Covering the week’s most noteworthy immigration news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
THERE are 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas available yearly and these employment-based immigrant visa are divided into five preference categories: Priority Workers (E1); Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional…
ON January 4, 2016, the USCIS announced that people should NOT submit original documents (such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, photographs, naturalization certificates, etc.) to USCIS with any…
FOREIGN professionals wishing to immigrate to the US (as permanent residents) may do so under 3 general classifications: • 1st Preference (EB1) – extraordinary ability foreign professionals; outstanding researchers and…
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of…
IN a divorce proceeding, people sometimes have a misconception that the only assets or properties that have to disclose assets and properties situated in California. Even worst, sometimes parties even…
THERE has been much undeserved criticism and condemnation hurled at USCIS and consular officers over issuing a fiancée (K – 1) visa to the female terrorist in the San Bernardino…
THE power to give, take away, and deport. The United States does not welcome you with open arms. It allows non-citizens entry into the United States, under certain conditions. When…
AN important part of Christmas is buying gifts for loved ones. Filipinos are busy filling their balikbayan boxes with pasalubong, to send to their families “back home.” The pasalubong may…
A CHILD born abroad to parents who are both United States citizens (USCs), or to a United States citizen (USC) mother or father, has a claim to citizenship either through…
FOR individuals who are seeking to obtain lawful permanent residency, any past fraud or misrepresentation renders the individual inadmissible and ineligible to legalize status unless they are granted a fraud…
(Part 1) FOR many people, attaining US citizenship is the final step in achieving their “American Dream.” After getting a green card, they eagerly count off the years until they…
JON and Kate own and operate a successful real estate business in California. In addition to owning a beautiful home, they had acquired several homes and apartment buildings which they…
BY Resolution issued on December 1, 2015, the Second Division of the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled that Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares is not a resident of the…
IT is very common for beneficiaries of family based petition to wait many years before their petition’s priority date becomes current. This is usually the case with US Citizen parent…
COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law…
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…
AS you may be aware, an alien seeking permanent residency status in the US must be “admissible” to the US. Admissibility means the ability of an alien to receive a…
ORDINARILY, when a person commits fraud or makes a misrepresentation in connection with applying for an immigration benefit, the person is required to file a fraud waiver (Form I –…
VICTIMS of domestic violence or certain crimes are granted immigration benefits so they can remain in the United States to reside and work here. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)…
THERE are situations in both Divorce and Child Support cases where the Summons and Petition resulted to a default against one party for failing to respond on time. In certain…
CONSIDER the common divorce scenario where the divorce judgment provides primary custody of the children to one spouse while the other spouse only gets visitation. The parties begin to file…
BY Approval Notice dated October 30, 2015, the USCIS granted Form I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver to a Filipino crewman, who is married to a US citizen spouse. Roman P….
THANKSGIVING is when people take a step back and reflect on all of the wonderful things and events to be grateful for, and to give thanks to those people who…
THE Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 was enacted with the avowed purpose to protect and keep children safe from sex offenders; prevent child abuse and pornography;…
When a serious crime has been committed, justice can only be served when the perpetrator of the crime is successfully prosecuted and jailed. Unfortunately, justice is often not served when…
An alien seeking permanent residency status in the US must be “admissible” to the US. Admissibility means the ability of an alien to receive a visa to enter the US…
James, a noncitizen foreign national, is married to Lesly, a United States citizen, and by virtue of this marriage was accorded a lawful conditional permanent resident status. However, not even…
In October 2015, the State Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a new format for the monthly priority dates. The monthly Visa Bulletin would now have TWO charts: the…
IN my last article, I discussed a type of restraining order i.e. a stay-away order. This restraining order is a judicial order (granted by a judge or commissioner) preventing a…
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…
