Maria Khristina Garcia-Angel

With more than 12 years in law practice, Ms. Angel specializes in immigration law, and advises multinational companies in the smooth entry of its expatriates to the Philippines. She assists clients who have been charged with deportation, as well as those that have been issued with blacklist orders, hold departure orders, and alert list orders. Ms. Angel also renders advice on administrative and judicial naturalization, as well as the recognition and re-acquisition of Philippine citizenship.

She also advises foreign companies which intend to hire Filipino nationals as well as the process and outbound travel requirements for Filipino nationals to work abroad.
Ms. Angel was recognized among the “Next Generation Partners” or younger partners who “take on leadership roles in multiple legal matters,” and was recommended for the practice area of Immigration by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for 2020 and 2021.
She co-authored the Philippine chapter of International Immigration and Nationality Law that was published by the Center for International Legal Studies, Austria, in 2020.

• I advised and assisted several multinational companies in applying for entry exemption documents for their foreign national employees who cannot enter the Philippines because of the inbound travel ban on foreign nationals.
• I supervised the judicial naturalization of an Iranian national and the administrative naturalization of a Spanish national after their Petitions for naturalization were denied at the first instance. The Petitions were eventually granted on appeal after advancing supplemental legal arguments not presented by the former counsel. The 2 foreign nationals are now naturalized Filipino citizens.
• I supervised the case involving the lifting of the derogatory record of the Japanese General Manager of a company involved in the business of marketing medical devices, including COVID-19 test kits and machines, who was excluded from the Philippines after being allowed to board by the airline company without an entry exemption document. In addition to presenting the General Manager’s entry exemption document, work permit and work visa, we also emphasized the importance of his role in the Company given the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bureau of Immigration appreciated the documents submitted and the arguments presented. The Petition to Lift Derogatory Record was granted and the inclusion of the General Manager’s name in the blacklist was lifted. He was able to enter the country and claim his approved work permit and work visa.

• Regulatory – Immigration
• Labour and employment

• Banking and financial services
• Consumer goods and services
• Energy
• Industrials and manufacturing
• Insurance
• Media and entertainment
• Mining
• Technology and telecommunications

• Philippine Bar

• Secretary - Immigration Lawyers Association of the Philippines
• Member – Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Makati Chapter

• Masters in Business Administration and Juris Doctor, De La Salle University Professional Schools, Inc – Far Eastern University Institute of Law, Makati City, Philippines (2008)
• Completed Elective Courses in International Negotiations and International Intellectual Property Law, University of San Diego Institute of International and Comparative Law, Florence, Italy (2005)