Help Erini stay in the USA
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For those who might not know me, I am Erini. I am a Greek vocalist, culture advocate and educator. I am originally from Crete and I am currently living in New York City. 2 months ago I celebrated my 10-year anniversary of living and working in the U.S! (www.erinimusic.com)
Why do I need your support?
I've had an amazing journey so far, but it has been far from easy, with constant uncertainty and financial challenges.
Throughout the years I’ve had to navigate the complexities of five different visas, including the one that I am on now “O-1 (Extraordinary Ability)”, and I have spent over $25,000 on immigration fees that have allowed me to legally live and work in the USA in the last 10 years.
Now, I need to apply for the Green Card through the EB-1 (Extraordinarily Ability) process, which will allow me to continue living and working in the USA long-term. The total costs for this process is $13,195. The Green Card lasts for 10 years and it can be renewed or lead to citizenship.
Why is this urgent?
I urgently need to submit my application ASAP! Big changes are coming soon on immigration laws, the criteria will become more strict and processing fees will go even higher. This may hinder my ability to stay and keep working in the USA.
This holiday season, I’m reaching out to you to ask for your support which will help me cover the application costs and take the next step in my journey to stay and contribute even more to this community. If you’ve appreciated my work or the impact I’ve made, I would be deeply grateful for any donation, big or small.
Highlights in the last 10 years:
- Became a part-time Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music (2019 - present)
- Sang the US National Anthem 3 times: Boston Celtics (TD Garden), Washington Nationals (Nationals Park), Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field)
- Completed a 3 year North America Tour with Cirque Du Soleil
- Sang at Carnegie Hall
- Grants and Awards: 40 Under 40 (Greek America Foundation), New Music USA, Massachusetts Cultural Council Traditional Arts Fellowship, Boston Foundation: Live Arts Grant
- Workshops and concerts at Harvard, Princeton, Tufts, MIT, Cornell, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador and others
- Selected to sing in Hunan TV, in Changsha, China
- Selected for WOMEX 2023 Official Selection Showcase
- Sang in 2 Grammy nominated albums
- Collaborated with Danilo Perez, Nella, Jorge Glem, Terri Lyne Carrington, Mario Frangoulis, Vasilis Skoulas, Daniel Hope
- Performed in a Daytime Emmy Award winning project
- Ambassador of Greek Culture (Performances for United Nations Permanent Mission of Greece, Greek Consulates, Hellenic Ministry of Culture)
- Established non profit organization “Avlés”
- Released debut album “Fos” with Ropeadope (US) and Minos EMI (Greece)
Breakdown of the Green Card costs:
USCIS costs:
- Form I-140: $700 filing fee for the Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker
- Form I-485: $1,140 filing fee for the official application to adjust status
- Biometrics fee: $85
- Form DS-260: $345 filing fee
- Form I-864: $120 filing fee for the Affidavit of Support
- Premium Processing fee: $2,805 (approval in 15 days instead of 24 months)
Other costs:
- Legal fees (remaining): $5,900 (Total fee was $7,000)
- Federally approved medical exam: $500
- Other (Printing, Shipping, Gofund me percentage cut, etc): $500
Total funds needed: $12,095
Why are the legal fees so high?
Submitting an EB-1 visa petition is a very time consuming and complex process that requires the preparation of a portfolio of over 300 pages with evidence that proves my merit in my field.
Learn more about me:
Thank you so much for your consideration!!
Photo by Yannis Psathas
Organizer
Erini Tornesaki
Organizer
New York, NY