Good day everyone,

My name is Subomi Babawale. I am a third-year PhD student at Florida International University. Please, I need your support in raising $10,000 towards legal fees for an attorney so that I can be able to have the funds towards obtaining the EB-2 NIW visa (a self-sponsored pathway for a green card for professionals). I will have to pay the lawyer as well as USCIS in total. At the age of 16, in 2017, I officially began my journey as an international student in the United States through the F-1 student visa route. From then up til now, there have been challenges as well as opportunities, both of which have shaped me into who I am today. Along the way, I faced several challenges, including ensuring that I maintained a legal status and completing my undergraduate education. Now, as I am getting to a point where I can contribute as a scholar to the field of knowledge, there is still one major hurdle I must overcome, which is trying to gather the funds for legal fees towards advancing in my immigration journey.

Back in 2021, when I was wrapping up my undergraduate degree, I was exploring pathways to work as a full-time employee or possibly have to continue in graduate school. Unfortunately, in November 2022, while working on my OPT (Optical practical training- a temporary work authorization for F-1 students to gain real-world experience in the U.S), my mother passed away. Since I was nearing the end of my OPT, amongst other reasons, it was not advisable for me to travel out for her funeral, so I had to coordinate with my father and other family members virtually. Sadly, I attended her funeral through Zoom. Despite knowing that some of the circumstances were beyond my control, I struggled with guilt because I knew then that unless I had progressed in my immigration journey as an international student in the US, it would take time until I could pay my respects and reconnect with loved ones in person.

However, at the time, aside from the H-1 B visa (a temporary work visa for foreign professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher), there was no direct pathway to be able to properly work and get on my feet. Without an employer sponsoring you, it cannot be obtained. In addition, unless it is a non-profit or a university, it is a lottery-based system. But I was on a clock immigration wise, as I had to get a company to sponsor me before April 2022. Things did not go as I had hoped, but I still worked on my graduate school applications. I applied for two cycles and eventually accepted an offer to further my education towards obtaining a doctorate.

In 2024, I obtained my master’s degree and am now qualified for the EB-2 NIW Visa. Essentially, through my work as a researcher and all my previous qualifications combined, I will have to show that the work I have been doing is of benefit to the United States. I have had consultations, done my research, and almost 9 years later, I now have the qualifications to progress in my immigration journey in the U.S. If I am also able to get approved, after a while, I might be able to finally travel for the first time out of the U.S to see my mother and grandmother’s graves. I have longed to reconnect for some time and to spend more time with my other loved one in person. I would also be able to work more hours than the 20-hour limit for international students. In addition, I would have a better chance of finding employment after graduation without hoping for sponsorship.

Any support, be it in the form of donations, kind words, or sharing with your network, would allow me to get one step closer to my goal. I am getting closer to closing one chapter and entering another as I advance through my educational program and immigration journey as well. With not being able to work extra hours due to immigration restrictions, there is not much I am able to do to be able to raise the amount that I would need to pay the attorney. I am hopeful and grateful for coming this far. Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to pause and read. Thank you to everyone who has also helped me get to where I am now. Your support will go a long way, and I am very grateful for any assistance.