New report: Elderly Asian Americans experience fear of physical assault
A NEW report shines a light on how the past two years exacerbated threats to the safety and wellbeing for Asian American elders ages 60 and up. The report takes…
Category: Immigration
Covering the week’s most noteworthy immigration news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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[COLUMN] Husband and wife are finally reunited in America after 32 years, on this success story on Citizen Pinoy
BETH was petitioned as “single” by her U.S. citizen father in 1988. At her Embassy interview, visas were already available for “married” children. The consul advised her to marry Benjamin,…
[COLUMN] Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in New York City on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy
LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel met with Kapamilya from New York City and neighboring areas, where he provided valuable information regarding their immigration concerns. Cris petitioned his mom…
Study: Nearly 70% of Asians feel like they ‘don’t belong’ in America
FOR the last two years, Asian and Asian Americans have experienced a collective, unfortunate reckoning that has exacerbated the two destructive stereotypes toward the community: the perpetual foreigner and the…
[COLUMN] Told she must leave, Marie was able to receive her green card in the US
IN 2002, Marie and her three children visited the U.S. as tourists. They planned to visit family and then return home to the Philippines. However, Marie later decided to remain…
AAPI Heritage Month celebration marks 18th year in SF
Soriano, Yan among APAHF awardees at annual event’s reception THE annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (or Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month) celebration is slated to take place…
California Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus to celebrate APIA Heritage Month, honor leaders
THE California Joint Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Legislative Caucus will celebrate May as Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage Month and recognize distinguished AAPI leaders through this year’s…
[COLUMN] Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
DEAR Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my…
[COLUMN] Lifetime ban for admitting drug use lifted this Sunday, April 24 on Citizen Pinoy
RONALD was petitioned as Joyce’s fiancé in 2006. While the K-1 petition was approved, his visa was denied after Ronald admitted to the doctors at St. Luke’s that he tried…
[COLUMN] Fraud waiver reunites mother and son on this Sunday’s Citizen Pinoy
JESTER entered the U.S. as a tourist and overstayed. Despite his status, his mother, Jenny, was still able to file a petition for him. In 2017, Jester applied for a…
Not too soon to engage in Census 2030
ARTURO Vargas has been involved in census education and advocacy for over 30 years and says that after each decennial April 1—the day America takes a snapshot of its population—“it…
Several Filipinos in California charged in sham marriage, fraudulent green card operation
Eleven individuals in total have been charged for illegally circumventing immigration laws from 2016 to 2022 ELEVEN individuals attached to a California-based “marriage fraud ‘agency’” have been charged for allegedly…
[COLUMN] K-1 fiancé(e) visa: Getting your significant other to the United States
SEVERAL options exist for a U.S. citizen to bring his/her foreign-national fiancé(e) to the United States. One popular option is to marry the fiancé(e) in the country in which he/she…
‘We’re scared and angry’: Filipinos rise up against Asian hate in NYC
THE Filipino community of New York and its allies are up in arms against hate as numerous community members continue to be viciously attacked. Different organizations and individuals gathered in…
[COLUMN] How a son who jumped ship was able to petition his out-of-status mother, this Sunday, April 10 on Citizen Pinoy
THIS Sunday’s episode features Nanay Emi who wanted to legalize her status after she arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa and overstayed in 2010. After consulting with leading…
[COLUMN] Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions and concerns in part 2 of episode featuring the SoCal Pinoys
ON a previous episode of Citizen Pinoy, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel met with members of SoCal Pinoys, where they talked about the group’s goals and accomplishments, and…
[COLUMN] Filipino organization SoCal Pinoys takes centerstage on this Sunday’s special episode of Citizen Pinoy
LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel hosts the almost 50,000-strong SoCal Pinoys of Southern California. Its founder and leader, Charles Chamorro, talks about the group’s mission and accomplishments. Atty….
[COLUMN] Permanent residence for crewmen
A common issue for which persons have consulted with me is whether any avenues towards permanent residence exist for a person who entered as a “crewman.” Under INA Section 245(c)(1),…
[COLUMN] Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions and concerns in part 2 of episode featuring the Fil-Am South Bay Community
PREVIOUSLY, viewers watched leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel meet with the Fil-Am South Bay Community of San Jose, California, where he highlighted the organization’s mission of supporting one…
[COLUMN] Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
DEAR Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my…
[COLUMN] Immigration questions of the Fil-Am South Bay Community take centerstage in this Sunday’s special episode of Citizen Pinoy
“CITIZEN Pinoy” features a new episode, where the show’s host, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, reaches out to various Filipino American community organizations across the U.S. and gets…
[COLUMN] Lola’s wrong advice resulted in many years of family separation — this Sunday, March 6 on Citizen Pinoy
MIKE (2nd from left) missed the chance to bring his kids to the U.S. due to wrong advice from his well-meaning mother. Mike was petitioned as single by his mother,…
[COLUMN] Immigration questions of the Fil-Am South Bay Community take centerstage in this Sunday’s special episode of Citizen Pinoy
CITIZEN Pinoy features a new episode, where the show’s host, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, reaches out to various Filipino American community organizations across the U.S. and gets…
[COLUMN] The immigration journey that took 24 years on an all-new Citizen Pinoy this Sunday, Feb. 20
LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel presents another brand-new success story, after he provides the latest immigration developments, as featured on his YouTube channel: US Immigration TV. After the…
[COLUMN] Can I get a green card if i had a previous marriage petition denied based on fraud?
DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card application for me. My husband recently…
[COLUMN] Love found on Friendster ends up fulfilling a dream this Sunday, Feb. 13 on Citizen Pinoy
THIS week’s episode of Citizen Pinoy has love at the center of it all, as we introduce viewers to Wendel, a lonely and depressed person until he met Allen on…
[COLUMN] Petition denied at embassy due to fraud for jumping ship on an all-new Citizen Pinoy this Sunday, Feb. 6
On Sunday, February 6, he also features another success story that is inspiring and hopeful. Jun (right) was a crewman who jumped ship and overstayed a few months in the…
[COLUMN] I got my conditional green card through my US citizen spouse but we divorced. Now what?
A person who obtains his/her green card via marriage to a US citizen spouse, and who is married for less than 2 years has conditional permanent resident status. A conditional…
Visas issued despite petitioner’s death this Sunday, Jan. 30 on Citizen Pinoy
ALMITA’S father petitioned her in 2001. However, before her visa was issued, her father died on Christmas Eve of 2014. This resulted in the petition being “revoked.” Her previous lawyer…
Visas issued, despite petitioner’s death, this Sunday, Jan. 23 on Citizen Pinoy
ALMITA’S father petitioned her in 2001. However, before her visa was issued, her father died on Christmas Eve of 2014. This resulted in the petition being “revoked.” Her previous lawyer…