Provisional Waiver
A CREWMAN WHO JUMPED SHIP WENT HOME TO THE PHILIPPINES ON AN APPROVED PROVISIONAL WAIVER, BUT WAS CHARGED WITH FRAUD FOR OVERSTAYING, AND COULD NO LONGER RETURN TO THE U.S. Jimmy entered the U.S. in 1999 and jumped ship. When the provisional waiver regulations came out (which also included crewmen), Jimmy applied for it immediately in his desire to “do ...
Crime and Deportation
A JOURNEY THAT FELT LIKE GOING “TO HELL AND BACK” REACHES A HAPPY CONCLUSION Roselyn (center) married her U.S. citizen husband and acquired her green card. Unfortunately, their love did not last forever, and Roselyn left her abusive husband. Unknowingly, she became involved in felony forgery – a crime that made her subject to deportation. When she applied for citizenship, ...
Violence Against Women Act
ABUSED AND ACCUSED WOMAN GETS THE ULTIMATE REDEMPTION Imagine being broken on the inside by your husband’s constant verbal abuse and then getting a signed confession from him saying that yours was never a real marriage. That’s the hellish nightmare that Evelyn (center) suffered from her former husband. That same confession jeopardized the petition by her current spouse, Glenn (left), ...
Violence Against Women Act
AN ABUSED BRIDE SELF-PETITIONS AND FINDS REDEMPTION AND FREEDOM WITH THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA) Anne was certain she had found her prince charming after her U.S. citizen petitioner filed a fiancé (K-1) visa to get her to the U.S. She had started looking online, getting ideas for her dream wedding. Then, suddenly, her fantasy wedding turned into a ...
Family
A FAMILY PETITION DENIED DUE TO ABANDONMENT WAS SUCCESSFULLY REOPENED, AND A FAMILY WAS REUNITED Elsinore was petitioned by his father in 2001. However, years later, they discovered that his petition was denied due to “abandonment” when the USCIS sent a notice for additional documents to their old address, and they never submitted the documents. The reason the family failed to ...
Child Status Protection Act
A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE THAT INCLUDED RETROGRESSION OF PRIORITY DATES, AGING OUT, AND HIS FATHER SUCCUMBING TO CANCER JUST BEFORE VISA ISSUANCE! In July 2007, Raffy’s mother adjusted status in the U.S., hoping to immediately bring her husband and son, Raffy (left) to the U.S. from the Philippines. However, her priority date retrogressed (moved backwards), and the wait stretched for years ...
Caregiver Green Cards
CAREGIVERS OVERCOME FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY, AFTER SIX ICE AGENTS KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR After they were offered jobs as caregivers, Danilo (left) and Millet (center) took a big gamble when they decided to stay in the U.S. to pursue their American dream. It was not easy, especially after their hard-earned money was lost to a lawyer who hardly did anything ...
Adoption
ABANDONED BY HER BIRTH PARENTS, NIKKA WAS ALMOST LEFT BEHIND WHEN USCIS CHALLENGED HER ADOPTIVE PARENT’S ELIGIBILITY TO PETITION HER Lilia (right) and her husband Peter filed a petition to adopt Nikka (left) when the child was 12 years old. The adoption decree was issued six (6) days before Nikka turned 16 years old, and the certificate of finality came ...
Adjustment of Status for a Green Card
HER “AMERICAN DREAM” SHATTERED WHEN HER CASE WAS DENIED AND HER TWO PRIOR ATTORNEYS TOLD HER THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO JUST “HIDE.” Mariel (left) was devastated when her adjustment of status was denied after USCIS concluded she was out of status. Distraught and lost, especially after her first two lawyers’ only advice was to “hide,” Mariel decided to consult ...
