QUESTION: I have heard that there is a new electronic filing system at USCIS. Is that true? Answer: It is called USCIS ELIS.USCIS ELIS is a user-friendly system created to streamline the application process for immigration benefits. It allows immigration benefit seekers and their legal representatives to create an account and file benefit requests online. USCIS…
THERE can be moments of depth in our everyday lives–times when God reveals something to us or makes us feel his quiet presence. These moments do not have to be dramatic; they can be simple and ordinary. The other day, I was sitting with a priest-friend in a nearby coffee shop when one of the…
Even if your family business is a model of harmony, it’s a good idea to think about how you’ll deal with conflicts before they arise. “There comes a time when there is not enough jobs for everyone in the family. Oftentimes, professionals may even be better in running the day to day operations,” Lance said….
Dear Attorney Gurfinkel: I was petitioned by my US citizen father, and after waiting for over 15 years, I was finally interviewed and just received my immigrant visa, which was delivered to me by the Embassy’s courier. I see that the immigrant visa is valid for several months. Would there be a problem if I…
What are aphrodisiacs? Aphrodisiacs are prosexual drugs or substances that will heighten libido (sexual desire), orgasm (ecstasy and pleasure) and performance in males and females, not partner specific. Are these substances new? No, the cultural quest for aphrodisiacs has been the obsession of man, from ancient to modern times. Natural substances such as belladona, datura…
On June 17, 2011, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton issued a Memorandum to provide guidance on the exercise of prosecutorial discretion (the Morton Memo). “Prosecutorial discretion” is the authority of a law enforcement agency or officer charged with enforcing a law to decide, in a particular case, whether – and to…
THE Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has restored its prior ruling that “admission” for the purposes of a later adjustment of status means a procedurally regular admission, and not an admission in a particular status. The US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in Orozco v. Mukasey. 521 F.3d 1068 (9th. Cir 2008) granted…
DOING business with family and friends can be very rewarding. It can also be very complicated and difficult. Anyway, doing business with loved ones has never been a neutral topic. It always involves an even more stringent standard of etiquette than usual, but if appropriate measures and safeguards are taken, it can make life, work…
This week proves to be the homestretch for Filipino-Mexican-American Jessica Sanchez as American Idol Season 11 comes to a close. This is it and she’s in it to win it. The stage is set for a showdown with another formidable contender in the svelte Phillip Phillips. After another whirlwind season of upsets, broken hearts and…
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today launched the first phase of its electronic immigration benefits system, known as USCIS ELIS. The system has been created to modernize the process for filing and adjudicating immigration benefits. “Today marks a significant milestone in our agency’s history,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “We have launched…
QUESTION: I would like to become a US Citizen. What can I do and what are the basic requirements? Answer: These are the basic requirements: Be 18 or older; Be a green card holder for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization; Have lived within the…
THE worsening housing sector due to homes being underwater still has a great effect of our economies recovery, why are you not hearing this topic more often being resolve than being brushed under the rug by the administration. Based on my own survey, I believe that it is because the two governments we have are…
HE IS considered the Manny Pacquiao of the skateboarding industry, although Willy Santos has been doing it a lot longer in his sport than the Filipino boxing champ. Unfortunately, Santos doesn’t get that same kind of recognition, which he deserves. For all of his accomplishments and success in 20 years as a professional skateboarder, Santos…
In the world of advertising, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking is key. There are a lot of excellent copywriters and art directors in the industry, but the creative director strikes the balance — ensuring that the creative output meets the objectives of a client’s business strategy. The creative director is also the head of the creative…
AS AN immigration officer, I had many emotional experiences and one of my most difficult experiences was when an Iranian applicant came to the Service and requested an advanced parole travel document to return home to visit her dying father. With her adjustment of status pending and processing taking years, she could not wait for…
“PADRE, Jesus regresara pronto, verdad?”, a mentally challenged Korean man asked me in heavily accented Spanish at our church patio. “Si,” I responded without thinking much. Then I mused about my answer and why this simple-minded man asked me if Jesus is coming soon. Was he influenced by the apocalyptic preaching of his Korean brothers…
YOUR personal home care plays an important role in maintaining healthy smile. Your personal home care starts by eating balanced meals, reducing the number of snacks you eat, and correctly using the various dental aids that help control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease. Tooth brushing. Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially…
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 priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning that immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority…
The advent of the computer and cyberspace technology has led to the explosion of, and instant access to, seemingly endless volumes of information in the various fields of human endeavor, including in medicine, via the internet. This modern “virtual library” on the Web, accessible to practically anyone, any place, in the world where the internet…
“WE are proud of the progress we have made, but we are not satisfied with just this. We Filipinos know just how much potential this country has and we are working even longer nights to fulfill this potential,” President Benigno Aquino III said, during the Philippine Investment Forum on March 27. And those overtime hours…
THE H-1B visa quota for FY 2013 officially opened up on Sunday, April 1, 2012, making 65,000 new H-1B regular visa numbers available for new employment beginning on October 1, 2012, as well as an additional 20,000 H-1Bs for persons who have attained a Master’s Degree or higher in the US. As of May 14,…
THE Sixth Commandment is “pay must be based on contribution to the business”. Lance Gokongwei said that in order for the family member to live and think independently, the family business must pay the right salary for the right job, but the pay must be adequate enough so that the family member will not be…
It is May again and it bursts with the fresh spunk of festivals. Shining among the festivities of this month is the observation of the Flores De Mayo. This tradition started during the Spanish Era where young girls, in their pristine innocence, offered flowers for the Virgin Mary in a parish church in Malolos, Bulacan….
ZILLOW’S first-quarter home value report found that home values posted their biggest monthly gain since 2006 last month, rising 0.5% nationwide. The data show that 19 of the 30 largest markets have already hit bottom or will soon, and Zillow predicts the national index will hit bottom in late 2012 or early 2013. I believe…
As one of the most disaster-prone areas in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ efforts in disaster risk reduction (DRR) did not go unnoticed. The country has recently caught the attention of the United Nations (UN) for having an advanced climate change adaptation (CCA). Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction, recently led a program…
I STILL think fondly of the intimate Mass I celebrated last Saturday with my family on my ailing father’s 80th birthday. It was a moment filled with depth, intimacy, laughter, gratitude, and grace. My younger sister thought that it was “priceless,” especially in seeing her little kids and another practice as altar servers. For me,…
I had a bad dream. I dreamed that the Chinese invaded the Philippines after the confrontation at West Philippine Sea finally exploded into an all-out war. I dreamed that while Philippine officials were meeting with the US State Department in Washington DC, China attacked the Philippines in a manner reminiscent of Pearl Harbor. The AFP…
Mother’s Day is a time when everyone should reflect on all the wonderful things and the sacrifices their mothers have made for them. It is also the time when Mothers feel blessed with the gift of motherhood, and feel the indescribable joy of being surrounded by their children. Unfortunately, for some mothers who are in…
If you think that by brushing and flossing your teeth every day, you’re fulfilling your daily dental obligations, you’re halfway right. The other half involves using the correct techniques, and protecting your teeth and gums from external factors. Many of us grew up thinking that if brushing is a good way to clean our teeth,…
ONE can win races and break world records, but an Olympic gold medal is still the biggest feat an athlete can accomplish. To conquer the Olympics is every athlete’s dream. The Olympic dream has remained a dream for the Philippines since Onyok Velasco’s performance fell short of a gold medal finish in the 1996 Atlanta…
