Hey everyone. So, as many of you know I am in America on an O1 Visa and have been for nearly 15 years. I am in the process of renewing that visa for the sixth time and long story short, I need some help paying for it.

I don’t feel especially comfortable doing this, I know most people don’t in these situations. Whilst I have crowdfunded for projects I’ve been associated with in the past, this is my first time specifically asking for myself and for something that I need rather than want. It feels strange, it’s not something I’m used to doing. I’ve gotten used to taking care of myself in these situations and it’s unnerving feeling like I need the help of others.

However, I have to remind myself that over the years, many people in my community have said words to the effect of “let us know what we can do to help,” when it comes to immigration. Well, right now the only thing I need is working capital. I have worked effectively the last few years to ensure my resume is flush with credits, I have negotiated these visa renewals before and I have a lawyer who knows my background. The only limiting factor is that, despite the fact that it feels like I am always working, and that I never have a full day off, I have had several huge unexpected monetary setbacks in the last year, meaning that paying for this visa in full myself will completely clean me out and leave me incredibly financially vulnerable.

We can talk about all the reasons for that, but the long and short of it is that if you could help me, even slightly, with paying for my visa renewal expenses (application and lawyer fees primarily), it takes so much stress out of my life. It helps soothe that molten ball of lead I have in my stomach every time I think about the logistics of this.

FABULOUS PRIZES

I like to say thank you as best I can, so as gratitude for any donations, I will be creating a limited access Google folder where I will be sharing my music, scripts, and more for the first time ever in this manner. Donors will have access to all this in perpetuity as a thank you. I am planning to develop this folder into the basis of a Patreon to allow for long-term support of my work, so this will be updated periodically with new demos, works in progress, and fresh drafts in the long term.

For friends (and friends I haven’t met yet) who are broke and don’t have anything spare to give right now, I hear you. Can you give this a share?

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Now, I know there’s a bunch of you that are already in and have probably already gone for the donate button. Thank you so much, I hope you know what it means to me. I love you all.

But, all going well, there will be people seeing this who don’t know me and might want to help but who have follow up questions. So here are a few clarifications:

Who Are You?

I’m Thomas. I am an actor-writer-musician living and working in NYC. I work a ton for the stage, I am in the now year-long running Off-Broadway show “The Jury Experience”, I act in (and have written) several shows that play in rep in Jim Thorpe and have done for three years now, I was part of the team that created the “John Wick: Welcome to The Continental” experience in New York, I am a long-standing devising member of the Drama Desk nominated Live In Theatre group, I have created immersive experiences for people like Anheuser-Busch and Neil Patrick Harris, I have won multiple playwriting awards, and I was also in a couple of episodes of Broad City.

Are You Here Officially?

Yes. Always have been, I am documented. This is not a legal battle I am fighting to remain against governmental wishes, this is a procedural renewal of my O1 visa that I need help paying for.

Shouldn’t You Have a Green Card if You Have Been Here 15 Years?

In theory yes, in practice no. I applied for my Green Card in 2020. After waiting two years for a response and paying thousands of dollars that I will never get back, I was denied on a technicality. If that application had gone through I would not be in this situation now. Being denied my Green Card is one of the most expensive things that has ever happened to me. Given the incredible expense of applying for a Green Card, mixed with the incredible expense of then having to renew my Visa again because that Green Card was denied, I have not had the money to do another Green Card application in the meantime. As such I need to renew my visa again.

Why Can’t You Pay For This Yourself If You’re a Working Actor?

Short answer? The world’s not particularly fair. Longer answer? I want to make it very clear that I work very hard, but the pay for a full day’s work as an actor is even less than you’re thinking, and every few years my savings get wiped out to pay for my right to live and work in the USA. The next natural follow up is: don’t actor’s take day jobs to support themselves? Yes they do, however, almost every side-gig I have had has disappeared in the last two years. Absorbed by AI automation or squeezed out of company’s budgets, generally. I diligently spent a decade setting up gigs for myself to tide me over between performances and those gigs have now almost all gone. Factor into that several financial hits I took last year and we have the situation I find myself in. So despite the fact that, at time of writing, over the last few days I have performed for hundreds, if not thousands, of audience members (including the pop-star Pink, who happened to come to a show the other day) you wouldn’t suspect it when you look at my bank balance.

Why Should We Help You Specifically?


I mean, look, I’m under no illusions that there are people out there struggling more than I am. Whilst my situation is incredibly stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, there are people in immigration situations that are far more dire than mine. If you feel strongly about it, then yes, don’t donate to me here. Go and support someone who needs it more. That said, I will add that over the years I have done my best to pay things forward. For years I provided low or no cost assistance to others applying for their O1s, helped counsel low-income immigrants on their options, talked people through the O1 application process, helped actors get press for their achievements to support their applications, performed at fundraisers for immigrant communities and more. To make it clear, I don’t think this means I’m owed anything, but I’m nothing if not grateful and willing to share my expertise with those who need it.

Why Should I Support You If I Have No Idea Who You Are?

Very good question. First off, I’m surprised you ended up here, so congratulations. Second… I mean, if you’ve read this far you must be considering it, right? So consider this: as an immigrant in the USA I start the day at a disadvantage to any naturalized American. I live in a country where I am taxed but can’t vote (the irony is not lost), where I can be deported and made to leave my life at a moment’s notice (this has happened to friends of mine), and where I have to pay thousands of dollars for permission to do something as basic as work. That’s before we get into the fact that, whilst this visa application is processing, I will not be able to leave the country. So when family events happen like the birth of my niece in the UK later this year, I won’t be able to meet her for some time. If there are any sudden family funerals or the like, I won’t be able to go. If any of this sounds stressful or upsetting, then I can reliably inform you that a) it is, and b) any assistance you can share at this moment will make all of this ever so slightly easier to deal with.

If This Is So Hard Why Are You Still Doing It?

To quote Dr. Zoidberg, “Not a day goes by where I don’t ask myself the same question.” But, though it’s very hard somedays… debilitatingly hard, I can always think of an answer. Usually it’s my friends. The amazing people I get to spend time and make art with. Sometimes it’s New York City. Sometimes it’s the simple fact that a huge chunk of the entertainment industry and its opportunities are based in America. But all of those add up to the same greater answer: my life is here. I may be an immigrant who was born in Wales and raised in Oman, but I have been a New Yorker my entire adult life. And as any New Yorker will tell you, you don’t give that up without a fight.