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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by manchestermike on Jul 1, 2008 17:25:00 GMT 1, This was down on the Carmichael Gallery page, but needs a wider audience:
Anyone who is on our mailing list is about to get this email. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know... My Dear Friends, Family, Members of the Press and Everyone else in my address book, Sorry for the mass email. Some of you have heard what is going on with Elisa (my wife) in Australia; her father was dying and she left the States in the middle of the immigration process to be by his side (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/father-dies-after-senseless-attack/2008/05/26/1211653939231.html), unfortunately due to the bureaucracy of our immigration system she is now stuck out of the country with no visa to return. Her father has passed away, but she could be stuck outside the US for six months to one year while we wait for all the different forms to be processed. I am reaching out one more time and sending even more emails with the hope that someone still might be able to help. All the folks we have been able to talk to have said it will take months to get her back into the US, even though we are married and her I-130 petition for a visa to be assigned has been approved (a big breakthrough we thought, but it turns out it is just the beginning of the process). We have talked to people at the consulate in Sydney, I've talked to my congressman's office, a friend of a friend wrote a letter to the US ambassador to Australia, we have talked to many different immigration attorneys, no one seems to be able to help. We are stuck in the system and right now I just want to get her home so that we can be together in this trying time and finish the immigration process here in the states. The emotional challenges of the whole situation are just overwhelming us. Please forward this to anyone you know that might be able to help! The complete back story is here: To whom it may concern, My name is Seth Carmichael, I am a US citizen born in Washington DC. My wife, Elisa Victoria Gilsenan, is a British Citizen and permanent resident of Australia where her family has lived for the past ten years. She was going to college in the US and was in the United States on a student visa when we got married on August 28th of last year in Los Angeles where we have been living since she started school in 2005. This past February her father Brian Gilsenan was assaulted in Sydney while on his way home from an after work function (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/father-dies-after-senseless-attack/2008/05/26/1211653939231.html), he was seriously injured and spent the last few months in the hospital. He passed away on Saturday May 24th, 2008. Elisa and I went to see him immediately after the incident, when we retuned to the US she decided not to continue with school at this time which canceled her student visa so we started the immigration process by filing our I-130 petition. In May, Brian's health took a serious turn for the worse and Elisa needed to return to Sydney to be by his side. We called the US dept of homeland security and tried to request an exception to allow her to leave the States but they told us that all they could do is expedite her I-130. Obviously she still had to return to Australia and she did so. As I said Brian passed away on Saturday May 24th. I went to Australia Sunday the 25th to help settle his affairs and help Elisa with her Visa situation but we had no luck reaching the consulate in Sydney or anyone else that could help us with her Visa. I came back to the states and have been trying to get her back since June 1st, we have had several conversations with various consulate officials and many immigration lawyers but there seems to be no process for helping with this kind of a situation. I am hoping we can get Elisa back into the states as fast as possible so we can continue the immigration process that we have started here and put this horrible tragedy behind us. It seems so simple a request. If you have any ideas that might be helpful please contact me. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Seth Carmichael
This was down on the Carmichael Gallery page, but needs a wider audience: Anyone who is on our mailing list is about to get this email. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know... My Dear Friends, Family, Members of the Press and Everyone else in my address book, Sorry for the mass email. Some of you have heard what is going on with Elisa (my wife) in Australia; her father was dying and she left the States in the middle of the immigration process to be by his side (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/father-dies-after-senseless-attack/2008/05/26/1211653939231.html), unfortunately due to the bureaucracy of our immigration system she is now stuck out of the country with no visa to return. Her father has passed away, but she could be stuck outside the US for six months to one year while we wait for all the different forms to be processed. I am reaching out one more time and sending even more emails with the hope that someone still might be able to help. All the folks we have been able to talk to have said it will take months to get her back into the US, even though we are married and her I-130 petition for a visa to be assigned has been approved (a big breakthrough we thought, but it turns out it is just the beginning of the process). We have talked to people at the consulate in Sydney, I've talked to my congressman's office, a friend of a friend wrote a letter to the US ambassador to Australia, we have talked to many different immigration attorneys, no one seems to be able to help. We are stuck in the system and right now I just want to get her home so that we can be together in this trying time and finish the immigration process here in the states. The emotional challenges of the whole situation are just overwhelming us. Please forward this to anyone you know that might be able to help! The complete back story is here: To whom it may concern, My name is Seth Carmichael, I am a US citizen born in Washington DC. My wife, Elisa Victoria Gilsenan, is a British Citizen and permanent resident of Australia where her family has lived for the past ten years. She was going to college in the US and was in the United States on a student visa when we got married on August 28th of last year in Los Angeles where we have been living since she started school in 2005. This past February her father Brian Gilsenan was assaulted in Sydney while on his way home from an after work function (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/father-dies-after-senseless-attack/2008/05/26/1211653939231.html), he was seriously injured and spent the last few months in the hospital. He passed away on Saturday May 24th, 2008. Elisa and I went to see him immediately after the incident, when we retuned to the US she decided not to continue with school at this time which canceled her student visa so we started the immigration process by filing our I-130 petition. In May, Brian's health took a serious turn for the worse and Elisa needed to return to Sydney to be by his side. We called the US dept of homeland security and tried to request an exception to allow her to leave the States but they told us that all they could do is expedite her I-130. Obviously she still had to return to Australia and she did so. As I said Brian passed away on Saturday May 24th. I went to Australia Sunday the 25th to help settle his affairs and help Elisa with her Visa situation but we had no luck reaching the consulate in Sydney or anyone else that could help us with her Visa. I came back to the states and have been trying to get her back since June 1st, we have had several conversations with various consulate officials and many immigration lawyers but there seems to be no process for helping with this kind of a situation. I am hoping we can get Elisa back into the states as fast as possible so we can continue the immigration process that we have started here and put this horrible tragedy behind us. It seems so simple a request. If you have any ideas that might be helpful please contact me. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Seth Carmichael |
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by Daniel Silk on Jul 1, 2008 17:31:51 GMT 1, Good call Mike! Lets all hope we have some people on here in positions of power that might have a with a few strings that can be pulled to help Seth & Elisa 
Good call Mike! Lets all hope we have some people on here in positions of power that might have a with a few strings that can be pulled to help Seth & Elisa |
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by ricosg11 on Jul 1, 2008 18:34:39 GMT 1, If we had more people like Seth and Elisa in the world, let alone scene, we would be much better off. If anyone can help, please do.
If we had more people like Seth and Elisa in the world, let alone scene, we would be much better off. If anyone can help, please do.
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Michael Jacob
Artist
Junior Member
Posts โข 2,049
Likes โข 29
October 2006
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by Michael Jacob on Jul 1, 2008 18:58:36 GMT 1, Ive emailed him. My neighbor is a immigration person and best friends with our State Senator, who visits at least once a week. I dont know if they can help, but it cant hurt to try.
ps on a lighter note, I keep bugging the senator, telling them I plan on stealing their license plates (which are Senator specific) so I can sell them on ebay!
Ive emailed him. My neighbor is a immigration person and best friends with our State Senator, who visits at least once a week. I dont know if they can help, but it cant hurt to try.
ps on a lighter note, I keep bugging the senator, telling them I plan on stealing their license plates (which are Senator specific) so I can sell them on ebay!
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kahuna
New Member
Posts โข 378
Likes โข 1
February 2008
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by kahuna on Jul 1, 2008 19:00:32 GMT 1, My heart goes out to Seth and Elisa for both their loss and current predicament.
Having worked through the US Immigration process over an 8-year period, I can testify that the system is a bureaucratic nightmare for anyone with a legal application pending.
The immigration officials treat you like shit when re-entering the country even with the correct paperwork in place. You only have to look at the terms they use "Parolee" for someone with a pending application and "Legal Alien" when your green card is approved.
Will send a PM to Seth with some recommendations for well-connected legal counsel.
My heart goes out to Seth and Elisa for both their loss and current predicament.
Having worked through the US Immigration process over an 8-year period, I can testify that the system is a bureaucratic nightmare for anyone with a legal application pending.
The immigration officials treat you like shit when re-entering the country even with the correct paperwork in place. You only have to look at the terms they use "Parolee" for someone with a pending application and "Legal Alien" when your green card is approved.
Will send a PM to Seth with some recommendations for well-connected legal counsel.
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rcab11
New Member
Posts โข 356
Likes โข 0
April 2008
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by rcab11 on Jul 1, 2008 20:05:10 GMT 1, Had heard his father in law was ill several weeks back. Didn't know he had passed. My prayers go out to Seth and Elisa and their families. Hope this all get's resolved very soon.
Had heard his father in law was ill several weeks back. Didn't know he had passed. My prayers go out to Seth and Elisa and their families. Hope this all get's resolved very soon.
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robotoil
New Member
Posts โข 419
Likes โข 1
April 2007
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by robotoil on Jul 1, 2008 20:27:40 GMT 1, What about re-entry using a "visitor visa"?
What about re-entry using a "visitor visa"?
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raiden
New Member
Posts โข 512
Likes โข 3
April 2008
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by raiden on Jul 2, 2008 8:21:42 GMT 1, I've dealt with these border issues before...
1) He's a gallery owner, why not just get an immediate work visa by claiming she's an important artist? Those always get expedited quite a bit faster. Claim she has a show at the gallery, hire a good entertainment immigration attorney, and she'll be issued a visa in under a week if you play your cards right. I just know from working at a major agency that I've seen visa miracles happen in cases of work visas because the government doesn't want to impede business.
2) Its really, really insanely easy sneaking a white person across the US Mexico border. They did just make it harder by instituting a passport requirement, but Seth merely needs to find a friend who looks like his wife and borrow her passport and viola! I just saw a picture of Elisa on Myspace... Not saying I would ever help commit a crime by asking friends of mine who look like Elisa to loan their passport to Seth, I'm just saying theoretically this is what you could do...
I've dealt with these border issues before...
1) He's a gallery owner, why not just get an immediate work visa by claiming she's an important artist? Those always get expedited quite a bit faster. Claim she has a show at the gallery, hire a good entertainment immigration attorney, and she'll be issued a visa in under a week if you play your cards right. I just know from working at a major agency that I've seen visa miracles happen in cases of work visas because the government doesn't want to impede business.
2) Its really, really insanely easy sneaking a white person across the US Mexico border. They did just make it harder by instituting a passport requirement, but Seth merely needs to find a friend who looks like his wife and borrow her passport and viola! I just saw a picture of Elisa on Myspace... Not saying I would ever help commit a crime by asking friends of mine who look like Elisa to loan their passport to Seth, I'm just saying theoretically this is what you could do...
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raiden
New Member
Posts โข 512
Likes โข 3
April 2008
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by raiden on Jul 2, 2008 9:19:17 GMT 1, I sent an email to Seth detailing the O-1 visa which is "for individuals with extraordinary abilities within science, arts, education, business, or athletics at the national or international level." (US Immigration)
Basically, Seth has a chance of securing this visa for Elise on expedited basis just by throwing the weight of the Carmichael name behind saying that Elise is an artist of extraordinary ability that his gallery absolutely needs in Los Angeles.
Pretty much any artist on this forum (with a good attorney) can obtain a O-1 visa with a gallery owners assistance.
I sent an email to Seth detailing the O-1 visa which is "for individuals with extraordinary abilities within science, arts, education, business, or athletics at the national or international level." (US Immigration)
Basically, Seth has a chance of securing this visa for Elise on expedited basis just by throwing the weight of the Carmichael name behind saying that Elise is an artist of extraordinary ability that his gallery absolutely needs in Los Angeles.
Pretty much any artist on this forum (with a good attorney) can obtain a O-1 visa with a gallery owners assistance.
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by Carmichael Gallery on Jul 10, 2008 6:09:32 GMT 1, Thanks everyone! The update of the moment is that things are speeding up, we have been able to put on some serious political pressure and this is helping. The bad news is that it still may take some time as they put it back in our hands to complete a massive ammount of paperwork some of which involves police reports and medical exams etc, but they say once we get everything in they will expedite the processing. We will see what that means!
Also we are SO on every radar at this point that it all must be by the book, so thanks for all the ideas but we got to do this legit.
Thanks everyone! The update of the moment is that things are speeding up, we have been able to put on some serious political pressure and this is helping. The bad news is that it still may take some time as they put it back in our hands to complete a massive ammount of paperwork some of which involves police reports and medical exams etc, but they say once we get everything in they will expedite the processing. We will see what that means!
Also we are SO on every radar at this point that it all must be by the book, so thanks for all the ideas but we got to do this legit.
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Heavyconsumer
Junior Member
Posts โข 4,974
Likes โข 5
February 2008
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Can Anyone Help?? Especially Members in the US, by Heavyconsumer on Jul 10, 2008 7:07:01 GMT 1, Good luck Seth! I had a horrid time with US Immigration as a Brit and I know how frustrating it can be. I'm sure you already have a good lawyer on side. The only advice I can offer, is pay the crazy fees to make sure you have the best, most highly regarded, well-connected and knowledgable lawyer you can find. I hope you get your wife home soon.
Good luck Seth! I had a horrid time with US Immigration as a Brit and I know how frustrating it can be. I'm sure you already have a good lawyer on side. The only advice I can offer, is pay the crazy fees to make sure you have the best, most highly regarded, well-connected and knowledgable lawyer you can find. I hope you get your wife home soon.
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