ON July 20, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy that individuals applying for change of status (COS) from Visitor (B), or other non-immigrant status, to F-1 student, no longer need to also apply for an extension of status while their initial F-1 COS application is pending. According to the…

AS I reported in a previous article, on July 16, 2021, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, was illegal. He issued a preliminary injunction, blocking the approval of any new applications. Fortunately, he did not call for a complete and immediate end to DACA, but…

Jun (right) was a crewman who jumped ship in 2002. He overstayed in the U.S. for several months, before returning to the Philippines in 2003. In 2007, his mother petitioned him as a single child. Finally, after many years of waiting, Jun was interviewed at the U.S. Embassy, but he was denied due to fraud….

ON July 15, 2021, Atty. Gen. Garland brought back “administrative closure” to immigration courts by overruling a previous decision made during the Trump era, which “concluded that the immigration courts’ use of the tool of administrative closure was not authorized.” This is great news, as now administrative closure is again authorized, and there could be…

THERE is more great news for people who are in deportation/removal proceedings, or who may have already been ordered deported. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on how to request prosecutorial discretion (PD) for those who are in deportation or removal proceedings. What is prosecutorial discretion? According to the…

LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (2nd from right) provides the latest immigration developments, as featured on his YouTube channel: US Immigration TV. This Sunday, he also features another success story that is inspiring and hopeful. Jun (extreme right) was a crewman who jumped ship and overstayed a few months in the U.S. in…

For Jonathan (left), love conquers all. He was visiting friends in the U.S. to take a break from a recent upheaval in his life when he met his future husband. He then quickly gave up his life and career in the Philippines to be with the one who “completes” him. He got married with his…

IN a previous column, I discussed a new memo from the Biden administration, that they are limiting deportations by exercising what is called “prosecutorial discretion,” in terms of whether or not to bring deportation cases or even dismiss existing deportation cases. We were monitoring how this memo would be implemented and how soon. I already…

WHEN Jonathan (left) met his husband, he made the decision to give up his career and life in the Philippines, in exchange for love. The whole month of June, Pride Month was celebrated across the country. Citizen Pinoy pays tribute to this celebration with this week’s feature: a same-sex couple and one of them being…

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: My U.S. citizen father petitioned me in 2011 as a single adult child (Category F-1). About 3 years ago, he moved back to the Philippines. I am now receiving notices from the NVC that my visa is available and I need to pay fees and submit various forms. Could I still apply…

AXG: Abunda and Gurfinkel, moderated by Asia’s King of Talk, Boy Abunda, and leading U.S. immigration attorney, Michael J. Gurfinkel, provides answers to commonly asked questions in the “Quick Consults” portion of the very first virtual Q&A held via Zoom. Some of the questions sent by Kapamilyas via email or social media are: What happens…

The July 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers).  The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT!  This includes the Philippines!  This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date.  If a person is being…

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I entered the U.S. on a tourist visa and then overstayed and am out of status.  My U.S. citizen boyfriend recently proposed to me, and we plan on getting married and have him petition me. Also, years ago, I married someone else in the Philippines.  But he abandoned me, he already has…

ON May 27, 2021, the Biden administration issued a memo entitled “Interim Guidance to OPLA Attorneys Regarding Civil Immigration Enforcement and Removal Policies and Priorities.” That memo could benefit so many people who are in deportation or removal proceedings, or are concerned they may be placed in deportation or removal proceedings. Basically, this memo instructs…

This Sunday, Citizen Pinoy brings more of the questions answered during their very first virtual Q&A held via Zoom. AXG: Abunda and Gurfinkel, moderated by Asia’s King of Talk, Boy Abunda, and leading U.S. immigration attorney, Michael J. Gurfinkel, provide answers and relevant immigration information to guests and viewers. In the second installment, Nico, from…

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I am a green card holder and am now eligible for naturalization. However, when I renewed my driver’s license, there was a section on the form to allow people to register to vote in elections. I filled out the entire form, not realizing I was not only renewing my driver’s license, but…

Asia’s King of Talk, Boy Abunda, and leading U.S. immigration attorney, Michael J. Gurfinkel, lead the discussion in the first virtual forum where Atty. Gurfinkel provides answers and relevant information to viewers’ immigration questions. Elaine, from Fairfield, California, wants to know if her sister’s family can be interviewed on an expedited basis. She is worried…

THE June 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being…

Hazel from Virginia Beach, Virginia (bottom left) wants to know the best way to bring her sister to the U.S., when she was initially petitioned by her mother in 2010 as single, but got married in 2011. Perly from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (bottom right) asks about her daughter who applied for a tourist visa and was…

Jimmy from Fyffe, Alabama is worried for his parents due to COVID, and would like to know if they can come to the U.S. using their multiple-entry tourist visas then adjust status in the U.S. once they arrive. Christian from Antioch, California asks if his friend, who is a green card holder, can still return…

ON May 14, 2021, President Biden revoked former President Trump’s proclamation of October 4, 2019, which would have barred the entry of immigrants unless they could prove they already had health insurance, could secure health insurance within 30 days of entry or had the financial capacity to cover their healthcare costs. I have already posted…

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: Both my husband and I have been U.S. citizens. In 2011, he filed a petition for our adult single son (Category F-1), which was later approved in 2015. Unfortunately, my husband died in 2018. We are now receiving notices from the NVC that my son should apply for his visa. Since my…

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel also presents the latest in immigration news and analysis, and provides the latest highlights from his YouTube channel, US Immigration TV. Millet (bottom left) brought her two daughters, Ana and Yna, to the U.S., and they became undocumented. While they were growing up, Millet had to tell her…

IT can be extremely frustrating for anyone outside the U.S. waiting for their immigrant visa interview, and for their family members in the U.S., anxiously awaiting their arrival. You have endured delays, interview cancellations, and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns and shutdowns, and by former Pres. Trump’s immigration ban. The main question on everyone’s…

ON April 29, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Notice to Appear (NTA) is defective unless it includes, in a single notice, all the required information, including: • The charging allegations (why the person is subject to deportation/removal); and • The date, time, and location of the court hearing. If the initial NTA…

LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel provides the latest immigration developments and information, as featured on his YouTube channel, “US Immigration TV.” He also answers another round of questions from Kapamilyas regarding their immigration concerns. Jimmy from Fyffe, Alabama, has an approved petition for his parents. However, due to COVID, his parents have not…

The May 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being…

UNDER the Biden Administration, words matter. Using incorrect or offensive terminology could affect people’s feelings and self-esteem. With that in mind, on April 19, 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a memo on “Updated Terminology for CBP Communications and Materials.” That memo provides a list of “preferred use of immigration terminology within…

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL (TOP LEFT) ANSWERS MORE QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA ABOUT THEIR IMMIGRATION CONCERNS ON A BRAND-NEW CITIZEN PINOY! Hazel from Virginia Beach, Virginia (bottom left) wants to know the best way to bring her sister to the U.S., when she was initially petitioned by her mother in 2010 as single,…