Would this deny a visa

[Reg 0]

Talking to a friend of mine and he found out that girl he has been talking to in the Philippines has a G.R.O. License (think it stands for Guest Relations Officer License). I told him what I thought it meant, you know bar-girl,...

Would that be something that would stop her from getting a visa?

Would this make an interview for visa very difficult.

Thanks

[Markieboy 104]

Talking to a friend of mine and he found out that girl he has been talking to in the Philippines has a G.R.O. License (think it stands for Guest Relations Officer License). I told him what I thought it meant, you know bar-girl,...

Would that be something that would stop her from getting a visa?

Would this make an interview for visa very difficult.

Thanks

I'm not sure she'll present her GRO license as a primary form of identification.

That being said, I doubt her past would stop her from getting a visa.

USCIS DOES ask if the AOS applicant has ever engaged in prostitution. So, as long as she answers that question correctly, she should be fine.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Anyone who has engaged in prostitution in the previous 10 years is inadmissible. INA section 212(a)(2)(D)(i). If this is the only inadmissibility then the petitioner can submit a hardship waiver application after the visa has been denied.

[pushbrk 12,254]

I'm not sure she'll present her GRO license as a primary form of identification.

That being said, I doubt her past would stop her from getting a visa.

USCIS DOES ask if the AOS applicant has ever engaged in prostitution. So, as long as she answers that question correctly, she should be fine.

She'll need to truthfully answer questions on immigration forms about her employment the last five years. For all intents and purposes, "Guest Relations Officer" are prostitutes. It's certainly possible some do not engage in prostitution but they would be presumed to have done so but any Consular officer in Manila, so no visa. You can ask about this in the Philippine regional forum too.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Talking to a friend of mine and he found out that girl he has been talking to in the Philippines has a G.R.O. License (think it stands for Guest Relations Officer License). I told him what I thought it meant, you know bar-girl,...

Would that be something that would stop her from getting a visa?

Would this make an interview for visa very difficult.

Thanks

It means..you know..."prostitute". Yes it is an inadmissable condition and something he should consider. There are probably non-prostitutes that will talk to him also.

If he is considering a long distance relationship and eventually bringing a woman here with a visa for permanent residency, and he is just "talking to her" it would be best to avoid "talking to" women with disqualifying conditions. He won't be getting any refunds and the IMBRA law limiting the peitions he can get approved will apply to him.

It would be a shame to go as far as the interview and get denied and then have to file a waiver for another petition. Why look for trouble?

[Reg 0]

I'm not sure she'll present her GRO license as a primary form of identification.

lol, ya, but I am sure they are probably suspicious in manila and probably have ways of checking.

Anyone who has engaged in prostitution in the previous 10 years is inadmissible. INA section 212(a)(2)(D)(i). If this is the only inadmissibility then the petitioner can submit a hardship waiver application after the visa has been denied

I don't think that works though unless they can prove they were forced,... which I don't know cause don't have all the details.

She'll need to truthfully answer questions on immigration forms about her employment the last five years. For all intents and purposes, "Guest Relations Officer" are prostitutes. It's certainly possible some do not engage in prostitution but they would be presumed to have done so but any Consular officer in Manila, so no visa.

That is what I thought too from looking for my own process. So I am sure having a 'gap' in employment would be a flag in PI. But I don't know.

It means..you know..."prostitute". Yes it is an inadmissable condition and something he should consider. There are probably non-prostitutes that will talk to him also.

If he is considering a long distance relationship and eventually bringing a woman here with a visa for permanent residency, and he is just "talking to her" it would be best to avoid "talking to" women with disqualifying conditions. He won't be getting any refunds and the IMBRA law limiting the peitions he can get approved will apply to him.

It would be a shame to go as far as the interview and get denied and then have to file a waiver for another petition. Why look for trouble?

Yes, it would be a losing prop to spend all that cash for the visa to get at the end and know it would probably get denied. Shame, he seemed happy, then this fell into his lap. That is why I asked.

Thanks for helping out, Reg

[Reg 0]

Anyone who has engaged in prostitution in the previous 10 years is inadmissible. INA section 212(a)(2)(D)(i). If this is the only inadmissibility then the petitioner can submit a hardship waiver application after the visa has been denied

I don't think a hardship waiver would apply though, found this which on the surface would seem to cancel an hardship waiver: My link

In some cases, however, the Embassy will entertain an argument on the facts that the beneficiary is not excludible (we have done this, for example, with clients that had a criminal conviction that we were able to convince the Embassy was not a crime of “moral turpitude” as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act). If the Embassy decides that the beneficiary is excludible, an “extreme hardship” waiver is usually available, although such waivers can be difficult to obtain. The typical I-601 Application for an “extreme hardship” waiver takes four to six months to process.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

G.R.O. (Guest Relations Officer/Girl Rented Overnight) is not legal in the Philippines. It's like "escorts" in the US, everyone knows what they are and they advertise in thinly veiled suggestions but it isn't legal.

The Philippine Government doesn't License GROs but some municipalities may. If her NBI shows that she has worked as a GRO then she won't get a visa.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I don't think a hardship waiver would apply though, found this which on the surface would seem to cancel an hardship waiver: My link

In some cases, however, the Embassy will entertain an argument on the facts that the beneficiary is not excludible (we have done this, for example, with clients that had a criminal conviction that we were able to convince the Embassy was not a crime of “moral turpitude” as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act). If the Embassy decides that the beneficiary is excludible, an “extreme hardship” waiver is usually available, although such waivers can be difficult to obtain. The typical I-601 Application for an “extreme hardship” waiver takes four to six months to process.

You're talking about a conviction for a crime of moral turpitude. I'm talking about simple prostitution, without ever having been charged or convicted. They are two entirely different subsections of INA section 212. Subsection 2(A) covers convictions for certain crimes, including crimes of moral turpitude. Subsection 2(D) covers prostitution. Section 212(a) is on this page at USCIS:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.f6da51a2342135be7e9d7a10e0dc91a0/?vgnextoid=fa7e539dc4bed010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fa7e539dc4bed010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&CH=act

It says:

(D) Prostitution and commercialized vice.-Any alien who-

(i) is coming to the United States solely, principally, or incidentally to engage in prostitution, or has engaged in prostitution within 10 years of the date of application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status,

Subsection (F ) of that section says:

(F ) Waiver authorized.-For provision authorizing waiver of certain subparagraphs of this paragraph, see subsection (h).

With me so far? Subsection (h) is on this page:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.f6da51a2342135be7e9d7a10e0dc91a0/?vgnextoid=fa7e539dc4bed010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fa7e539dc4bed010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&CH=act

It says:

(h) The Attorney General may, in his discretion, waive the application of subparagraphs (A)(i)(I), (B), (D), and (E) of subsection (a)(2) and subparagraph (A)(i)(II) of such subsection insofar as it relates to a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana if-

(1) (A) in the case of any immigrant it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that-

(i) the alien is inadmissible only under subparagraph (D)(i) or (D)(ii) of such subsection or the activities for which the alien is inadmissible occurred more than 15 years before the date of the alien's application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status.

So, if she's inadmissible because she was a prostitute, and that is her ONLY inadmissibility, then she's eligible for a waiver. Being eligible for a waiver and actually getting one are two entirely different things. The US citizen petitioner will have to prove that it will be an undue hardship on himself if she is not given a visa. These waivers are difficult, time consuming, and (if an attorney is hired, which is recommended) can be expensive to get.

Just a personal note - Your friend might want to consider that some lines, once crossed, are very easy to cross again. Examples that come to mind are use of addictive drugs, certain types of criminal activity, and prostitution. The statistical odds that she'll return to prostitution if and when she ever arrives in the US are pretty good. If your friend is only "shopping" then he might consider looking for a girl who is less likely to be a problem before, during, and after immigration.