California becomes a sanctuary state
CALIFORNIA has become the first state in the nation to be a “sanctuary state.” This means California will not cooperate fully with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including Immigration…
Category: Immigration
Covering the week’s most noteworthy immigration news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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California Divorce 101
NEW Year, new resolutions, new life. For some of you, the New Year is a time for reflection, and to realize that changes are needed to be able to lead…
Filing family petitions before Trump ends ‘Chain Migration’
Pres. Trump wants to eliminate “chain migration,” which allows people to petition extended family members, such as brothers and sisters, married children, adult (over 21) children, and even parents. The…
Can the family court deny a custodial mom’s enforcement of a child support order against dad? In this case, grandparents were actually taking care of child
IN the case of In re Marriage of Wilson, the Mother was attempting to enforce child support arrears against the Father for the period in which the child was not…
Filing family petitions before Trump ends “Chain Migration”
PRESIDENT Trump wants to eliminate “chain migration,” which allows people to petition extended family members, such as brothers and sisters, married children, adult (over 21) children, and even parents. The…
2018 tax changes that affect divorcing couples
THE Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was recently enacted into law, impact various issues in a divorce case. These changes are effective beginning 2018 through 2025. Spousal upport. pousal Support will…
A wonderful year end gift for your family
AN important part of Christmas and New Year is buying gifts for loved ones and making resolutions for the coming year. Filipinos are busy filling their balikbayan boxes with pasalubong,…
A wonderful year end gift for your family
AN important part of Christmas and New Year is buying gifts for loved ones and making resolutions for the coming year. Filipinos are busy filling their balikbayan boxes with pasalubong, to…
Starting the new year fresh with a divorce
TO many people, the New Year signifies a chance to have a fresh beginning. People dispose of old personal items and clean out the closet in order to make room…
January 2018 priority dates
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…
New USCIS Policy: Adjustment interview for employment-based petitions
IN the past few months, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, beginning October 1, 2017, it will expand in-person interviews for employment-based adjustment of status (“AOS”…
Quantum of proof
Gender inequality. Is it an issue some societies in the world have relegated to the past? The trend to recognize same-sex marriages is picking up. Women are accepted (sometimes…
Grounds for annulling a marriage
MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usually file for Divorce. There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage “voided” rather than “dissolved.” …
How important is it to have a living trust?
THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a…
Is President Trump erasing all immigration laws from the books?
QUESTION: I am so afraid that I will be deported (even though I have legal status here) because I’m an immigrant. Is that the case? Answer: U.S. immigration law is…
Things that can mess up your child’s CSPA eligibility
ELIGIBILITY for benefits under Section 3 of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) is based on a mathematical formula, where you subtract from the child’s age the length of time…
DACA renewal requests affected by USPS service delays
ON September 5, 2017, United States Attorney General Jeffrey Sessions formally announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program, which has protected from deportation nearly 800,000…
USCIS forms updated
True to one of its promised immigration policies, the present administration is implementing its extreme vetting. Since it took over the White House a year ago, attempts to reform the…
When am I considered separated from my spouse in a divorce case?
THE date of separation is one of the most important facts to determine in a divorce case because it defines when the community interest ends and when separate property interest…
When am I considered separated from my spouse in a divorce case?
THE date of separation is one of the most important facts to determine in a divorce case because it defines when the community interest ends and when separate property interest…
Not from a treaty country? Try the L-1 and then the multinational visa petition
QUESTION: I wanted to start my own business in the U.S. and in fact, have sufficient money. However, I was told that I am not able to do so because…
Saving documents is critical to your case
FOR almost all immigration benefits, you should save and preserve documents to establish eligibility for that particular benefit. Many people state that, for one reason or another, they no longer…
Love, marriage, and (California) divorce
THE holidays are upon us, and soon, we’ll all be thinking about “New Year’s resolutions.” Amid the festivities, many people take this time to look at their lives and decide…
Do I need a premarital agreement before getting married?
IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired…
I’M TIRED and just want to give up and go back home!
MANY Filipinos consult with me saying they are sad, lonely, and depressed over their immigration situation, and just want to give up, and go back to the Philippines. Many of…
Do I need a premarital agreement before getting married?
IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired…
I don’t have a sponsor? Try the Extraordinary Alien Petition
QUESTION: I have lots of years of experience and lots of publications and awards. However, I don’t have an employer to sponsor me. Is there any other option? Answer: There…
California divorce frequently asked questions
I JUST moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing…
What to do with conditional green card status in troubled marriages
MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life. Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically. For those persons who lack…
Is the ‘S’ Visa available to you if you testify for the FBI?
QUESTION: I have been notified by the FBI that they want me to testify against some very bad people. Is there anything I can do for my lack of immigration…