the United States.

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

I had the privilege to work for some of the best global organizations in Shipping and Maritime and in the Oil and Gas industries and to work alongside some of the most talented people in the industry. This gave me the opportunity to lead and manage many critical projects in each role. This also meant that I had to relocate numerous times. This was challenging to do with a family, but I took on these challenges and this benefited the organizations and my career tremendously. These opportunities helped me grow my network and brought me in contact with many people who have recognized my potential and encouraged my career growth. This helped me form a strong professional reputation, which in turn helped me during my process of getting letters of support and recommendations.

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?

I had visited the US numerous times in my early career and was very fascinated by the country but never had an opportunity to move to the US back then. In 2009, I moved to the US due to an exciting job opportunity and career progression. I joined an Oil and Gas major to manage the Safety, Environment, and Risk for one of the largest LNG Carrier fleets. The experience gained there was instrumental in me landing a leading Maritime role for the development of a new LNG export terminal in the US. I have been in the US now for about 10 years on an H1-B visa.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

When I initially moved to the US, I had no idea of how cumbersome and long the US immigration process was and that it is based on a very outdated per country quota system determined not on one’s skills (like elsewhere e.g. Australia or Canada) but one’s country of birth!

Although my US employer had applied for my green card which was approved under the EB-2 category, I was facing a very long wait time due to the country quota backlogs. Due to this delay, my daughter aged out and now my son too was about to turn 21 and age out. It would have been extremely unfair for my second child to also age out and miss his green card especially since he had been in the US half his life and gone through the US education system!

When I decided to explore the EB-1 category, my company’s immigration lawyer did not encourage it. Not only that, the EB-1 requirements sounded very daunting to me too. I was introduced and referred to Chris Ingram by another attorney and on reading and reviewing my resume and experience, he immediately agreed to help me to file my application in the EB-1 category.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

It was stressful yet in many ways it was fun. I think that the last months that I spent in the application process was the busiest and stressful, but at the same time very rewarding. This process helped me realize and appreciate how my life, my career in the US, Canada and India with my various achievements and accomplishments professionally and academically had made me an expert in my area and I was able to showcase my career and achievements in a way that I would never have done otherwise. It has made me understand how important and critical every step of my career was.

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

I had to scour through my old files and archives to hunt for evidence in the form of letters, pictures, reports, papers and proof to build up my case and obtain letters, etc. To build 3 solid categories within months while continuing with my regular day job was quite challenging. This was even more so, especially because my career and work spanned different countries and various companies. I think one of the advantages I had was that I had a decade of my most recent work experience and achievements right here in the US.

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

Chris and his team were extremely helpful and encouraging. The associate working directly with me was Judith, and I cannot thank her enough for all the encouragement she gave me each time I talked to her. Each phone call with Judith made me more confident that I was on the right path. Judith helped me by sending me regular email updates, giving me tips and encouraging me throughout the hectic process. Judith was very prompt, clear and specific with her guidance and recommendations. I was naturally tense and apprehensive about the strength of my case, but Judith always reassured me and gave me the confidence that my case was indeed strong and solid. That proved to be true because my petition was approved in record time without any RFEs.

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

I was at work when I got the email informing me that my petition was approved. I was overjoyed and felt a sense of accomplishment. I immediately called and gave the good news to my wife who was at home. She asked me to break the news to my children myself, which I did on my return home that evening. My wife had planned my favorite BBQ dinner which we enjoyed together with our family. My son, who was at the cusp of aging out was tremendously relieved. After the whole process is finished, we will have a long-deserved vacation.

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

Since my family and I are already living in the US, it is not a major change from that perspective other than a sense of permanency in the US and flexibility and options that a Green Card brings. For my son, it is a major benefit because he now will have the flexibility to be able to study or work or pursue other opportunities in the US as a college student and a young adult which wasn’t possible before.

What will you miss the most about your home country?

For us, both Canada and India are home too, but we have been in the US now for so long that the US now feels like home. I miss my friends, colleagues and the natural beauty of Canada and I miss my family in India, but we visit both countries regularly to stay in touch. The US will be my home now, and Judith and everyone with Chris Ingram have made it possible.

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

For those considering EB-1, I would say review your CV with Chris Ingram’s team and if you feel you have unique achievements, go for it and apply in the EB1 category. For those in the process, make sure that you have as much evidence as possible for all the details that are mentioned in your CV and in the petition. This will ensure that you avoid any RFEs. I was able to meet 4 categories but decided to go with my strongest 3. The final merits/summations part is crucial, and your 3 or more categories must clearly come together to show how you and all your expertise will benefit the US. While the PR services part that I pursued did not add any value to my application, the regular calls with Judith did help a lot.

With the expertise and encouragement from Judith, Chris, and his team, you will find that this nearly impossible journey is possible! In hindsight, I regret not having met them and done this earlier. I would have saved my daughter too from unfortunately aging out.

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

Business Intelligence Expert: Amarendra is a nationally and internationally acclaimed Business Intelligence Engineering expert. With years of experience in design, development, implementation and administration of database systems, he has authored various scholarly articles published in leading scientific journals.
Amarendra has a high-value career that is highly critical to the success of the IT industry and the U.S. economy. With his impressive career and the help of our firm, we are pleased to help him secure an EB1 Green Card!
Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I was born and raised in India. As soon as I completed my Bachelor’s degree in India, I came to United States to pursue my Masters in Computer Science. Right after my masters I started working with very different companies. Currently I’m working as a Senior Business Intelligence Engineer for a medical device company in Silicon Valley, CA.
I have extensive experience in developing data warehouses, ETL, cubes and reports using the Microsoft Business Intelligence Stack. I am also passionate about Data Analytics and predictive models.

How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way.
For the past three to four years, I have been spending a good amount of time after work reading and going over new technologies and implementing some interesting personal projects.
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?
Yes, I came to US to pursue myWhat was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
Overall my process was smooth like I anticipated but it took little longer than I thought. After my initial consultation with the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, I started working on one of the key category of publishing scholarly articles in reputed journals.
I had to spend time picking a subject to be published in top journals like Red Gate as they accept articles which are not found anywhere else. Even the editorial process increased the time taken to get these articles published.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
The challenges that I faced are only at the beginning of my EB1-A process like satisfying the third category for publishing articles. The rest of time I was very comfortable in providing any kind of documentation like referral letters and employment letters, etc.
What kind of relationship did/do you have Chris and his team?
I had a very good relationship with the whole team especially Angie and Alicia who I interacted with the most.  I personally liked the way Angie worked. She was my intake specialist so she was the one who understood my credentials initially and helped me during the enrolling process. She was very proactive and would be on the top of addressing any concern that I had on my file.
Chris knows the ins and outs of the immigration system, especially the content he wrote on his website on EB1-A categories, we cannot find elsewhere. He was able to explain the process in such a way that anyone lacking immigration knowledge could easily understand all these EB1-A categoryies.
I had a chance to review my case before submitting to USCIS. I was very happy with the work that Chris and his team had done on my file. The most important and critical part of an EB1-A case depends on how you present it to USCIS officer. The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram have done an excellent job on that part.
Throughout my file, I noticed that they addressed every piece of EB1-A memorandum as required by law and showcased how my categories satisfied EB1-A Criteria. I hope this attention to detail would help the adjuster to approved the case outright without giving any RFE’s.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
I filed my case with premium processing and was expecting results within 15 calendar days (before 21st December). I was tired of looking for a status update on the website and waiting for email/SMS alerts which never came within 15 days.
I thought USICIS may have delayed the process because of holidays. But, on the 23rd December, I went to Costco to buy some stuff in the afternoon and I received an image and call on my cell phone from my wife. She told me that I had received a mail from USCIS and that my petition was approved. I didn’t believe it until I came home and saw the approval notice.
There was some issue going on that week on USCIS Case status website and my petition was approved on 19th and took few days to get the mail. The approval of my case was right on time before the year end holidays so I enjoyed all the holidays and celebrated my success with my family and friends.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
The US is always a land of opportunities and being able to work and live permanently in the US.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
Family and Culture.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
Lot of people who are especially working with IT background have an impression that EB1-A is only for internationally known people and those with a PhD which is not true. The EB1-A is a difficult case to win compared to other categories but it’s not impossible.
If you really considering this option, I would recommend going over the EB1-A articles that you can find on https://www.breakthroughusa.com/ and then list out all the highlight of your life achievements in a way that satisfies the EB1 criteria.
Also, I would recommend you to consult a good EB1-A attorney like Chris Ingram for your initial evaluation.
Even though we think we have very good credentials for EB1-A category the most important and critical part is how you present the case for USCIS which will be possible only with top EB1-A attorneys like Chris.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you. Masters in 2007 and then started working as a IT professional on an H1 B Visa.
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
I already have an EB-2 via approved with my current employer and was waiting from 2013 for my visa number to be current. Unfortunately for a country like India, the wait time is over a decade. With no changes happening to current Green Card Laws and with huge backlogs I strongly believe that EB-2 approvals are only helpful for extending H1-B beyond 6 years and not really useful to get your Green Card on time.
That’s where I started looking around other options. In fact, I was so lucky that I came across a testimonial from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram’s website about someone with an IT background who got his EB1-A approved. Until then Like most of us I was under the impression that EB1-A is only for internationally known people and PhD holders and other scientists.
Afterwards, I contacted Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram and I learned that I satisfied 2 out of 10 Categories at that point and can work on 3rd category to build my case.

Chris is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ripple Creative Strategy, a full-service marketing and communications firm. In this role, he has acted as a consultant working directly with numerous CEO’s and the senior leadership of well-known and highly respected Canadian organizations such as The Gardiner Museum, Kids Help Phone, The Ontario Research Innovation Optical Network, and many more.

Prior to starting his own company in 2013, Chris was the senior-most marketing/communications Director at MaRS Discovery District, the world’s largest urban innovation hub, where Chris reported directly to the CEO and led a team of eight full-time employees. Chris has over seventeen years of marketing, communications, and creative direction experience.

With his impressive career, we are so pleased to have secured an EB1 approval for him! Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!

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

I’m Canadian and I have been working in marketing, communications, and multimedia for nearly 18 years.

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

I’ve had a weird and wonderful career, and sort of bounced from thing to thing that interested me. I have always been creative so always did that sort of thing (music, writing etc.). I was a digital publisher very early on in the days of blogs and online magazines, and I have worked with a lot of non-profits and arts organizations. And of course, I worked in marketing, communications, and advertising as well. Magically, this combination of skills are all now considered part of being a great marketer.

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?

I lived in New York for 4 years in the early 90’s as a student. New York was very different back then! I went to NYC for a visit some years ago and realized I really missed it – I started daydreaming about moving back there years ago, and eventually started Googling. The rest is history.

How did you decide to pursue an EB1?

I initially went to another lawyer seeking other visas that seemed the most basic to me, but he told me it was impossible. I was doing my own research and read about the O1 Visa and asked the lawyer about that and he said there was no way I would get that. While I was doing my research I came across Chris’ videos that gave me some hope that maybe I could be successful in getting a visa.

What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?

It was quite a long process and there were a lot of bumps along the way in dealing with USCIS. It could be frustrating at times, but you just have to keep going one step at a time. Chris and his team were and are there for me every step of the way – even when I was freaking out a little (thanks, guys.)

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

This is a bit of work, kind of like a big side project. Really it was just trying to find all the info and documents that were required. It took a little time, but it wasn’t too bad.

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

I really did feel Chris and his team had my best interest at heart all the way through the process. I am a bit of an A-type and can sometimes be a little uptight, but they were there to calm me down and answer my questions. It was clear from the work they did that they really know their stuff – I had zero issues with any of the work the submitted to USCIS. The guy at the airport said my immigration package was the biggest he’s ever seen!

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

The approval sort of came in stages for me. I was approved at the consulate but then our type of visa was retrogressed, which meant we couldn’t actually move forward to get the actual visa / green card for many months afterward. When I got the immigration package that was a moment of excitement for sure as it had been a bit uphill for a while with USCIS. The moment I really felt truly like it was real was when I got the visa stamped in my passport and the homeland security guard said “OK, Mr. Stevenson, you’re good to go. Welcome to the United States.” That was kinda cool.

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

It’s a new adventure with new possibilities. For now, I intend to call New York home, but maybe one day I will end up in a place with some palm trees – that sounds pretty nice!

What will you miss the most about your home country?

I won’t have to miss very much, fortunately. New York is a one hour flight from Toronto and I will be able to see my family and friends all the time and visit Canada to stock up on Canadian candy that isn’t available in the USA (your Smarties are wrong.) I will miss universal health care, and everyone being incredibly polite all the time (it’s the Canadian way.) And real maple syrup.

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

If you’ve been told “no way” by a lawyer, talk to Chris before you give up. Be prepared for a side project that will go on for quite a while. Stay tenacious and just keep doing the next step. At times it seemed to move slowly, but its worth it in the end. Good luck!

In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.

EB1 Green Card Success – Well, I must admit to being very impressed with Isabelle’s rise to the top. Isabelle did everything right, she went to College in Boston to study Music Management and was able to secure an Internship in Los Angeles. Right from day one Isabelle was on a mission to be the very best and would work as hard as possible to prove she could get the job done. Isabelle never faced a problem she could not fix and was amazingly creative in all that she did. As a result she quickly found success and brought an unknown act through her marketing skills in social media to national and international acclaim.Whilst I would often see bands win GRAMMY awards I had no idea that those people behind the scenes who worked intrinsically with the band are also recognized as GRAMMY winners too and can get certified as such by the organization. Isabelle was able to get recognized by the GRAMMY organization and this in turn was the key to her being able to qualify for an EB1 green card. Amazing. Congratulations Isabelle you are totally awesome, a real inspiration to a lot of people. We wish you continued success.

Lyndsay is a freelance Television Producer who has won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award, an EMMY Award and a Royal National Television Award for ‘I Am Leo,’ a ground-breaking children’s documentary aired on the BBC.
Pursue your dreams and great opportunities in the United States – We’re ready to help you! Give us a call today!

Tell me about where you are from and a little bit about what you do.
I’m a TV Producer who has been working in Manchester for the past 9 years.
How did you work your way up the ranks to reach your level and what were some of the challenges along the way?
I started working in TV in Australia, working my way up from being a runner – having always been freelance, so having to learn to reprogram my way of thinking – getting used to knowing about when I was going to work only at the last minute, work being cancelled due to shoots not going ahead or poor weather and me having to cancel social plans for work reasons – working my way up to being a Producer Director from the bottom.
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?
I’d only ever visited the US for holidays but knew that it would offer lots of opportunities for my line of work and a lot better weather than Manchester!
How did you decide to pursue an EB1?
In my career I have been fortunate to win a BAFTA, International Emmy and National Royal Television Society award for a Children’s documentary idea I put forward and then went on to make with a Director for the BBC – this meant I could qualify for a once in a lifetime achievement visa for being an alien of extraordinary ability and then apply for my green card as a result.
What was your experience with the EB1 petition process?
I think if I’d have tried to apply for the EB1 without using Ingram’s it would have been really stressful – I’d looked at online forums and I just think as someone busy working full-time the level of paperwork and the way it needed to be set out would have become almost a full-time job for me. What worried me was if I’d done it off my own back and my petition had been unsuccessful – I’d read reviews stating this could create really big problems. When I received a copy of the binder the Ingram team had created in order for me to be awarded my EB1 I knew I’d made the right decision not to try and go it alone – the file was thick with info all about me and my career and awards, my ID, pay documents etc – I would never have thought to present it that way or include the level of detail they had to make sure it was clear and showcased at a glance the evidence for my application.
What were some of the challenges you had to work on in the preparation of your case, for example evidence gathering?
You have to gather a lot of paperwork together – that’s what takes the time. I was lucky that I’m quite organized though but as we applied as a couple that was twice the amount of paperwork.
What kind of relationship did/do you have with Chris and his team?
Chris is always on hand if you need him despite being the owner of the company – and his staff were always super friendly and excited for you as the application progressed.
What were you doing when you found out you were approved? What was your immediate reaction? How did/will you celebrate?
My husband met me after work and we went straight for a celebratory drink. We were in a bit of shock as we knew there was a lot we needed to organize and we needed to let everyone know we were officially going – so a mixture of feelings but really happy for such a great opportunity to be available to us.
What are you looking forward to most about moving to the US?
We’ve arrived and are currently enjoying holiday time in LA – which is great. We’ve been here less than a week and have already secured a new apartment near the marina which is exciting.
What will you miss the most about your home country?
We’ll miss being close to family and friends – that’s the hardest part but Manchester via Virgin does direct flights at 11 hours and so that’s not too bad and their economy seats and food is great – and they did a great job looking after our dog who was also on the flight. The world is a lot smaller place now with WhatsApp video calls so that helps a lot.
What advice would you give to any immigrant considering an EB1 or who is already in the process?
It can be a stressful process and if you’re working full time I’d say employ an immigration lawyer – I think for the money we paid it was absolutely worth it – to know we had someone we could direct our questions at and we knew was experienced in the application process and motivated to make it work out for us.
In order to qualify for an EB1 Green Card you need to be able to satisfy three from a list of ten categories. We’ve provided informative videos on each category for your kind perusal so please review them and get back to us if you feel we can help you.