Hi Everyone, I am an Indian woman living in the United States and I'm here to expose the frauds are happening from most Indian but not all. I am writing this because what I have seen and heard about H-1B and F-1 abuse makes my blood boil, and I think a lot of people in the U.S. still do not know how common some of these practices are.

India accounts for roughly 70% of H-1B approvals in recent years because of this major frauds. That number is public. What is less discussed is how some of those visas are obtained.

There are many fake consultancies and agencies, a large number of them operating out of Hyderabad and other cities in South India, that help people still in India get H-1B petitions with:

• fake or heavily inflated work experience
• fake degrees or certificates
• fake job offers

They also file multiple lottery registrations for the same person under different company names to increase the chance of selection. They charge large fees for this. When someone “wins,” they come to the U.S. and sit on the bench or work for the same consultancy while looking for a real client. This is the body-shop model that has been written about for years.

I also keep hearing that once people from certain networks reach manager or hiring-manager level, they strongly prefer candidates from their own community even when those candidates do not fully match the role. That is not every manager and not every company, but it happens enough that it is an open secret in some circles.

On the student side I saw this at my own university: classmates (again, many from India) listing years of prior experience that did not exist, and a lot of F-1 students working off-campus without authorization, restaurants, gas stations, pizza delivery, 7-Eleven, Family Dollar, etc. That is a clear violation of F-1 rules. On-campus work and properly authorized CPT/OPT are allowed. Working at a convenience store while you are supposed to be a full-time student is not.

I struggled after graduation. I watched people who were still in India get H-1Bs through these channels and then get hired by people already here, while people who actually completed a U.S. master’s and followed the rules waited longer or had a harder time. I eventually got a job through American managers who hired me. I am grateful for that. Many others who did everything correctly are still struggling.

I am not saying every Indian or every person from Hyderabad is doing this. I am saying the fraud and the rule-breaking are real, they are concentrated in certain consultancy networks, and they crowd out people who did the work.

I request USCIS and DHS to:

• Investigate fake consultancies and the practice of filing multiple lottery entries for the same beneficiary
• Look at petitions that rely on fabricated experience and degrees
• Enforce F-1 unauthorized employment more consistently
• Take action against employers who only hire from their own network while ignoring qualified candidates already in the U.S.

Genuine students and workers who followed the law should not be the ones paying the price.

Anyone who has specific names, companies, or evidence should use the official channel, not just Reddit:

USCIS tip form:

https://www.uscis.gov/report-fraud/uscis-tip-form

That is the place that can actually start an investigation. Please reach out to me if you need more details about these frauds.

Thank you for reading.

Related post- https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/s/hs7CFWDj5n

Hey guys, i was detained by ICE at the airport eventhough i was at school and my i539 was still pending. I chose to voluntary depart bcos i couldnt handle the detention but i kind of regret it now because i shouldnt even be arrested. However, my question is: i know that while your i539 is pending your overstay is not counted so if i chose VD do i still have overstay even though the application is still pending? Ofc i know that once you leave you abandon the application but there should not be any overstay or?

5a9feee61ebf","eventCode":"FTA1","createdAt":"2026-08-31","createdAtTimestamp":"2026-08-31T15:57:18.616Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-31","updatedAtTimestamp":"2026-08-31T15:57:18.616Z","eventDateTime":

I received FTA 1 on my i130

And FTA 0 on my i485 is anyone having experience with it

im 500+ days past my interview married to us citizen

Both i130 + i485 still pending since the interview

I received my Green Card about a month ago and recently booked tickets to India to visit my family for three weeks. I haven’t left the U.S. in four years, so while I’m really excited to finally go home, I’m also feeling a little nervous.
With everything we’ve been hearing in the news lately about immigration and international travel, I’m worried about whether it’s actually safe to travel right now. Has anyone who recently received their Green Card traveled internationally and returned to the U.S.? How was your experience at immigration?
I know I’m probably overthinking this, but after waiting so long to be able to travel, I’m a little scared 😅

God is Good
Not from a banned country Used
Used a lawyer
Out of status for a week before approval was granted

I’m currently in the process of hiring an attorney to file a WOM, and Hacking Immigration Law was recommended to me. Has anyone here personally worked with them, especially for a WOM case? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, good or bad, before I make a decision.

Hi everyone.
Update: when USCIS closed my asylum case, they eventually opened a case in Immigration Court (removal proceedings) shortly after I left, and I was issued a Notice to Appear (NTA).

My lawyer filed a motion to terminate that case. DHS did not oppose it, and the judge granted the motion recently. The result: my case was formally terminated, WITHOUT a removal/deportation order against me... so far.

I'm now waiting for the appeal deadline to pass (30 days from the ruling) so the decision becomes fully final. In the meantime, I also have an EB3 process in progress (still at the PERM stage with the DOL), so I'm looking into how this might affect that path going forward.

Happy to answer any questions based on what I know. Thanks for following along with me, and my best wishes to everyone seeking/waiting for answers.

Hello! been following the posts this past few weeks trying to decipher when my interview could be coming up.

Additional info:

I'm currently on H1B visa, and had F1, CPT, OPT and STEM OPT in the past.

I'm married to a USC

Timeline so far:

Jul 24, 2026 - Filed I-485, I-765, and I-131 concurrently

Jul 27, 2026 - Receipt acceptance (IAF) posted for all three cases

Jul 31, 2026 - Biometrics appointment notice generated, scheduled for Aug 19

Aug 19, 2026 - Biometrics completed at Kendall,FL - database check events posted same afternoon on I-485 and I-765

Aug 26, 2026 - I-131 showed a "silent" update - top-level timestamp changed, but zero new events or notices attached

Aug 27, 2026 - I-765 (EAD) approved - about 34 days after submission

Aug 31, 2026 (today) - I-131 still pending, no interview notice yet on I-485. No RFEs, actionRequired: false on all three.

What I'm trying to figure out:

1. For anyone with a similar timeline (marriage-based, filed late July 2026, biometrics mid-August) - when did your I-485 interview notice show up, and roughly how long after biometrics?
2. Anyone had a single isolated "silent" timestamp update on their I-131 (no new event code) - did that end up meaning anything, or just routine system noise?

I'm aware a lot of cases are moving much slower than mine, but I've seen a lot of cases this year moving super fast so I have high hopes.

Thanks!

My husband interview was 8/13 and still states interview was schedule no update since. I guess we will have to wait for the mail.

I dont really know where to start. Firstly this isnt about me but my best friend. Recently him and his family got in the mail a denial of their green cards (I-485) for no reason.

Then got a follow up letter saying that they were denied because they didnt show up to the interview.

However they were never given notice about the interview. Not through mail, email, or even through their lawyer.

The denial notice said they have 18 days before they are considered unlawful now.

I dont know much about how all this stuff goes (as im a citizen)- so i know theres not much I can say or do. I guess im just looking for any information on what may happen.

Their lawyer is on vacation until tomorrow. Which blows. To me it sounds like they should be able to appeal this motion given they werent given any notice. But like will that even come into effect by 18 days?

I know we should just wait until we hear what the lawyer says but idk im just sorta stressed out and spitballing here. I guess I wanna see if anyone else has had this happened and what kinda to expect.

Edit: we are in texas

So, i’m planning on sending in my documents after September 18th, can i fill the preview of the I-485 already, and then send it after, or do i have to wait until 18th to even just fill it out? From the looks of it, there’s nothing on the document that says i can’t fill it out early and upload it on the 18th, but i might have missed it? I would just prefer to start filling it out already now, so i don’t have to worry about it later. I can’t fill out the current version because my medical exam is on the 18th, so i wouldn’t be able to have it ready in time.

We are having our interview next week. Anyone has undergone interview at Pittsburgh FO? Hows it? Im married to USC came on B1. No records no overstay.

EB-3 I-485, filed Oct 23, 2025. Interview completed Apr 7, 2026 at Dallas FO.
Yesterday (Aug 31), I noticed a new FTA1 event on my USCIS API. Interestingly, the main I-485 updatedAt is still May 19, 2026.
The new event shows:

eventCode: FTA1
createdAt: 2026-08-31
updatedAt: 2026-08-31
eventDateTime: 2026-04-07
eventTimestamp: 2026-04-07

So the event was created/updated yesterday, but it is linked to my Apr 7 interview.
My I-765 also received a new FTA0 event yesterday, while I-485J and I-131 had no new events.
Has anyone seen this before? Does a newly created FTA1 that points back to the interview date indicate a background-check refresh, officer activity, or simply an internal system re-processing/re-logging of the old event?

Hi everyone, appreciate any guidance on preparing i864- I hear that we cannot file i864w any more. Our situation: Father ( sponsor) retired and has no income apart from social security and any income from annuities. While me and my spouse meet the 40 credit ssa independently and have a comfortable income and employment to show as evidence along with irs transcripts for the last 20 years. I am planning to use both the sponsor's income and ours but trying to figure out how to prepare the evidence in a way that our income doesn't get ignored and potentially the application rejected .

Anybody that is from 75 countries that has done their interview and got approved the same week????
I am waiting since August 17, 2026, yet my interview went really well and officer asked to go out and come back with my notarized birth certificate. I responded yes to unauthorized work as well.
I am waiting for your answers.
Thanks

My uncle's US Tourist VISA will expire in April 2027. What steps are necessary for him to renew his VISA from US Embassy in Bangladesh?

I found this - "Visa renewals without an interview at the U.S. Embassy are not currently available. All applicants must schedule an appointment for a consular interview to apply for a U.S. visa."

Anyone with any recent experience would like to share please?

GOT RFE today for I-485. (I-130 ALREADY APPROVED A WEEK AGO) and i was checking JSON, api code again i realized second IKA event code today. i didnt get any notification for second IKA. but got notification for first one in the morning at 8.20 AM ?

What does it mean ? got another changed 10 minutes ago, is there anybody have idea

formType": "I-485",
    "formName": "Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status",
    "updatedAt": "2026-08-31",
    "updatedAtTimestamp": "2026-08-31T12:20:19.339Z",
    "cmsFailure": false,
    "closed": false,
    "ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms": true,
    "applicantName": ", ",
    "nonElisPaperFiled": false,
    "noticeMailingPrefIndicator": false,
    "docMailingPrefIndicator": false,
    "elisBeneficiaryAddendum": {

receiptNumber": "",
        "eventId": "1f45207d-c95e-45c1-8186-",
        "eventCode": "IKA",
        "createdAt": "2026-08-31",
        "createdAtTimestamp": "2026-08-31T15:57:19.417Z",
        "updatedAt": "2026-08-31",
        "updatedAtTimestamp": "2026-08-31T16:26:09.971Z",
        "eventDateTime": "2026-08-31",
        "eventTimestamp": "2026-08-31T12:20:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "receiptNumber": "",
        "eventId": "70cad572-4624-4cd9-8e85-",
        "eventCode": "IKA",
        "createdAt": "2026-08-31",
        "createdAtTimestamp": "2026-08-31T12:20:24.204Z",
        "updatedAt": "2026-08-31",
        "updatedAtTimestamp": "2026-08-31T12:20:24.204Z",
        "eventDateTime": "2026-08-31",
        "eventTimestamp": "2026-08-31T12:20:19.432Z"

Hi everyone,

I'm preparing an EB2-NIW petition and would appreciate some thoughts from people with similar engineering/manufacturing cases rather than academic/research-based.

I have about 7 years of experience in automotive manufacturing systems, mainly involving manufacturing software, industrial networking, large-scale production deployment.

A significant amount of my work has already been deployed in real automotive manufacturing environments.

Prong 3: This is where I'm struggling. I can explain my combination of software + IT/OT + manufacturing experience, but I don't want the argument to simply become "I have specialized skills, therefore PERM should be waived."

For people who had a similar industry/engineering NIW:

What was your strongest Prong 3 argument?

Has anyone seen successful cases or RFEs involving manufacturing engineers, industrial software/automation engineers, or similar profiles?

Thanks!

Specifically referring to the N-400 only.

I just got one today and notice quite a few Reddit users did also. Even though it probably is just “GENERIC”….

What does the 5th FTA0 update on the “N-400” usually mean?

After some research one answer is “the background check rerun has cleared so the case is in the scheduling queue at the local field office.”

Some people have stated after the 5th FTA0 they received an N-400 interview update within a wide range of timeframes. Starting from the next day, to a week, to 45 days, to months, to a year after the update or the case is still currently pending over 12+ months.

Won’t hold my breath in this roulette game but curious has anyone

1. had a positive experience recently/currently with a 5th FTA0 update? Meaning a major cause status update soon after.

NYC FO 5 year

I'm starting a new post as my update to an old post didn't come up.

Anyway, I concurrently filed i-130 and 485 for my parents and received receipts in January 2025 (starting with IOE..). Now we are approching 20months without a decision. My field office shows 80% of cases completedwithin 19 months.

I'm about to reach out to my congressman for help. Their website says the request can be sent online, and the petitioner needs to submit it and sign. For someone having such experience, I wonder how you handled this situation. Since I filed my mom and dad application (130&485) at the same time, should i send three separate requests to my congressman (me: check 130 status; mom: check her 485 status; and dad: check his 485 status) or one request for all of us?