Support Josephine in Overcoming Immigration Hurdles

To all of you kind and compassionate people, to my Bay Area community and wonderful friends here and there, to all who can help and believe in the power of mutuality to overcome adversity:

I am a German national who came to the United States to pursue an academic career in Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. After graduating in August 2024, I am determined to continue my journey toward becoming a clinical psychologist.

Eager to gain valuable clinical experience and contribute to my community, I applied for a post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.

When a family emergency forced me to unexpectedly return home to Germany in July, my understanding was that I would be able to re-enter the U.S. regarding all re-entry requirements for my visa status.

As a result of administrative missteps in the handling of extending my student visa status through the OPT program, I was unable to return to the U.S. for 6 months and had to enlist legal support to navigate the complexities of my immigration status.

This unforeseen circumstance led to a series of unfortunate events.

1. Denied OPT: Due to falsely communicated timelines and an outdated I-20 my work permit has been denied. A post-completion OPT is only given once in a lifetime, so I would need to appeal the denial and start the process again.

2. No Income after Graduation: Due to my initial OPT denial and inability to return to the U.S., I was unable to start work and begin earning income, despite being offered and accepting a job in the Bay Area related to my field of study and career goals.

3. Mounting Costs: My savings quickly dwindled as I continued to pay rent for my residence in Berkeley and accumulated unexpected legal expenses to appeal the OPT denial.

In the face of these challenges, I remained determined to pursue my goal of returning to the U.S., starting the job I had secured with the Early Days Autism Center, and running towards my dream of becoming a clinical psychologist despite the hurdles and adversity.

I am incredibly grateful for all the caring support from my Berkeley community and Bay Area friends who kept in touch and fronted me some money to start the legal process.

My immense gratitude goes out to my German friends who opened their hearts and doors throughout these uncertain times and met me with loving care, a shelter, and solidarity.

I deeply appreciate my supervisor, Dr. Irene Russo, of Every Child Bay/Early Days Autism Center, who has been of tremendous support and kept the position available to me during the whole bureaucratic process.

With the help of Sabrina Li, a sharp and superb immigration lawyer, I was able to appeal the denial of my OPT and eventually reversed the decision - successfully.

I have received approval for my work permit and will be able to return to the U.S. within the next 2 weeks, but the legal fees and associated costs have taken a significant toll.

I am now seeking your support to help me cover the costs of the immigration lawyer and legal fees!

Here is the breakdown of the costs:

Attorney Fee: $4800

Legal Consultation Fee: $150

Administrative Legal Fee: $150 (covers mailing, shipping, printing, and other administrative work)

Filing Fee I-290B (Appeal): $800

Official Translation for Medical Documentation, German to English: $100

New SEVIS entry with DHS: $350

Filing Fee DS-160: $185

= $6,535

I am going to use every cent of your financial support for these costs, the bulk goes toward attorney costs as you can see from the breakdown.

I am deeply grateful for any support you can offer to help me return to the US and start my work.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will bring me one step closer to achieving my dream of pursuing a career in psychology, providing mental health support to the neurodivergent community in Berkeley, the Bay Area, and California!

I thank you with all of my heart for your compassion and understanding, your generosity and support!

Gratefully yours,

josephine