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My friend of over two decades, living in this country for more than four decades was born in the Philipines, moved with her parents (dad a US miliary service man), is now on the fence of not knowing if she'll be granted permenant citicenship. This is an issue that has come up most often when she would go to renew her driver's license and each time it was at the end of those office visits the issues were supposedly settled with all official papers signed sealed and delivered, last time even offically being grandfathered in when she moved to a new state and had to renew her license because her naive parents before returning to the states never got her father's signature on the birth certificate. Young love. Her sisters were born here in the US, so they don't have to worry.
Kicker
She is now another eight months, maybe a year, not sure at this point of trying to clear this mess up, once again, while trying to renew her DL, The Immigration office gave her the wrong paperwork, they said the forms were out of date, so she had to refile on their newer forms. She is no longer able to drive after having had two extentions at the DMV, has to rides to work, but that's guite the issue since work starts at five am.
I'm just not understanding how this is ok and yes I know she's not the only one going through this. They made that very clear to her. So at this point, not only can't she drive, she could be deported out of this country someday to a land she knows nothing about other than her mother grew up there.
Unfortunately the information given is nothing concrete.
I guess it was more of a vent as I'd just gotten off the phone with my friend after we both stressed over what more can be done. Even the lawyer told her she just has to wait her turn for the paperwork to be processed, which can take up to a year in the mean time she can no longer drive. The problem with the driving situation is they no longer will renew her driver's license with the copy of the birth certificate she has, which has been used from the day she first applied for her license back when she attended high school in NJ and then used the same birth certificate when she renewed every four or six years of the 15+ years she has resided in FL.
Every time she goes to renew her DL, she gets flagged again to have to also reestablish her citizenship, which as I write this, I see why that doesn't come across as making sense. It was explained to me each time, but now I've forgotten. Anyway, seems immigration, misplaced her file, and she had to refile all the paperwork to prove that shes has the right to citizenship. She was born while her dad was a US military man serving in the Philippines. When her dad married her mother, they never bother to get her dad's signature on her birth certificate, so it's always been an issue when it comes to proving citizenship, but like I said, according to immigration, since when she had to start going to immigration to take care of this and her grandfather was living closest, he was the one that signed the new documents getting her grandfathered in as a citizen (I don't know how that works), and all was told to have been settled, until the next time the Driver's license came up for renewal and the cycle began again.
in the mean time, her mother and grandfather have long since passed away. She's already spent hundreds of dollars on the new paperwork, if this doesn't work, may have to gather the father up and go take blood test and who knows if the matter will be settled even then.
My friend has only known the US as home since she was about two or three years of age she's now in her late 40's, so yes, she is shaken up about this as she knows not what her fate will be. I am shaken up about the matter as well, she is the last of my sisters left (not through birth, just love as we refer to each other as sisters). If she's deported, it will, in a way feel like another death in the family to me.
If you want me to be more specific, please feel free to ask me your questions, I'm not versed in the technical immigration terms that you are probably hoping for, otherwise, this will just have to stand as my version of venting on the matter, since I realize, theres not much help can be offered on the matter unless someone has pull at the immigration office. I'm just totally confused by how complicated they have made this situation for this person, that has spent almost her entire life in this country living with her mother, father, and five sisters whom have all are considered legal citizens, yet she the oldest of her siblings, may get deported at the blink of hat within the next year if all doesn't go according to the paperwork regardless of who is at fault.
My friend of over two decades, living in this country for more than four decades was born in the Philipines, moved with her parents (dad a US miliary service man), is now on the fence of not knowing if she'll be granted permenant citicenship. This is an issue that has come up most often when she would go to renew her driver's license and each time it was at the end of those office visits the issues were supposedly settled with all official papers signed sealed and delivered, last time even offically being grandfathered in when she moved to a new state and had to renew her license because her naive parents before returning to the states never got her father's signature on the birth certificate. Young love. Her sisters were born here in the US, so they don't have to worry.
Kicker
She is now another eight months, maybe a year, not sure at this point of trying to clear this mess up, once again, while trying to renew her DL, The Immigration office gave her the wrong paperwork, they said the forms were out of date, so she had to refile on their newer forms. She is no longer able to drive after having had two extentions at the DMV, has to rides to work, but that's guite the issue since work starts at five am.
I'm just not understanding how this is ok and yes I know she's not the only one going through this. They made that very clear to her. So at this point, not only can't she drive, she could be deported out of this country someday to a land she knows nothing about other than her mother grew up there.
do you know if she has a green card???
fyi my hubby is also filipino born in PI came over when his mum married american step-dad. When his mother naturalized, so did hubby, he was young at the time.
I think at first she didn't need one, but later got one, has since tried to renew it, thus the insuing issues. I will have to ask her when she gets home from work about that process, right now I'm more confused than ever about this. But I do know she followed the proceedures that were required of her from day one, which is why we are perplexed as to why she's in this situation. And yes her parents bear some blame for not realizing their error back when they filed her birth certificate, but that was like 47 years ago while her dad was on active duty and her mom, (though we love her), who knows what she was thinking at the time, she was disowned by her family and didn't have any one to consult.
fyi my hubby is also filipino born in PI came over when his mum married american step-dad. When his mother naturalized, so did hubby, he was young at the time.
And this is what I don't understand, my friend should be naturalized considering her dad is a citizen and her mom became naturalized as his wife, as well. Part of the problem is that darn birth certificate error, but as I mentioned, that was supposed to have been taken care of years ago when she renewed her license in FL, they said all papers were in order and she was grandfathered in since her father wasn't available at that time to sign anything and she was living with her grandfather who went with her to take care of the paper work.
If she did she would be a permanent resident and wouldn't have the problem.
Oh, OK, then it must have been something other than a green card she had, I mean she's been working legally, (we actually met at work in '88,) ever since she was a teenager, so she's had something
Oh, ok, then it must have been something other than a green card she had, I mean she's been working leaglly, (we actually met at work in '88,) ever since she was a teenager, so she's had something
so she does have a GC?? then why hasn't she applied for citizenship 5 years from having a GC? I mean i know it's expensive but still
so she does have a GC?? then why hasn't she applied for citizenship 5 years from having a GC? I mean i know it's expensive but still
She had been told she was grandfathered in as a citizen, gave the paperwork numbers to the immigration officers, but they seem to have lost her official documents and it is now on her to re do the filing for the third or fourth time which is what she has recently done. But remember, I also said, she filed the paperwork over 8 months ago and they said she sent them outdated forms, which she downloaded from their website. She went into the office this time to get the supposedly updated forms and sent those in months ago and has been told she will now have to wait for up to a year before knowing the outcome because they are back logged with cases.
She needs the citizenship/greencard to get the drivers license, she's been at this job for at least 7 years, has to be there 5am, it's not around the corner, not in walking distance buses don't start anywhere near the time she needs to be to work, other employees relied on her for rides, but aren't coming through in time of need, her supervisor says he will do what he can to help get her there for now, but who knows how long that will pan out. I'm hoping at some point their will be an opeining in the company for a different shift. She is one of their most diligent employees and the kindest person you'd ever want to know. You won't find a person that knows her that would say she doesn't have a heart of gold. Not a mean bone in her body, execept for sending my those mother's day chocolates when she know's I'm trying to lose weight.
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Her sisters were born here in the US, so they don't have to worry.
Anyway, seems immigration, misplaced her file, and she had to refile all the paperwork to prove that shes has the right to citizenship. She was born while her dad was a US military man serving in the Philippines. When her dad married her mother, they never bother to get her dad's signature on her birth certificate, so it's always been an issue when it comes to proving citizenship, but like I said, according to immigration, since when she had to start going to immigration to take care of this and her grandfather was living closest, he was the one that signed the new documents getting her grandfathered in as a citizen (I don't know how that works), and all was told to have been settled, until the next time the Driver's license came up for renewal and the cycle began again.
born in PI came over when his mum married american step-dad. When his mother naturalized, so did hubby, he was young at the time.
