Bridgeway Immigration Consultancy

Friday, June 2, 2017

Pregnant Travel:What you need to know!

So you are pregnant and want to travel?

Getting travel visa if you are pregnant

While you may not plan on giving birth while traveling, you need to keep some things in mind, especially when doing your interview with the admitting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer for travel to the USA.

Is this your goal?

Although there are no specific regulations prohibiting pregnant foreign nationals from entering the U.S., entry is allowed or denied at the discretion of the admitting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer.

If the interviewer thinks Citizenship is your only goal, expect the tourist visa to be denied. If your due date is before your planned return date, expect the tourist visa to be denied. If you say your due date is beyond your travel return, yet your baby bump looks like a watermelon in your belly, expect the Visa to be denied.

So can you tell the truth that you want to go to USA to give birth, and get that approved? Yes, you can, here are some reasons that might justify that.

You may get approved even if you are near term if:

Your spouse is a USA Citizen;
You want to use USA Doctor or Hospital for medical reasons;
You want to use USA Doctor or Hospital for personal or family reasons;
You can afford (including insurance) to get the medical procedures done in the USA;
Bottom line as long as you have a better reason that JUST USA Citizenship, you may be approved.

Also, Medical Tourism to the Philippines is common, but there is no advertised Medical Tourism to the USA so don't try to use that as a reason.

Best of luck, but to be safe consult and immigration attorney.

Ryan Barshop

http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Guam for Quickie Divorce for Marriages in the Philippines?

The facts about getting a divorce in Guam.

So your marriage in the Philippines has broken down and is beyond the point of reconciliation. Not wanting to go through the complex and expensive annulment process to dissolve a marriage in the Philippines, you decide to look east towards the tiny United States Federal Territory of Guam for a divorce and you think that this should be easy.

But is it really that easy?

The simple fact that under current Guam law, an uncontested divorce may be granted if both parties are in agreement to the terms of the divorce and at least one spouse visits Guam for a minimum of 7 days prior to filing the petition. Spending at least 7 days on the island stay satisfies the residency requirement for an uncontested divorce.

So you may think you just take a week’s vacation, file some papers and poof you are divorced?

Well it is easy but not that easy, consider...

There is no such thing on Guam as a "non-resident divorce". However, under current Guam law, an uncontested divorce may be granted if both parties are in agreement to the terms of the divorce and at least one spouse visits Guam for a minimum of 7 days prior to filing the petition. The 7-day stay satisfies the residency requirement for an uncontested divorce. If either spouse does not agree to any terms, including child custody or property settlement, the petitioner must file for a contested divorce and must meet a 90 day residency requirement as well as provide reasonable notification to the off-island spouse.

Property and Custody Settlement. If both parties are in agreement, a property settlement and child custodial agreement(notarized) may be attached to the petition and become part of the divorce decree. If the parties have not come to agreement on division of property or custody of the children, but still desire an immediate divorce, a divorce may be granted leaving contested property, custody and child support issues for another court having jurisdiction over the children and or property.

Off-Island Spouse. An individual who has satisfied the residency requirements discussed above who desires to divorce a spouse who is not living on Guam, must give the spouse timely notice in the form of a Petition for Divorce. The spouse may consent to the divorce or may contest the petition by either appearing in person or by retaining a Guam attorney to appear for him/her in court. Should the spouse not respond within 30 days of the petition, the court may grant the divorce in their absence. The best way is to give ample notice and get an affidavit stating the Off-Island Spouse is not contesting the divorce or Property or Custody Settlement.

You may also be wondering that if your divorce is finalized on Guam, will it be recognized throughout the United States and of course, the rest of the world (minus the Philippines were divorce is not recognized. The answer is also yes because of the notion of full faith and credit. Under Article IV, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, it specifically states that:

This means that a divorce validly entered into in one state or jurisdiction shall be recognized by all other jurisdictions.

As with most legal matters, this information is provided for information purposes only and should NOT be considered legal advice. Please consult a reputable attorney to address your particular situation.

Ryan Barshop

http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Friday, May 19, 2017

Immigration and Filipino Divorce!

There are many myths and falsehoods you need to be aware of.

Here is a scenario - A USA Army Officer comes to the Philippines, meets a beautiful Filipina, and they legally marry in the Philippines. Following marriage, he applies for a spousal visa for her and they move to the USA. After 20 years of marriage, they decide to divorce while living in the United States. At the time of divorce, she was still a citizen of the Philippines having not ever naturalized as a US citizen.

The following are common questions about this couple’s scenario and the common Answers (right, wrong or myth):

Their USA divorce is invalid because she is Filipina and the Philippines does not allow divorce, her only option is annulment.
Their divorce is valid only in the USA.
She can never remarry in the Philippines.
If they have children, they will always have the same legal rights whether their parents divorce in the USA or not.

Now the TRUTH

Because at the time of divorce, one of the parties was not a Philippines citizen, the divorce is valid even in the Philippines. However, because the wife was still a Philippines citizen at the time of the divorce, if she wants to remarry in the Philippines she must seek a Judicial Recognition of Foreign Judgment
When is the judicial recognition of foreign judgment/ divorce decree applicable? It is applicable when one of the parties to the marriage is a foreigner; and, the foreigner obtains a valid divorce/ nullity of marriage in his/her country.
The divorce and all associated separation agreements including property and child rights are valid.
She may remarry if she gets an annulment or a Judicial Recognition of Foreign Judgement.
Myth, Parental rights may apply in certain conditions, but only when the two parties do not agree in writing during the divorce.

Ryan Barshop
http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Friday, May 12, 2017

Visa Denied What's Next?

So you applied for a tourist Visa to the USA for your spouse, paid the fee, filled out the application and did the interview. Then you are told the Visa application was denied. Most likely cause is the interviewer determined there was insufficient reasons to determine the applicant would return to the Philippines.

What do you do now?

Contact an Immigration Attorney - They can review your application and analyze your interview and assist you in providing truthful and credible justification of the ties that were missed the first time
Re-apply - Yes fill out a new application and pay your fee. There is no limitation on when, but your immigration attorney should help you, to avoid possible mistakes in the first application and interview preparation.
Prepare for the interview - do NOT think you need to embellish or exaggerate. It may or may not be the same person to interview you, and the danger is that they may get suspicious if your story is radically different. Remember this is subjective so your job is to provide additional ties you may have missed the first time. Check the list of well known ties interviews are looking for.

The ties that bind

Business Ties - do you run a business, have employees or have operational control over some part of an ongoing business where your return is necessary?
Family Ties - do you have family members here that need you? Children alone may not be enough but dependents are a factor. Remember it is subjective and therefore it is the total impression.
Home Ties - Are you an active member of the community or church? These ties may be the most influential but they also may not have come up in the first interview when asked,"Why do you think you will return?"
Political Ties - Are you active in politics at any level? You may not want to tell others how active you are, you may not want it public. But if you are, that may be something you share with the interviewer.

Remember the interview is subjective, it is your job to convince the interviewer. Clearly if you did the first application on your own, this time do it better with the assistance of an Immigration Attorney!

Good luck!

Ryan Barshop
http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Getting Married to an American citizen on a Tourist Visa: Know the risks

If you are applying for a US tourist visa for purposes of marriage to an American citizen in the United States during your brief stay in the country and hope fast track your legal status from tourist/ visitor to immigrant, then you must think twice before doing it.

While love does move “in mysterious ways”, proving the validity of a whirlwind marriage to the probing eyes of United States Department of State can be extremely difficult and may hold unfavorable and devastating consequences to you and your fiancé/ fiancée.

Similarly, if your intention to obtain a tourist/ visitor visa is to marry an American citizen in the United States with the promise of coming back after your limited stay expires, that may still not guarantee you an approval from the US Embassy.

What are the risks?

Although you may reason that true love is the ultimate cause of your whirlwind marriage to your American citizen fiancé/fiancée, the Embassy is not easily get convinced that you are telling the truth. Due to the number of cases of visa fraud involving non-immigrants using their US tourist visas to hasten the process of applying for permanent residence by marriage to their American citizen lovers during their brief stay in the United States as tourists, your case, more than likely, will be an item for investigation.

Once the Embassy conducts a field investigation and you fail to prove that your intention to get married is not to hasten the process of obtaining immigrant status by immediately applying for permanent residence after the marriage, allowing you to have a reason to extend your stay in the United States, then you may face fraud charges and possibly be banned from entering the United States. Your US citizen fiance at the same time may be subjected to criminal prosecution if it is proven that he/ she took part in assisting with fraud.

What is the better option?

Because nothing is impossible, coming to the United States on a tourist visa and meeting someone who is an American citizen and marrying that someone during the tourist visa holder’s brief stay can happen. It can even be a viable reason for the tourist to adjust their status from a visitor to permanent residency after the marriage but the potential risks of proving that the couple’s intentions are pure and not fraudulent can still be a looming possibility.

There are many other ways to get married and obtain immigrant status in the United States but they have certain requirements that involve a lengthier process. Sometimes, for various reasons ranging from poor health to financial constraints, applicants trying to get to the United States on a permanent basis through marriage find ways to shorten the process by resorting to illegal and fraudulent means such as using a tourist visa instead of properly applying for a K1 or Fiancé/ Fiancée Visa.

What’s the difference between a tourist/ visitor visa and a K1 visa?

There are two kinds of visitor visas, a "nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence".

A tourist/ visitor visa is obtained by people who want to stay in the United States on a temporary basis.

Technically, a tourist visa falls under three categories.

The B-1 tourist visa is obtained for business purposes. The B-2 tourist visa is obtained for pleasure such as tourism, vacations or for visiting purposes. The B-1/B-2 tourist visa is a combination of both.

According to the US Department of State, obtaining permanent residence is not allowed on visitor visas.

To find out what are permitted and not permitted on visitor visas, here.

On the other hand, K-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows the applicant to get married with his or her American citizen fiancé/ fiancée for a limited time in the United States. This type of visa allows the applicant to obtain permanent residence after the marriage ceremony has taken place and the proper application for permanent residence had been filed.

To get more information about K-1 visa, you may visit the USCIS website or click here.

I want to know more about my options, who can I contact?

Consulting a licensed immigration attorney is the best option if you want to know more about getting married in the United States with your American citizen fiancé/ fiancée without fear of facing potential legal risks and consequences.

Ryan Barshop
http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Friday, May 5, 2017

How Difficult is it for a US Citizen to bring his/her Filipino/Filipina Partner/Spouse to the United States for a Visit?

How Difficult to Bring Partner in US for Visit

Easy if you know the ins and outs!

The common misconception is that all it takes is money in the bank. That is a factor, but not the only factor.

The key to focus on is the US Embassy's determination if the visa applicant has established "sufficient ties." This a broadly defined term and it eventually boils down to whether the interview American consular officer is convinced that the Filipino visa applicant will come back upon the conclusion of their trip.

If the "ties" are substantial like the following you are more likely to be approved:
- The Filipino/Filipina has an ongoing business here;
- Membership in Philippine Organizations such as Church or Charities;
- Children in Philippine Private School
- Any subjective factor in the eyes of the interviewer.

The following may NOT be viewed as sufficient "ties"
- Just having children, especially teens;
- Bank Accounts;
- Jobs, especially if the Philippine Job is not unique to the Philippines
- Land or other fixed assets as they can always be sold;
- Here too if in the opinion of the interviewer there are insufficient ties.

This is not intended to hassle anybody, so getting up tight or irritated is not going to be helpful.

Be prepared but not scared. Be honest and cooperative. Any sense of evasion may mean a denial of the Visa.

If you are turned down there is a waiting period to reapply. If they judge there was deception the denial may carry additional restrictions. We will talk about the appeal and reapply process in future blogs.

How to Apply

Pay the visa application fee.

Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.

Schedule your appointment on the web page at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-typeb1b2.asp

You will need three pieces of information in order to schedule your appointment:
- Your passport number
- Your MRV fee payment receipt number
- The ten (10) digit barcode number from your DS-160 confirmation page
Visit the U.S. Embassy/Consulate on the date and time of your visa interview.

Keep Cool but don't freeze. Enjoy your trip!
If you need help or run into problems don't hesitate to call me.

Ryan Barshop
http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog

Friday, April 28, 2017

Oh My God my passport is REVOKED!

What do I do now?

So you just got the news that your passport has been revoked. It may be due to Back Taxes, Unpaid Child Support, or a Warrant for your arrest. It may be unexpected or it may be something you have feared. Nonetheless, you must deal with it or you cannot travel in the best case or be detained in the worst case.

What do you do now?

Without question, the best thing you can do is retain the services of an Immigration Attorney! This may not be apparent, after all you are not immigrating. But here are the reasons:

Reasons to retain an Immigration Attorney:

He knows your Rights.
- By federal statute, the Secretary of State may issue a U.S. passport only to United States citizens and nationals.
- Every United States citizen is entitled to a U.S. passport provided that they, or an adult acting on a child’s behalf, comply with all applicable requirements, and that there is no statutory or regulatory reason to deny the passport.
- A U.S. passport is issued to each eligible applicant.
- Children may acquire the citizenship of a non-U.S. citizen parent and potentially have a passport from both the U.S. and the country of the non-U.S. citizen parent’s citizenship at the same time.
- U.S. passport books and U.S. passport cards for adults are valid for 10 years.
- U.S. passport books or U.S. passport cards for minors under age 16 are valid for 5 years.
- You may apply for a U.S. passport within the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. Within the United States passport applications may be submitted at passport agencies or at more than 9,400 designated local applications acceptance facilities nationwide.
- All minors and most passport applicants (when submitting Form DS-11) must appear in person.
- A U.S. passport book or U.S. passport card is now required to return to the United States from Western Hemisphere countries. Learn more about on WHTI Travel requirements.

He knows the applicable Passport Laws of the USA.
- 22 U.S.C. sec. 212; Passports
- 22 U.S.C. sec. 211a; Passports
- 8 U.S.C. § 1185
- 22 CFR 51.7 - Passport property of the U.S. Government.
- 22 U.S.C. § 2705
- Many More!!!

He knows his way around the Embassy and likely the very officials you must work with.
- Who can you trust to connect you with the proper people? The Security Desk at the Embassy or an Immigration Attorney that has represented hundreds of people in your situation, who, where, how to best represent your rights and needs?

He can represent you to a U.S. Attorney.
- If you need representation in the USA, an Immigration Attorney will have professional relationships with many corresponding attorney’s in the USA, this alone could save you a lot of effort and ensure you get the right qualifications.

Save time and money by retaining someone that can help you best.
- Just knowing what you need to do will save you many hours of anguish.
- Knowing who you should talk to will save you many hours of trying to get answers to your questions.
- Having a network of qualified Attorneys will save you many hours and potentially many dollars in the search for the best suited experts in your situation.

Bottom Line - There is an old saying, “There is nothing more expensive than the cheapest.” This simply could not be more true when it comes to legal representation. Yes it will be cheaper if you do it yourself...cheaper in cash outflow, but much more expensive in your time and the errors you might make. What is your time worth? What are you risking by doing it yourself, what about the mistakes you might make that make things worse? Another old saying, "Pay me now or pay me later." The money you think you might save in doing it yourself could end up being just added expense to fix what you make worse, perhaps much worse on your own.

Let me help you save time and money,
Ryan Barshop
http://bridgewayimmigration.com/blog