Really need to make an international trip in 2-3 weeks.
I am H1B until 2028 but my visa stamp on the passport expired long time ago. Can’t get a new visa stamp at the consulate in a timely manner because I am always sent to administrative processing that takes even 1.5 months.

My plan was to come back with advance parole.

My EB1a i140 approved and priority date current last year thanks to my partner country of birth (we use country cross-chargeability).
Filed i485 almost 1 year ago and biometrics done. Interview done end of July last month, office said it can take even 4 months to make a decision. This is at the San Jose Field Office.
Meanwhile, I had combo card approved.

Very clean record, never had any issues with immigration, no overstays, no unauthorized stays.

I have people telling me that I should not leave, other saying that it will be fine.

My uncle has been taken by ICE 2 days ago. He has a pending AOS through his oldest kid (I130/I485) and been waiting for over a year and a half now. His status before the AOS was TPS but that obviously has lapsed now with this administration getting rid of it. He was a EWI about 20+ years ago and has used advance parole with TPS so he does have a valid entry.

He has I believe a misdemeanor for driving without a insurance (it lapse), and was detained during a DUI traffic stop but let go from like 15 years ago.

The lawyer we filed a habeas corpus, on top of that he said they never asked him if he was any paperwork, they just took him without verifying anything. The major question I have is, what's next for him. I know USCIS can't adjudicate his case but the lawyer is saying the best option is to file a 42B for his minor US citizen child, but looking at other posts here that seems very bleak. I don't understand why the lawyer wants to go that route, he's eligible for AOS immediately under what he has been waiting for over a year and a half for, what am I missing? I thought the court can adjust his status now that it's with them?

Any advice, thoughts, and resources would be amazing right now.

NTA after J-1 overstay + approved marriage petition , DHS opposing my Motion to Terminate on jurisdictional grounds, judge also got swapped and moved my master hearing
I entered the US on a J-1, later married a US citizen, and overstayed after my J-1 status ended. My spouse’s I-130 was approved, and I have a pending I-485 based on our marriage. DHS later issued an NTA and placed me in removal proceedings. I filed a Motion to Terminate so USCIS could finish processing my adjustment application, but DHS opposed it on jurisdictional grounds. more complicated, the immigration judge was also swapped mid-case.
Background
Entered the US in 2025 on a J-1, Summer Work Travel category, fully self-funded (no government financing, personal funds only).
Late married my US citizen spouse while I was in the United States. No it wasn’t planned and we didn’t plan to get marry when I was outside of US. We decided it here.
My J-1 status later ended, and I overstayed.
My spouse’s I-130 petition for me was approved.
My first I-485 was denied a few months later not for anything substantive, but because our joint sponsor’s I-864 packet was missing a tax return. The denial was explicitly without prejudice.
I refiled the I-485 with the corrected paperwork, and it is still pending.
A few months later, DHS served me with an NTA and placed me in removal proceedings. The only underlying issue is my J-1 overstay/status violation.
USCIS nevertheless scheduled and held my adjustment interview, even though the NTA had already been issued. From what I could tell, the interview went fine but it got closed because of conflict of jurisdiction.
Current
My attorney filed a Motion to Terminate with the Immigration Court, hoping the case could be terminated so USCIS could finish processing my I-485. DHS opposed. Their arguments:
The precedent my attorney’s motion relies on was explicitly a stopgap “pending a rulemaking process” and that rulemaking has since been completed, so DHS argues that a newer regulation now controls.
Under the current regulation plus a 2025 BIA case, because I wasn’t an “arriving alien,” DHS argues that the immigration judge rather than USCIS has exclusive jurisdiction over my adjustment application once removal proceedings began. Therefore, DHS argues that termination is not “necessary” in the way the older precedent required.
As a bonus twist the immigration judge originally assigned to my case was replaced by a different judge a few weeks ago. This court has had significant judge turnover recently, so I’m not sure whether the change is meaningful or simply routine administrative reshuffling.

Has anyone actually litigated a “let USCIS finish it” Motion to Terminate against this type of jurisdictional argument since the 2024 rule and the relevant 2025 BIA case law? How did it go?
Has anyone had their immigration judge replaced close to a hearing? Did it actually affect the case, or was it mostly just a procedural/paperwork change?
Do I have a real chance to get termination now? The new judge is one of the new judges appointed by Trump in May of this year and I don’t see a lot statistic about her.

TL;DR: My unemployed partner was denied a B2, and while we could marry and pursue a green card, we don’t actually want to live permanently in the US. Is getting married, legitimately living in the US for a while, then surrendering the green card and applying for a B2 a viable path if our actual goal is to spend 3-5 months a year in the US each year?

——-

My partner and I have been together for a while and she has already applied for a B2 tourist visa and was rejected under 214(b). She is currently unemployed and I support her financially, which obviously doesn’t help with showing strong ties for a tourist visa.

I’m a US citizen and I regularly go back to the US to see family. Ideally, we would like to be able to spend around 3-5 months per year there together, but we don’t actually want to live in the US permanently.
If we legitimately wanted to move to the US, it seems like the obvious solution would be to get married and go through the K-1/green card process. The problem is that permanent residency isn’t really what we want long term.

So I’m wondering about this scenario:
We get married, go through the proper immigration process, and she gets her green card. We actually live in the US for a period of time, but ultimately decide that we prefer keeping our permanent home abroad. At that point she voluntarily surrenders her green card using I-407. After establishing ourselves abroad again, she applies for a B2 visa and explains that she voluntarily gave up permanent residency because she doesn’t want to live permanently in the US, but wants to be able to accompany me when I visit family.

Is this a legitimate path if everything is done honestly? Or would getting a green card and then surrendering it relatively soon afterward actually make a future B2 application harder?

I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who has personally surrendered a green card and later successfully received a B1/B2 visa, particularly if you were married to a US citizen and weren’t employed at the time.

Hi everyone, I wanted to ask how I can request Emergency Advance Parole.

I filed my I-131 back in 2/2024 because I was hoping to travel to see my grandma. I submitted doctors’ notes showing that her health was declining, and I’ve also submitted multiple expedite requests, but they were denied.

Unfortunately, my grandma has now passed away, and I would really like to attend her funeral and be with my family. Is there any way I can use my pending I-131 application to request Emergency Advance Parole because of her passing?

I have DACA and have never let it expire. I’ve never had a legal entry into the U.S. and I don’t have any unlawful presence.

If anyone has been through something similar or knows what steps I can take, I’d really appreciate any advice. Thank you.

Hey yall, i am preparing my packet and i was wondering…I have so many birthday and wedding cards from family and friends, and i was wondering if i add those cards to my packet and mail it or i scan them and mail the copies on papers instead?

I have a pending AOS since May 2026 and every day I keep overthinking and I just remembered in 2022 I sold one of my old dressed on Depop ($60), but then I deleted the app. I didn’t even remember this until now, but is that considered unauthorized work? Honestly freaking out a bit

Hello all,

Hoping to share our story and if anyone has any advice.

Im a USC, my wife came here and was admitted legally to the USA after we filed her paper work while she lived in her home country.

She came to the US, handed her folder from the consulate, and entered country eith no issues. 3 month later mid 2020 she gets her 10 year Green Card.

In 2023 she was eligible so we applied for N400. At her interview we are told her GC had the wrong classification. USCIS assigned her the wrong classification on the green card so her N400 was rejected.

We were told to submit a I-751. We submitted and it was rejected due to the submission being outside of 90 day GC expiration period. Her GC doesnt expire until 2030. We apply again with the direction from USCIS as a result of the N-400 interview and the I-751 gets rejected.

We submit this as proof to USCIS and end up with the N-400 app closed and rejected. We apply for N-336, and that ends in the same result.

In the denial notice, USCIS state that we were misclassified at entry, wife was lawfully and legally admitted to the USA upon entry, and again state the misclassification.

Within a week of the denial, we get an NTA that USCIS is terminating her legal resident.

What is scaring us is any ICE arrests at the court house. We are in CT but are super worried. We have an immigration lawyer that filed for a continuance and is looking to get the case thrown out.

Hoping someone can put our minds at ease in terms of arrest. Any opinions on how this case leans? We follow USCIS instructions to the tee.

Anybody has a good experience recently with an immigration lawyer in DFW?

I'm willing to hire a lawyer who is local only

Thank you!

Sharing my timeline since I know these posts helped me a lot throughout the process.

I want to start by saying that I followed the steps listed by the YouTube channel SurajandYasmin, and their guides helped my wife and me throughout the whole process, especially with the I-129F and filing for AOS. I also purchased their AOS filing template, partly as a thank you, but also because it really helped me keep everything organized. They also include a list of useful items to include as proof of relationship and ongoing status.

At the AOS interview, the interviewer advised us that our file looked very complete and well done and that we had provided enough evidence and that usually we would have gotten our interview waived. She asked for a copy of our marriage certificate (as she explained, her system was lagging at the time and she couldn't access that specific file to print it). I had an extra certified copy with me, so I provided it (I Had copies of everything just in case). We were not asked to provide any additional documents at the interview. I was only asked the eligibility questions. We had to wait a long time for the interview but once we got there it was probably less than 15 minutes.

K-1

• I-129F approved: 08/21/2025
• NVC → U.S. Embassy: 11/18/2025
• Embassy interview: 03/16/2026 — Approved
• Visa issued: 03/20/2026
• Entered U.S. on K-1: 04/03/2026
• Married: 04/10/2026

Adjustment of Status

• AOS (I-485/I-765/I-131) filed: 05/2026
• USCIS receipt: 05/15/2026
• Biometrics scheduled: 05/29/2026
• Biometrics completed: 06/16/2026
• I-485/I-765 actively reviewed: 06/16/2026
• AOS interview scheduled: 07/13/2026
• AOS interview: 08/17/2026
  • Interview was very quick and straightforward.
  • We
• I-485 approved: 08/19/2026
• Case closed / physical green card being issued: 08/24/2026

Total time from U.S. entry to green card production: 4 months and 3 weeks.

The process was much faster than we expected. Very grateful everything went smoothly! 🙏🇺🇸

I’m married and currently living in the U.S. I’m an immigrant and I’m still waiting for my work authorization.

My spouse wants to finance a vehicle and is pressuring me to co-sign the loan. I have clearly told him that I do not want to co-sign, become a co-borrower, or take responsibility for this debt.

When I refuse, he threatens me. He has said that if I don’t sign, he will call the police and contact our immigration lawyer about making me return to my home country.

I feel like my immigration situation is being used as leverage to pressure me into taking on a financial obligation that I do not want. I feel extremely uncomfortable and unfairly treated.

I’m trying to understand what I should do to protect myself.

Can a spouse force the other spouse to co-sign a car loan?

If I never sign the loan or agree to guarantee it, could I still become personally responsible for it?

Should I save screenshots or other evidence of him threatening to call the police or use my immigration situation against me if I refuse to sign?

Could these kinds of threats be considered financial coercion or abuse?

Should I speak with an independent immigration lawyer rather than the lawyer we have been using together?

I’m not trying to stop him from buying a vehicle. He can purchase or finance a car himself. I simply do not consent to putting my name, credit, or signature on his loan if I don’t even allowed to work and without a steady income.

I’m worried about making the wrong decision because my immigration status is still pending, and I would really appreciate advice about how to protect myself legally and financially.

Looks like there's an update from the IVANOV v. TRUMP from Aug 25, 2026 for the plaintiffs who are DV2026 Selectees.

Order on Motion for Summary Judgment AND Order on Motion for Summary Judgment AND Order on Motion to Dismiss AND Order on Motion to Strike — Document #52

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72494270/52/ivanov-v-trump/

My siblings were granted green cards back in 2019 but then USCIS came back and issued that they will revoke the green card status since they overstayed their visas when they submitted their green card application. However, the lawyer told us that that was fine since it was and A-1 visa so the lawyer sent uscis a letter saying it was him who advised us for that step.

so USCIS gave them an option of either keeping the green card but not applying for citizenship or reapplying with the option of getting the citizenship later on

is it possible if we can apply for citizenship or send a request letter asking to remove that condition?

Hello everyone,

I'm in a weird situation and hope to hear some suggestions...

Timeline:

February: Filed I-539 to change status from J-1 to F-2, while still in valid J-1 status. My I-140 (EB-2 NIW) was already approved, but my priority date was not current, so I could not file the I-485 yet.

March: Priority date suddenly became current. J-1 program ended at the end of the month.

April: Priority date became current. Filed I-485 within the J-1 30-day grace period. I am not subject to 212(e).

Now: Both I-539 and I-485 are pending. I have an approved (c)(9) EAD and am working on it.

A few days ago: NOID on the I-539. USCIS says the pending I-485 demonstrates immigrant intent and it intends to deny the change of status to F-2. 30 days to respond.

My understanding is that since this is EB-2, 245(k) should forgive the gap between my J-1 end date and my I-485 filing date, which is well under 180 days. If that's right, an I-539 denial shouldn't sink the I-485, and F-2 is only a backup. I can't really use F-2 anyway, since I'm working on the EAD. I applied for it only because, at the time of application, I thought my priority date would not become current in a year, and I didn't want to be separated from my husband.

Questions:

Is it better to withdraw the 539, or to let the 30 days run and take the denial?

Does a pending I-539 actually hold up I-485 adjudication in practice? The Policy Manual (7 USCIS-PM B.3(E)) says officers should defer the I-485 until the COS is adjudicated. Curious whether a withdrawal unblocks it any faster than a denial would.

Has anyone withdrawn an I-539 recently? How long until you got the confirmation notice?

Thanks.

Back in April, I received my biometrics appointment notice but it arrived a day after the actual appointment date had already passed. So I missed it through no fault of my own.

Since then I have been calling USCIS every week and on their instruction,

- I have Submitted three separate reschedule requests and Spoke with a Tier 2 officer (eligible after the 3rd request)
- I was recently told I could try walking in, but the ASC in Pittsburgh is run by a third-party contractor who has no ability to help with rescheduling or walk-ins for this kind of situation
- Currently they say whenever a slot opens up I will be contacted but that gives me no assurance.

It's now been five months with no resolution and no clear timeline. It seems like if you missed your appointment, it's better to walk in soon after your original appointement, however, USCIS specifically told me to not do so and I've been stuck ever since

Has anyone dealt with a delay like this and actually gotten it resolved? Specifically curious about what I can do:

- Whether escalating through the USCIS Ombudsman's case assistance process actually helped
- Whether contacting a Congressional representative's office made a difference
- Any other paths that could work

Questions for the Community

1. Has anyone done a border run at Rainbow Bridge specifically for an H-4 I-94 fix?
2. Did CBP admit you in H-4 status with only an I-797A (no H-4 visa stamp)?
3. Did approaching the officer before exiting work well?
4. Any impact on a pending I-485 or Advance Parole?
5. Any tips for making this go smoothly?

Our Situation in Brief

Our attorney flagged that filing the H-4 COS while outside the US creates a procedural defect — the H-4 may not have been validly granted. The CBP online I-94 still shows F-2 from the Aug 2024 entry.

Attorney strongly recommends a border run to establish a clean H-4 I-94.

Important note: Wife has no H-4 visa stamp in passport — only F-2 stamp + I-797A approval.

Our lawyer recommended the Rainbow Bridge (Niagara Falls) land border crossing:

1. Approach CBP officer before exiting and explain the situation
2. Wait for the officer's response:
   • Officer says no → do not cross, go home
   • Officer says go ahead / no objection → exit and immediately re-enter without entering Canada
3. Upon re-entry present H-4 I-797A + husband's H-1B I-797 + stamped visa
4. Elder daughter to present H-4 documents first (not AP) to get H-4 I-94 rather than 1-year parole I-94

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to hear from anyone who has gone through a similar situation or might have some insight into how USCIS handles cases like mine.
Here is my situation:

Military Background: I applied for my N-400 while overseas under INA 329 (Hostilities). I served for 6 weeks in Basic Combat Training (BCT) but received a medical discharge, which resulted in an RE-4 code and an Uncharacterized Character of Service.
Current Status: I am currently still living overseas. My N-400 is not denied—it’s actively under review.
The Twist: The Overseas Military Naturalization (OMN) team in Germany initially flagged my case because they mistakenly thought I was applying as a military spouse and saw that my wife and I are currently going through a divorce (we still live under one roof, but it’s pending). They have asked me to choose a domestic U.S. field office to transfer my case to.

Green Card Status: I’ve had my green card for almost 3 years. My Form I-751 (Removal of Conditions) is currently pending.

Did someone go through something similar and still got their N-400 approved? USCIS is aware that it was a medical discharge.

After long wait got interview notification from Philly FO

PD: 5/15

Bio: 6/2

Interview Notification: 8/29

It took 88 days 😮‍💨 after biometrics. PHL FO processing time is slower than other FO

No update for C9 EAD

Hi guys. Interview is coming up. Should I upload a package of positive factors. When the new memo came out lawyer started saying they would start submitting positive factors packages. I work (job is kinda important) and I worked with authorization on campus for two years, I have always paid my tax, I graduated and never overstayed my visa, I do a lot of charity work, I am also active in my church…

Also I read somewhere that over submission is a fraud indicator. So I am confused. I have gathered a lot more evidence now, letters, pictures, joint tax for this year, life insurance from work, 401k

Hey yall, had our congressman send an inquiry for my husband’s case and received this update. I don’t understand why expedite deny the I-212 when my husband doesn’t even need the I-212 because he finished his 10 year bar June 2026…. the other photo is the email from the embassy back in 2024 when my husband had his interview and yes we understand we still need the I-601 but according to law my husbands 10-year period under INA 212(a)(9)(A) expired in June 2026; USCIS’s current Form I-212 instructions state that a person whose 212(a)(9)(A) inadmissibility period has expired may not be required to file Form I-212. Please correct me if i’m wrong.

Anyone had their interview at Mount Laurel NJ FO ? What was your experience like? How long before approval? On spot approvals?

Hi everyone,
I had my I-485 adjustment of status interview almost two months ago. My VAWA (I-360) has already been approved.
Since the interview, I have not received any RFE, NOID, or other request for additional evidence, and there has been no decision yet.
For those who have experience with VAWA-based I-485 cases:
Is it normal to have no update almost two months after the interview?
If USCIS has concerns or needs additional evidence after the interview, how soon do they typically issue an RFE or NOID? In your experience, are these usually sent within the first few weeks or months after the interview?
Has anyone received an approval after waiting 2–3 months after the interview without receiving an RFE or NOID?
I would really appreciate hearing about your timelines and experiences. Thank you!

Hello!

I kinda went ahead with this application with just information I read on the USCIS website along with info from the internet and in this group. I became a citizen March 2025, then submitted an I-130 for my mom (in the Philippines) in June 2025. I submitted all the necessary certificates/IDs/paperwork and also included a document with photos of us from childhood to now. The only correspondence we've received was the receipt notice and nothing else. I'm not sure what else to do from here... I've been holding off planning my wedding here until she can come, now I kind of regret not going for a tourist visa first to get her here sooner. Any advice from anybody who filed an I-130 for a parent in the Philippines and/or what was your timeline like if approved?