WELCOME TO PINOYTODAY!
- Current issue May 15,2008
IMMIGRATION
Immigration’s way out by Monica Ganjoo
Visa Bulletin
for June 2008
Question: What is the Visa Bulletin?
Answer: The Visa Bulletin provides us the priority dates for Family Petitions. For example, if you are a United States citizen and you have filed for a green card for your brother, it usually takes 22 years (12 for other countries; 22 for Filipinos) for your brother to be able to come to the United States with a green card. The Visa Bulletin shows you what date the Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Service) is working on. If you filed on April 10, 1993, you have to look at the 4th category of the Visa Bulletin for Philippines, and you will see that CIS is currently working on March 8, 1986. There is a seven year difference between these numbers, which means that the estimated time that your brother will be able to come to the United States with a green card through your petition is more or less seven years.
Q: What is the First preference category?
A: The First preference category applies to children over the age of 21 of United States citizens. These children must be single. For Filipinos, the priority date for the month of June is March 15, 1993
Q: What is the Second (A) preference category?
A: This category belongs to spouses and unmarried, single children under the age of 21 of Legal Permanent Residents. For Filipinos, the priority date for the month of June is July 15, 2003.
Q: What is the Second (B) preference category?
A: This category belongs to children of Legal Permanent Residents that are over 21, but are still single. For Filipinos, the priority date for the month of June is February 22, 1997.
Q: What is the Third preference category?
A: This category belongs to married children of United States citizens. If a child of a United States citizen is under 21 but is married, they will fall under this category. For Filipinos, the priority date for the month of June is April 1, 1991.
Q: What is the Fourth preference category?
A: This category belongs to brothers and sisters of United States citizens. These beneficiaries will be able to bring their spouses and all unmarried children under the age of 21 with them. For Filipinos, the priority date for the month of June is March 8, 1986.
Q: What if I am a Legal Permanent Resident, and I filed a family petition for my daughter two years ago when she was 23, and she just got married?
A: When you filed for your daughter, you filed for her under the Second (B) preference category. If you are still a Legal Permanent Resident at the time your daughter got married, your petition for her will be cancelled. However, if you became a United States citizen before your daughter got married, then your petition for her is still valid, but the preference category will be changed from Second (B) to Third.
Q: What if I filed for my son under the Second (B) category, and then I became a United States citizen? Is it true that it will take my son five years longer to come to the United States only because I became a United States citizen?
A: In the past, this was true. However, under Section 6 of the Child Status Protection Act, you can choose to keep your old priority date. You will have to send a letter to the National Visa Center as well as one to the United States Embassy in Manila stating that you wish to keep your old priority dates. Please take note that both petitioner and beneficiary will have to write these letters and the letters must be notarized.
Q: What if I am a United States citizen and I filed for my sister when she was single, and now she is married?
A: Your sister will be able to come to the United States with her husband, and any child that they will have (as long as the child is single and is under the age of 21 at the time of emigration).
Q: Can I file for my parents if I am a Legal Permanent Resident? What about my siblings?
A: No. If you are a Legal Permanent Resident, you may only apply for spouses and single children. You may not apply for your parents, married children, or siblings.
Q: What is the priority date for a United States citizen filing for parents?
A: There is no priority date for spouses, parents, and single children under the age of 21 of United States citizens. This means that it should take less than a year for these individuals to immigrate to the United States (some cases take longer for various issues).
For more information, call Attorney Monica Ganjoo for a consultation.
Ganjoo Law Offices currently offer a consultation with Attorney Monica Ganjoo for only $50. The Staff of Ganjoo Law Offices speak a total of six different languages. For a $50 consultation with Monica Ganjoo, call one of her offices below:
870 Market Street, Suite 340
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 495-3710
111 W. Saint John Street, Suite 513
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 975-0500
672 W. 11th Street, Suite 208
Tracy, CA 95376
(408) 975-0500 (by appointment only)
Immigrant’s story by Jojo Liangco
“ESP-ESI”
Ano ba ang pumapasok sa isip ninyo tuwing naririnig ang salitang “ESP?” Di ba ang karaniwang naiisip ninyo ay “Extra-Sensory Perception?” Kung baga, ang taong sinasabing may ESP ay kinikilalang may kakaibang kakayahan. Hindi lamang na ito ay may angking “limang senses” sa katawan— panlasa, pandinig, pandamdam, pangkita, at pang-amoy— kundi mayroon pa siyang pang-anim o ang tinatawag na “sixth sense” sa wikang Ingles.
Pero hindi tungkol sa ESP o sixth sense ang “ESP-ESI.” Bagamat ito ay masasabing isa ring common sense. Ang bagong pagkahulugan ko sa ESP-ESI ay “Entrepreneurial-Spirited Pinoy” at “Entrepreneurial-Spirited Immigrants.”
Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng salitang “entrepreneurial?” Wala tayong katumbas na salita sa Pilipino patungkol sa “entrepreneurial” o “entrepreneur.” Sa Ingles, ang entrepreneur ay isang tao “who has possession over a new enterprise or venture and assumes full accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.” Sa maikling salita, ang isang entrepreneur ay isang tao “who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.”
Habang ang “entrepreneurial” ay isang kalidad ng tao, kung saan siya ay “willing to take risks in order to make a profit” o nakahandang makipagsapalaran para kumita, tumubo o makagawa ng ganansiya.
Malayo ang naaabot ng taong sinasabing“enterprising” dahil ito ay “marked by imagination, initiative, and readiness to undertake new projects.” May kalikutan ang pag-iisip, may inisyatiba at kusang-loob, at higit sa lahat, nakahanda siyang humarap o humawak ng bagong proyekto.
Sa Spanish, ang katumbas ng entrepreneur ay “empresario” na higit na katumbas naman sa English ay salitang “impresario”— “one who sponsors or produces entertainment, especially the director of an opera company.” Maari isa itong manager o prodyuser.
Pero ang tinutukoy natin sa salitang entrepreneur ay may kaugnayan sa business, negosyo at komersyo (“negocio” o “comercio” sa Spanish). Ang business ay ang “activity of providing goods and services involving financial, commercial, and industrial aspects.”
Ang salitang pinagmulan naman ng “business” ay kaugnay sa kalagayan ng pagiging abala o “the state of being busy either as an individual or society as a whole, doing commercially viable and profitable work.” Kung baga ang “business” ay busy-ness, kalagayang may pinagkakaabalahan o pinagpapaguran.
Sa ating bayang Pilipinas, ang mga taong kadalasang nilalarawan sa pagiging “busy” ay ang mga taong nagbabanat-ng-buto, anak-pawis, trabahador (mula salitang trabaho), magsasaka at manggagawa. Gayun pa man, kapag nababanggit ang mga negosyante, businessman o businesswoman, mangangalakal at komersyante, madalas hindi nailalarawan ang pagiging “busy” nila, at kung sakaling tinutukoy na busy rin naman ang mga ito, ang paglalarawan ay nauugnay sa ginagawang pagpapayaman, pamumuhunan, pangangapital, pagpapautang at pagbibilang ng pera.
Ang kulang sa salita kaugnay sa busy sa paggawa at sa business pero matingkad na kalidad sa entrepreneur ay ang pag-a-assume ng “full accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.” Sa ating sariling wika, ito ay ang pakikipagsapalaran at pagbabakasali, at pagharap sa hamon ng panahon o ng bagong kapaligiran. Hindi ito lamang kuntento o isang taong “sigurodista” kung matatawag. Hindi tinitignan ng entrepreneur ang mga bagay-bagay bilang tapos, ganap at yari na.
Sa ibang paglalarawan sa entrepreneur, ito ay isang tao “who, rather than working as an employee, runs a small business and assumes all the risk and reward of a given business venture, idea, or good or service offered for sale. The entrepreneur is commonly seen as a business leader and innovator of new ideas and business processes.”
Sa paggamit ko ng salitang “Entrepreneurial-Spirited” ay ang pagkakaroon ng diwa at kaluluwa, pananaw at galaw, tindig at sigasig sa pagiging isang entrepreneur sa kabuuang pagkakahulugan nito. Ito ang sa aking palagay ang kailangan nating mga Pilipino sa Pilipinas at maging sa labas ng bansa (gaya ng sa Amerika) sa kasalukuyan at sa darating pang panahon.
Bakit ko itinataguyod ang ESP-ESI?
Sa aking palagay ang kinakailangan ng ating bayang Pilipinas at ng ating lahing Pilipino ay ang malaking pagbabago. Kaakibat ng pagbabago ay ang pagkakaroon ng panibagong pananaw, mabuting values formation at pagpapalit kung nararapat ng mga nakagisnan nating “cultural mindset.”
Gawin nating halimbawa ang salitang “OFW” o “Overseas Filipino Workers.” Marami sa mga Pilipinong lumalabas sa bansa ay nagtra-trabaho sa ibang bansa para makapagpadala sila ng pera sa kanilang pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay na iniwan sa Pilipinas. Sa kalagayang sinasabing walang oportunidad at pag-unlad ng buhay sa Pilipinas, at mabagal na pag-usad ng ekonomiya doon, ang mga dollar remittances galing abroad ang tinatanghal na malaking biyaya para maging “afloat” ang kabuhayan ng bansa. Halos nasa 11% ang share ng mga remittances sa total income o kabuuang kita ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas. Dahil sa mahalagang ambag ng mga OFWs sa ekonomiya ng bansa, binibigyan ng ng gobyerno ng “pampalubag-loob” at “pagtataas-ng-bangko” ang mga OFWs bilang mga “bagong bayani.”
Ano ang kailangang baguhin sa kulturang OFW? Una, sa aking palagay hindi solusyon ang pag-a-abroad, o pag-e-export ng manggagawa, para mapaunlad ang kabuhayan ng mga tao at ekonomiya ng isang bansa. Marami pang mga bagay na magagawa at mababago sa ekonomiya para masugpo ang kahirapan at mapaunlad ang kabuhayan ng bawat mamamayan.
Ang pangalawa, bagama’t kalakhan ng mga Pilipinong nag-a-abroad ay nakikipagsapalaran sa bansang kinalalagyan nila, kinakailangan ay hindi lamang pakikipagsapalaran sa buhay kundi ang pakikipagsapalaran sa larangan ng pagiging isang entrepreneur at ang pagtataguyod ng entrepreneurial spirit ang ma-champion nila.
Sa aking palagay, hindi na lamang tayo dapat makuntento na mamasukan o maging empleyado at trabahador sa bagong bansa— nararapat din tayong magpunyagi para maging entrepreneur at magkaroon ng entrepreneurial spirit katulad sa karanasan ng mga Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese at Koreans. Kinakailangan sa ating hanay ng mga imigrante o dayong Filipino ang makipaglaro sa larangan ng small at medium business sa bagong bansa. Kinakailangan nating mag-build-up ng hanay ng mga negosyante, komersyante, at entrepreneurs— na kasama sa maraming empleyado, namamasukan at trabahador sa ibang bansa— kung saan ang oportunidad ng capital formation, wealth creation at kapitalismo ay mahusay.
Ang pangatlo, ang pagiging entrepreneur at pagkakaroon ng entrepreneurial spirit ay hindi lamang malilimita sa mga imigrante sa labas ng bansang Pilipinas, kundi kailangan din ang pagtataguyod nito sa Pilipinas mismo, kabilang na rito ang mga “OFI” o mga “Overseas Filipino Investors.” Marami sa mga Pilipinong nakipagsapalaran sa labas na bansa ay may nai-ipong kapital na maaaring gawing puhunan para sa negosyong magpapalago ng kabuhayan sa marami sa Pilipinas.
Ang pang-apat, kinakailangan ding iwasan at iwaksi ang nagiging “pala-asa” at “dependent” ng mga taong tumatanggap ng mga remittances mula sa mga OFWs o mga Pilipinong nasa labas ng bansa. Nagiging baluktot ang kanilang values, maging ang kanilang work ethic, discipline at nawawala ang kanilang “perspective in life.” Nagiging alipin sila ng consumerism (bili dito, bili doon). Kinakailangang bigyan ng inspirasyon ang mga kababayan nating tumatamasa ng katas ng mga Overseas Filipinos na i-develop nila ang kanilang entrepreneurial spirit.
Ang panawagan ko ay maitaguyod natin ang “Bagong Pinoy” at “Bagong Imigrante.” Ito ang Entrepreneurial-Spirited Pinoy at Entrepreneurial-Spirited Immigrants o ESP-ESI.
Hanggang sa susunod na linggo po!
Si Jojo Liangco ay isang abogado sa tanggapan ng Law Offices of Amancio M. Liangco Jr. sa San Francisco, California. Ang kanyang praktis ay hinggil sa mga kaso sa linya ng immigration, family law, personal injury, business law, DUI cases, at traffic court cases. Ipadala ang inyong mga komentaryo kay Jojo Liangco, c/o Law Offices of Amancio “Jojo” Liangco, 605 Market Street, Suite 605, San Francisco, CA 94105 o tumawag sa telepono (415) 974-5336.
Immigration Today by Glenn Rose, ESQ
Immigration
patterns are changing
Patterns of immigration to the United States are changing. Most immigrants coming to the United States in the last 30 years are coming from Latin American and Asia. This pattern is in contrast to past migrations to the U.S. Prior to 1968, most immigrants came from Europe due to severe economic conditions in Europe during the early 20th century, and population dislocation in the aftermath of World War II. Prior to 1968, immigration policy strongly discriminated against admitting immigrants from Asia. In addition, relatively few people from Latin America immigrated to the U.S. Policy regarding Mexican workers was more benign because the U.S. Government allowed Mexican’s to work in the U.S. and then go back home during the winter. Non-immigrant workers were welcome, and were allowed to come each year into the country to work in the agricultural industry. The American public has always been somewhat ambivalent regarding immigrants. Some people have always been against new immigrants coming into the country, although most of them are descendants of immigrants who arrived in America in the 19th century. Others welcome new immigrants.
There has historically been anti-immigrant sentiment aimed at Asians since 1870.This began with the Chinese exclusion acts passed by Congress in the late eighteen hundreds. Single Chinese men were allowed to come to the U.S. to work, however they were not allowed to bring wives to the new country or allowed to marry. The pattern of discrimination against Asians (in general) continued until 1968 when Congress abolished immigration restrictions aimed specifically at Asians. Specifically, the McCarran Act from the 1950s was modified. It made immigration from the Philippines extremely difficult because of a very low quota each year regarding the number of Filipinos who were allowed to immigrate. Also, during the 1970s and 1980s, Central American countries were in revolutionary turmoil causing many refugees to enter the U.S. In 1986, Congress passed an amnesty law that allowed undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. to become permanent residents. However, the law also made it more difficult for immigrants to come and go as laborers. In the last 20 years, Mexican workers (looking to make a living) have tended to bring their families to the U.S. and stay, since U.S. law made it much more difficult for them to work for part of the year and then go back home each year. This pattern is also seen in the Filipino community because of economic conditions in the Philippines.
The result is that these days most immigrants are from Asia or from Latin America. As in the past, the American public is rather ambivalent because there is a need for foreign workers in the U.S. who will do jobs American’s generally don’t want to do. The anti-immigrant people try to present stereotypes about immigrants that are not true. They say that immigrants do not assimilate into the American culture. However, studies prove that immigrants quickly adapt to U.S. culture, and 2nd generation Americans (children of immigrants) leave the old culture behind and become truly American. This past historical pattern was true in the 19th and early 20th century, and is still true today. U.S. immigration policy should allow the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to adjust to some sort of lawful status because it will be to the advantage of America.
Immigrant’s helpline by Atty. Crispin Lozano
Can Fraudulent
Entry as Single but Actually Married be Waived?
Question: What type of immigration violation is committed if the person applied for a visa as single but actually married?
Answer: The person committed a fraud or misrepresentation of material fact in obtaining a visa. This person is inadmissible and deportable if already in the United States.
Q: What will happen to the person who entered as single but actually married if he or she remarries the same spouse and file a petition for her or him and their children?
A: The U.S. Department of State usually investigates this type of cases. Once they have proof that the person is already married but entered as single, they will deny the petition for the spouse and children and send the file to the USCIS for issuance of Notice to Appear to the petitioner. This notice will place the petitioner in removal proceedings for the misrepresentation in obtaining a visa.
Q: What is the relief available to the petitioner in the above case?
A: The petitioner may request the immigration court for a waiver.
Q: Who qualifies for this type of waiver?
A: To avail of this waiver the applicant must be:
1. The spouse or son or daughter of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
2. She or he was in possession of an immigrant visa or equivalent document at the time of entry to the United States.
3. She or he must be otherwise admissible at the time of admission except for the fraud or misrepresentation.
Q: What is the purpose of this waiver?
A: The purpose of this waiver is maintain unity of families by