24 Sep 2024 Stuck in the Philippines
Mommy Connie (center) is a green card holder (LPR) but returned to the Philippines in 2017 for a vacation. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, she was unable to return to the U.S. in time. The COVID-19 pandemic and an expired green card made it even more difficult to return at once. She had also petitioned her daughters, and those petitions could be in jeopardy if she “abandoned” her green card by overstaying outside the U.S.
Her daughter, Dianne (left), consulted with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) after she watched an episode on Atty. Gurfinkel’s YouTube channel, U.S. Immigration TV Channel, where he discussed that there was hope for cases where green card holders were stuck in the Philippines due to COVID, and could not return.
With the help of Atty. Gurfinkel, she was able to board her flight to New York and return to the U.S., where she was able to renew her green card and manage to keep the petitions for her other daughters alive.