11In a policy that honors the thousands of Filipinos who bravely enlisted to fight for the United States in World War II, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS ) has announced that they will allow entry to those family members who are still waiting for their visa numbers to come current. With the exception of immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens, the number of family-sponsored immigrant visas available by country of origin in any given year is limited by statute, resulting in sometimes decades long waits for family members in the Philippines. USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez states, “This Policy will allow certain Filipino American family members awaiting immigrant visa issuance to come to the United States to be with their loved ones. For many, it will also allow them to provide support and care for elderly veterans or their surviving spouses.”
Additional information about the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program—including guidance on eligibility, the application process and where to file—is available in the revised Form I-131 instructions and athttps://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/05/09/2016-10750/filipino-world-war-ii-veterans-parole-policy
The USCIS will not accept applications under this policy until June 8, 2016. USCIS strongly encourages eligible individuals interested in requesting parole under the FWVP Program do so within 5 years from June 8, 2016.
Ilana Kramer is Of Counsel with The Federal Practice Group focusing on focusing on immigration matters and complex federal litigation matters. Please note the information in this column is not intended as legal advice nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of any legal matter.
