Aurelio and Roy hugging

Binational gay couple to reunite, others not so lucky

Aurelio and Roy huggingThe situation for LGBT couples who are not both citizens of the same country can be difficult, particularly if one of them resides in the United States. Because the US federal government does not acknowledge same-sex marriages, and marriage is the only way you can petition for your partner to come to the US (and be allowed to stay), binational couples are often forced to live thousands of miles apart.

Roi Whaley and Aurelio Torentino are lucky. Aurelio, from the Phillipines, was recently allowed a tourist visa to travel to the US, after having been denied a green card and asylum in the past. While he won’t be able to work, Aurelio will be able to spend time with his husband Roi, who is terminally ill.

It’s only a tourist visa, it’s not permanent, and these men are the lucky ones.

There are many, many things wrong with our immigration system, and this discrimination towards LGBT couples is just another glaring example of how broken it is.

Story and photo via The Advocate.

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