Sunday, February 24, 2013
About 100 congregants gather for the info session after the Spanish Mass at St. Michael’s on Sunday afternoon
On Sunday afternoon, about 100 congregants at St. Michael’s Church in Flushing gathered for an info session hosted by CMS’ Megan Helbling on policy changes recently announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Megan, an immigration counselor and outreach specialist at Catholic Migration Services, gave a basic overview of the provisional waiver for unlawful presence. This waiver is for people who do not qualify to apply for adjustment of status in the U.S. due to unlawful presence.
Megan Helbling explains the provisional waiver in Spanish to the largely Latino audience
As of March 4, certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who meet strict requirements can apply for a provisional waiver for unlawful presence in the U.S. The applicant can then wait in the U.S. for a decision on the waiver before returning to their home country for an interview at a U.S. consulate. Currently, applicants must wait for the waiver decision in their home country, which leads to extensive periods away from their loved ones in the U.S.
QCUA volunteers conduct basic intake with attendees
After the presentation, volunteers from Queens Congregations United for Action (QCUA) met with attendees interested in applying for the provisional waiver and for other immigration benefits. On March 17, CMS immigration counselors will return to St. Michael’s to conduct one-on-one consultations with them.
Fidelis Care was also on hand to provide information about their health care services for low-income communities.
If you would like more information on the provisional waiver for unlawful presence, or believe you may be eligible to apply, please call CMS’ Brooklyn office at (718) 236-3000 or Queens office at (347) 472-3500.
