Just wondering if you're willing to share your experience here from US Embassy Manila to legalizing your stay,TNT,or how others are coping in living here in the US.We hope you can minimize posting in Filipino so others can browse on and learn from our experiences.Let's try kahit mali mali ang Inglis OK?
Now let's roll? Sinong mauna...

IF everybody will start his native language post then, you will not get many answers and many others will not be benifited to read. try to keep in english ..be little generous.

I'm a TNT living here in New York. I've been one for almost 10 years now. I don't have a boyfriend so I couldn't even file for a petition under the 245(i) amnesty. I'm hoping though it gets extended the first quarter of this year. (Pero wala pa rin akong boyfriend).
Any suggestions on how to legalize myself?

TNT,
I feel for you. You know what? you don't need to have a boyfriend just to avail the 245(i) provision. You need to find an employer who is willing to sponsor you in case they will approved the extension of the provision. Start looking now because I heard from the grapevine that the President and the Senate are willilng to support the extension of 245(i). Good Luck to you!

Hello! I'm a permanent resident, and I am an Immigration Paralegal. If there's any Pinoys out there that needs help, e-mail me at: joy.javier@justice.com yun lang!

Hi to all Kabayans,

My name is Bugsy a regular here in the forum and have nothing to do with bugzy though we could be friends.
As for my case, I'm a LPR and hopefully a dual citizen of both US & RP.

Thanks for the reply. I actually have an employer lined up but I don't know how to break it to them that I'm a tnt. Also, the prospect of being employed by them is probably by next month. Eh what if it (245(i)) hasn't been extended? I'm willing to pay for the legal fees na nga so I truly don't impose on them. But I can't ask them to sponsor me unless 245i is extended, right?

The only recourse you have is to marry a USC as there is no foreseeable remedy under 245(i) and this 245(i)might take time especially in your case.Your prospective employer can
file H1B with no problem to INS, if you had filed for 245(i) on or before April 30,2001 and obviously you were here before
December 21,2000.Try again, who knows you might end up becoming like J. Lo ;).

Hi bugzy,

Where is your office located ? any phone number so we can refer TNTs to you,magkanong commission :)

bugzy, what are my chances pa? I want to tell this prospective employer about my situation but they can't sponsor me unless 245i is extended, diba? so do i really have to end up marrying a USC? eh wala nga akong boyfriend! pano na 'yan!!!

yOU ARE OUT OF STATUS, you worked without permit, no way you can qualify for an H-1B VISA.

The only and only possible way at this time is to marry a usc, that is if you originally enter with inspection, otherwise, you remain a TNT. Sorry for you.

iF WE will wait for 245i to come to life again, you are as if shoting for the moon. The country is grearing for war and the last election was just 3 months past, you can not expect the politicians start politicking again.

Hello Pinoy and Pinay Friends,
Im USC Pinoy. My problem is that my Fiancee was frauded by an agency in the philippines and gave her a fake Visa. She was able to leave the country and was caught at the port of entry and was returned back to the philippines through expedited removal and was barred for 5 years. She did not know that the Visa was fake until she arrived at the port of Entry. I petitioned her and was Denied and Was required an I-601 Waiver(forgiveness). This waiver is very difficult to get approved and I am in search of a good lawyer that would help us Guide through our problems.

I heard that Atty. Gurfinkel is the Atty of last hope. I've been dealing with another Atty. but she is just one of those lawyers that does not care about their clients. Any thoughts on Gurfinkel? Has anyone dealt with him in the past?

Any response will be greatly appreciated.

Gurfinkel brags about the same case as your GF had as he had handled similar case before and was able to work it out.He is very very expensive.Since he has Makati office, i suppose he sends representative to work about your GF's case.I read somewhere that it is only at US embassy Manila where you can bring a lawyer to help you on your pending case/petition.

First off, I did enter the country legally. I have my passport and I-94 from when I entered the US.

As for your advise and your comments, Thanks for your vote of confidence. Your attitude is so common of some Pinoys who have been able to get their permanent residency or green card already. A very indifferent attitude towards us tnt's. Instead of saying "I hope you find a way out of this, etc., etc.", you've already shot me down by saying that 245(i) is but a dream because of the possible war with Iraq.

I am located in Tennesee. Please mail me directly if you have any questions. I go on th board once in a while lang. TNT your best bet is to get married. You said that you don't have a boyfriend, I won't worry, you've gone on for ten years as it is, maybe he's just around the corner???

Plese give me your e-mail add and I will mail you :-)

I just want to help, maybe I did not say it the right way; I want you to face the reality; that 245i was the product of a liberal administration Clinton); we are now govern by a conservative and a somewhat anti-immigrant administration as a consequence of 9/11 catastrophy and that was the reason I said 245i is a long shot.

Don't you worry, as Bugzy said, he may be just around the corner, lahat ay may katapat. kaunting exposure lang may be ang kailangan.

To Angel, I am from Los Angeles, Yes, Gurfingkel is very expensive, try Aquino & Aquino Law Offices, Pinoy na Pinoy iyan, his phone is 626-339-1424.

I appreciate your response. Yes, your response came off the wrong way. But now I understand what you're trying to say.

Siguro nga, dadating din si Mr. Right soon - well, sana! Thanks for you advice.

Thanks for your kind reply although my question was not fully answered. I agree that he's very expensive...its true that you get what you pay for right? You noted that he brags about those cases he won...doesn't it deserve that kind of bragging if you know that he candle such cases. He notes on his website that he is the atty of last hope...is there any truth to that? I ready many cases he handled and mostly are almost impossible to win but he does win. In my Fiancee's case, our worst case scenario is to wait out the ban which is 5 years and its already been 1 1/2 year passed therefore we only need to wait 3 1/2 years. Pero we want to be together as soon as possible kaya we want to try what Gurfinkel can offer us and all I want is if anyone agrees that he's good.

It is all up to you as i do not know of any other lawyer who has extensive experience with US embassy Manila than Gurfinkel.I have not hired any lawyer in my case.
He must be good otherwise he won't be charging that much.There are other immigration lawyers i read in the Fil-Am papers but it's all up to you to hire or wait for 3.5 more years.