Green Card for Broadcaster EB-4 Visa

What the Iraqi radio room warrior did next,
with his Green Card for Broadcaster EB-4 Visa

Altaf Shaikh knew that he had played a key role in the Iraq War. Thanks to his involvement, hundreds of lives had probably been saved. You might think Altaf was a US-trained bomb detection expert working in a crack team with the US Army, but you’d be wrong.

Altaf was a lean, studious-looking Iraqi academic, hardly the kind of person you’d see in the thick of battle. In fact, he wasn’t even in Iraq during the war. His normal place was in the downtown Prague office of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (better known as RFE/RL) a vibrant radio channel that regularly broadcast thoughtful analyses, busted myths and rumors, and fought disinformation that Iraqis were being fed.

The RFE/RL was a grantee of the United States Agency for Global Media, an historical arm of the Department of State that plays a key role in using international broadcasting to propagate principles of freedom and democratic principles and values. The USAGM sponsored civilian broadcasting networks where democracy was under threat; the RFE/RL was one of them.

Altaf’s job was translating content from English into Kurdish and Iraqi Arabic. Since he had a great voice as well, he spoke daily on air, urging his fellow Iraqis to stay strong and determined in their fight against terrorists, destabilizing forces and authoritarians.

But the war dragged on and Altaf really wanted a professional change of scene. His family had paid a heavy price because of the war: his children’s education, his wife’s post-doctoral studies, their frequent changes of residence, the constant fear and stress living in the shadow of unknown threats — he wanted a change now.

The United States had a strong, growing and patriotic American Muslim community. Altaf wanted to move there as a broadcaster and continue his work translating and hosting radio shows for audiences in the US and around the world.

It turned out that every year, the United States issued a limited number of employment-based visas known as EB-4 for people exactly like Altaf, in four special groups that included broadcasters. The Green Card for Broadcaster EB-4 Visa permitted a broadcaster — including reporters, writers, translators, editors, producers, announcers, news broadcast hosts or news analysis specialists — to migrate to the US on a Green Card.

The Green Card for Broadcaster EB-4 Visa is intended for immigrants (and their spouses and children) who are coming to work in the US as broadcasters for the USAGM or for a grantee of the USAGM. Even before entering the US, they may apply for a Green Card As part of the application process. No more than 100 EB-4 visas are issued every year.

Altaf’s bosses at RFE/RL agreed with his suggestion and started the process of application by filing a petition on Form I-360 on behalf of Altaf. It took some time before Altaf’s turn finally came and he was called for an interview. But then one day, the journey was over. He and his family were at the airport in Prague, waiting for their US flight to be called.

You can get more information on the Green Card for Broadcaster EB-4 Visa from the detailed, user-friendly visa guides you get when you buy one of our Visa Plans.

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