11/16/2013 Kristine Tungol Cabagnot Headline News "Immigration Relief Available for Filipino Nationals Impacted by Typhoon Haiyan"

Washington, DC–In a memo released on Nov. 15, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds Filipino nationals that those impacted by Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda in the Philippines) may be eligible for certain immigration relief measures upon request. The key word here is “may be eligible,” so it is pertinent to check with either USCIS or a credible immigration lawyer if interested in availing of the following relief measures:

• Change or extension of nonimmigrant status for an individual currently in the United States, even when the request is filed after the authorized period of admission has expired;
• Extension of certain grants of parole made by USCIS;
• Extension of certain grants of advance parole, and expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication and approval, where possible, of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
• Expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs);
• Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications, where appropriate; and
• Assistance to LPRs stranded overseas without immigration or travel documents, such as Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards). USCIS and the Department of State will coordinate on these matters when the LPR is stranded in a place that has no local USCIS office.

Note: “Immediate relatives” as per immigration regulation means the spouse or unmarried child under 21 years of age of a U.S. citizen or LPR; an orphan adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen; an orphan to be adopted in the U.S. by a U.S. citizen; or the parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old.

For more information on USCIS humanitarian programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Source: USCIS Press Release

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