The process of obtaining and keeping a green card can be difficult and challenging. There are many avenues to obtaining a green card. One is through the awarding of a green card for professionals who are deemed to have an “extraordinary ability” in a certain field. This includes the field of music. One recent story making news may be worth following for any gifted individual in Maryland who is applying for a green card.
The case involves a violin player from Russia. The woman applied for a green card while she was the assistant concertmaster for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. The application was denied because Immigration services did not consider the symphony she was part of to be distinguished, under their definition.
The director of the symphony advocated for the violin player to be accepted. The symphony also took issue with the immigration officials’ assessment that they were not considered a distinguished organization. Symphonies have various levels based on size and pay, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra has attracted top-level and world-renowned talent, according to the director. The violinist in question is now with another symphony that the government deems as “distinguished,” and she is awaiting a decision to see if her case will be reopened.
The complicated process of obtaining a green card in Maryland or any other state can be time-consuming and overwhelming for some. What the government may deem as an extraordinary ability and what an organization may deem as one may be very different. It is vital that anyone applying for a green card understand the various distinctions and possibilities when applying for one.
Source: wfae.org, “Former Charlotte Symphony Violinist Denied Green Card“, Duncan McFadyen, July 25, 2014