Petition Dies Twice Yet Still Revived
Life got too busy for Alice while she was raising her two sons in Dubai. She ended up abandoning the petition that her dad had filed for her in 1994. Years later, during a chance meeting in the Philippines with Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel, she was told that her long-abandoned petition could still be reinstated so that she and her ...
Visa Finally Issued to 40-Year-Old Child
When Raymond and Gail left their children in the Philippines in 1995, they hoped and prayed that their kids would soon follow and that the whole family would be reunited in America. A negligent lawyer’s oversight, however, triggered their son Myk’s many years of separation from his loved ones, declaring him ineligible under the Child Status Protection Act. Attorney Michael ...
Phantom Marriage Nearly Blocks Nurse’s Green Card
Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel shares the extraordinary story of Cielo Flaviano, a nurse from the Philippines, whose green card journey faced a major hurdle due to her husband Carlos’ past visa application mishap. Years earlier, Carlos mistakenly "confessed" to being married during his U.S. visa interview, leading to a denial and a fraud charge. With Atty. Gurfinkel’s ...
A Mother’s Unwavering Fight to Reunite Her Family
Cristy (2nd from left), who gave up her green card in 2009 to return to the Philippines and care for her ailing brother Julian (left). Though she had just arrived in the U.S., she chose family over her American Dream. Her green card was later revoked for staying abroad too long without a re-entry permit. Cristy’s mother, Lolita (3rd from ...
Employment Petitions That Transform Lives
This is the inspiring story of Ana (3rd from left), a busy hotel executive, who petitioned her Tita Susan (2nd from left) to help at home as a housekeeper. This decision, inspired by the long-running immigration show, allowed Ana to balance her career and family life while increasing her earning potential. Four years after Tita Susan’s move to the U.S., ...
USCIS and NVC Lose Mother’s Petition for Daughter
Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) works like an immigration sleuth to locate a mother’s missing petition for her daughter and then successfully reinstates it. Nanay Nelfa petitioned her daughter Elyssa (right) as soon as she immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. Three years passed and the whole family was wondering why they never received any notices from USCIS. When Nelfa ...
Comatose Mother Gets to Fulfill the American Dream for Her Children
Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) tackles a complex and difficult case. Judy was petitioned by her father in 1993, but a series of tragic events complicated her case. Judy fell into a coma in 2002, and her father, the petitioner, passed away shortly after. Adding to the challenge, one of her daughters was close to aging out of the petition ...
A Mother and Son Reunited
For 19 years, "Citizen Pinoy" has been a trusted resource for Filipinos seeking U.S. immigration help. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel calls it "Citizen Puti" for Ricky Lee, an American fan who played a key role in a touching family reunion. Ricky, married to Filipina Martha, is such an avid viewer of Citizen Pinoy, that he once corrected ...
Ultimate Sacrifice for the American Dream
When Dad Romeo (standing, left) and Mom Connie (standing, 2nd from right) came to the U.S. to visit in 1994, they did not know that they would not be returning to the Philippines for a very long time. Friends convinced them to stay and find work in America to support their five children, whom they left behind. It was a ...
