Former Olympic marathon qualifier from Romania Anatolie Vartosu is running out of time. After 7+ years of legally living and working in America, where he has positively impacted thousands of children and their parents, he is perilously close to being forced to leave his adopted homeland. This in spite of vast community support from throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut—including former Congressman Christopher Shays—and his being “an irreplaceable asset” to the people, businesses and values of the United States.
Key points:
• An Olympic marathon qualifier, Anatolie was invited to America in 2003 to compete in a marathon
• Received sponsorship, a job offer and a three-year work visa that same year; won a major U.S. marathon
• Over six years of legally working in Greenwich, Connecticut as a highly respected and popular gymnastics teacher
• Enriching the lives of thousands of children, their parents and the community as a whole
• Has endured repeated/excessive government delays, mistakes and flip-flops in the processing of his documents
• Exceptionally strong community and media support; “an invaluable asset to America”
• Diligently followed all the rules and timelines required of him, including paying his taxes
• Is now on the verge of being forced to leave America for good, if his current/last appeal for fairness fails
Anatolie Vartosu has over 20 years experience teaching and working with children of all ages in the fields of physical education and culture, track and field, soccer and all sports. He worked extensively in Romania for SOS, an international organization in 200+ countries devoted to improving the lives of orphans worldwide. Anatolie has a lifelong passion for increasing children’s self-esteem, confidence and capabilities for success in life. He has a prestigious Master of Sports degree from Russia and Romania and is an elite athlete who qualified for the 1996 Olympics in the marathon.
Anatolie was invited to the United States in 2003 to compete in the Clearwater, Florida Marathon. He went on to win many races in the US, including the inaugural Little Rock Arkansas Marathon in May, 2003. He successfully upgraded his tourist visa to a 3-year H1-B working visa, to accept a job offer teaching gymnastics at Jack Rabbits Gymnastics Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.
In 2006 Anatolie applied for what should have been a routine renewal of his H1B working visa for another three-year term. While the maximum standard answer time is 180 days, he waited over 18 months—which included numerous letters of support, including several from Congressman Christopher Shays—to receive the shocking answer: denied. Reason given? “overqualified” for his job—in spite of being granted his initial H1B working visa for the exact same position 3 years previously. Anatolie immediately appealed the denial and was told he would receive an answer within a maximum of 10 months. 14 months later he received the final decision regarding his appeal: dismissed—with no explanation and no right to further appeal. His 6-year campaign for permanent residency in the US is at a desperate point. If justice fails him now, he will be forced to leave America for good.
Bookmark this site. Sign the online petition and add any ideas or suggestions in the fields provided. Contact your congressman, senator, governor—anyone who could help Anatolie in his campaign to secure permanent residency in America.
Thank you,
Matthew Cross/Americans For Anatolie ~ 203-322-1456 • email: crosstrain@aol.com
Anatolie Vartosu ~ 203-273-6351 • email: anatolvartosu@yahoo.com