NOONG isang linggo ay aking tinalakay ang pagkuha ng green card sa pamamagitan ng family-based petitions. Ang isa sa pinakakaraniwang paraan sa pagkuha ng green card ay sa pamamagitan ng kasal sa isang US citizen (USC) o green card holder/lawful permanent resident (LPR). Magkaiba ang proseso at waiting period sa family-based petition ng asawa ng USC at asawa ng LPR. Ito ay dahil ang asawa ng USC ay immediate relative (hindi kailangang maghintay ng visa availability), habang ang asawa naman ng LPR ay may immigration preference category na Second Preference (F2A). Ito ay may mahigit na isang taong waiting period kung ang dayuhang asawa ay Pilipino.
Kung ang dayuhang asawa ng USC o LPR ay nasa US, ang mga sumusunod ang eligibility requirements para sa adjustment of status application o pag-file ng I-485 green card application: (1) Ang aplikante ay sinuri sa US port of entry at pinapasok ng opisyal ng US Border and Customs Patrol (CBP). Ang Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) ang magpapakita na ang dayuhan ay sinuri at pinapasok sa US. Mula noong April 30, 2013, ang Form I-94 na binibigay ng CBP ay electronic I-94 – maaaring makakuha ng paper I-94 sa CBP website; (2) Ang aplikante ay eligible para sa immigrant visa; (3) Ang immigrant visa ay available na. Para sa asawa ng USC, ang immigrant visa ay laging available bilang immediate relative, habang para sa asawa ng LPR, ang immigrant visa ay available lamang pagkalipas ng higit sa isang taong waiting period bilang F2A category; (4) Ang aplikante ay kailangang admissible sa United States. Maaaring maging inadmissible sa US ang aplikante dahil sa health-related grounds tulad ng nakakahawang sakit o mental o pisikal na karamdaman na maaaring banta sa kaligtasan at kapakanan ng dayuhan at ng ibang tao; mga krimen kung saan napatawan ang dayuhan ng pagkakulong na isang taon o kaya ay pagkakasangkot sa mga ilegal na droga, at security-related risks, tulad ng terorismo.
Maliban sa nasa itaas, kailangang patunayan ng dayuhan at kanyang USC o LPR na asawa na ang kanilang kasal ay totoo. Ayon sa USCIS, ang mga sumusunod ay magpapatunay na ang kasal ay totoo: mga dokumentong magpapakita ng magkasamang pag-aari ng mga ari-arian tulad ng mga titulo ng bahay at kotse; lease agreement na magpapakita na ang mag-asawa ay nakatira sa iisang bahay; mga dokumentong magpapakita na ang mag-asawa ay nagsama na ng kanilang pera tulad ng joint bank statements at joint credit cards; mga birth certificates ng mga anak nila; at mga sinumpaang salaysay ng mga kaibigan, katrabaho, kapitbahay at mga kamag-anak na may personal na kaalaman tungkol sa pagiging totoo ng kasal ng dayuhan at ng kanyang asawang USC o LPR.
One of the most common ways to get a green card is by family-based petition through marriage to a US citizen (USC) or a green card holder/lawful permanent resident (LPR). The process and waiting period for family-based petitions of a USC spouse is different from that of an LPR spouse. This is because the spouse of a USC is an immediate relative – visa is always available so there is no waiting time for a visa number; while for a spouse of an LPR, there is an immigrant preference category of Second Preference (F2A), which has a waiting period of over one year
for Filipino citizens.
If the foreign spouse of the USC or LPR is physically present in the US, the following are the eligibility requirements for an adjustment of status application or I-485 green card application: (1) The applicant is inspected at the US port of entry and admitted into the US by a US Border and Customs Patrol (CBP) Officer. Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record is the evidence that the alien has been inspected and admitted to the US. Since April 20, 2013, Form I-94 has been issued electronically – a paper I-94 may be obtained from the CBP website; (2) The applicant must be eligible to receive an immigrant visa; (3) An immigrant visa must be immediately available when the adjustment of status application is filed. For the spouse of a USC, the immigrant visa is always available as the alien spouse is an immediate relative of the USC. For the spouse of an LPR, the visa is available after a waiting period of more than one year as the alien spouse falls under the F2A category; (4) The applicant is admissible to the United States for lawful permanent residence. The following are considered as grounds for inadmissibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act: health-related grounds, such as communicable disease or mental or physical disorder that may pose a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the alien or others; criminal and related grounds, such as conviction for which the penalty is imprisonment for one year or illegal trafficking of controlled substances; and security and related grounds, such as terrorist activities.
Aside from the above, it must be proved that the marriage of the alien to the USC or LPR spouse is bona fide. Under USCIS regulations, the following documents are considered as evidence of a bona fide marriage: documentation showing joint ownership of property such as titles to property; lease agreement showing joint tenancy of a common residence or showing that the couple lives in the same address together; documentation showing that the spouses have combined their financial resources, such as joint bank statements; birth certificates of children born to the marriage; affidavits of third parties sworn under penalty of perjury that they have personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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