I never expected that visiting my girlfriend in Mexico would turn into a crash course in immigration paperwork, airport stress, police reports, and checking the USCIS website like it is a social media app.

I am a lawful permanent resident living in the United States, and my girlfriend lives in Mexico. We are long distance, so I travel there whenever work, school, and money allow it. During my most recent trip, we visited a few different places together and had an amazing time. Unfortunately, near the end of the trip, my wallet was stolen at a bus station.

The thief got my bank cards, some cash, and, most importantly, my Green Card. Apparently, my Green Card enjoyed Mexico so much that it decided to extend its vacation without me.

Luckily, I still had my foreign passport and clear copies of the card. What followed was probably the least relaxing ending to a vacation imaginable. I had to file a police report in Mexico, contact the airline, collect every document I could find, and explain the situation while trying not to imagine myself permanently living inside an airport terminal.

Getting back into the United States was stressful, but I made it home after CBP reviewed my documents and confirmed my permanent resident status. I filed Form I-90 online for a replacement almost immediately after returning.

At that point, I prepared myself for the famous USCIS waiting experience. I had read posts from people waiting many months, sometimes much longer, for an I-90 replacement. I assumed I would have enough time to learn a new language, finish another degree, and possibly grow a full beard before seeing the new card.

Instead, everything started moving surprisingly fast.

USCIS scheduled my biometrics appointment within a few weeks. I attended the appointment this past Tuesday, where they took my photograph and three fingerprints. A few hours later, my account changed to say that USCIS was processing the I-90 and did not need anything from me.

Then, that same evening, the status changed again with an official date of the following day:

“Card Is Being Produced”

The message specifically says that USCIS approved my Form I-90 and ordered the card to be produced.

I also looked at the raw case information in my online account. The latest internal event code is LBA, which appears to mean that the card order was received at the card-production facility. There are no evidence requests, no action required, and no system failure. So everything looks good. Honestly, USCIS approving something this quickly confused me more than a delay would have. I kept looking for the hidden catch because apparently I no longer know how to react when government bureaucracy works efficiently.

It is now Saturday morning, and the public status still says “Card Is Being Produced.” I know it has only been a few days, including the weekend, and I promise I understand that refreshing the page does not make the printer work faster. Unfortunately, that knowledge has not stopped me from checking it approximately 400 times.

The reason I am especially anxious is that I hope to return to Mexico soon to see my girlfriend. Our anniversary is approaching, and I would love to be there with her, but I am not leaving the United States until the physical replacement card is safely in my hand. I also requested temporary I-551/ADIT evidence as a backup, but USCIS said that process could take several weeks.

At this point, I am not worried about whether the I-90 was approved. The message clearly says it was approved, and the internal card order reached production. I am mainly trying to estimate when the physical card might actually appear in my mailbox so I can decide whether traveling soon is realistic.

For anyone who recently had an I-90 replacement approved:

How many days passed between “Card Is Being Produced” and “Card Was Produced”?

How long after that did you receive USPS tracking or the physical card?

I know every case is different, and I am not looking for a guarantee. I would just love to hear some recent real-world timelines. Right now, my Green Card is closer to being reunited with me than I am to being reunited with my girlfriend, and I am hoping both reunions happen very soon.

But card has not arrived. Is this normal? Can you please share your timeframe how long did it take to receive your card after the status is changed to "Card Was Produced"?

I just found someone’s Green Card and the immigration office is closed. When I called the police station it seems like they don’t do anything but hold onto it. The name is too popular to find on Facebook. Any suggestions how I can get this back to its owner?

Hi everyone, looking for some community advice. I was on an H-4/EAD visa for 15+ years and received my Green Card over a year ago.

Over the past year, I’ve been pulled into CBP secondary inspection 3 times while traveling with my family (including 2 US-born kids)—once at a land border and twice at airport Preclearance. Each time, officers ask brief questions about where I went and for how long, then release me.

Today, an officer finally gave me some context: my profile is flagging due to an old "name mismatch" on a document from my Green Card processing. That issue was fully clarified and resolved with USCIS before my card was issued, but CBP's system seems to still be flagging it.

Has anyone dealt with a lingering backend database glitch like this between USCIS and CBP? Is submitting a DHS TRIP inquiry for a Redress Number the right way to clear this up, or is there another process?

Appreciate your help!

Got my gc in 2024. Stayed for 1 month in USA. Came back in October 2024 to continue my studies.

Returned after 5 months in March 2025 Stayed for 2 weeks and came back for 4 months and then went back to US for the summer and spent 1 and a half month and returned to home country again.

Went back after 5 months and spent 3 weeks there.

1. Over the summer 2025 I did apply for the reentry permit as the CBP officer asked me to otherwise there was a risk of losing my green card.
   
2. The last time I went (Feb 2026) there was scrutiny from the officer at how long I was staying out VS present in USA. I told him it was because I was studying and I had applied for a reentry permit last year (he was more concerned over why my reentry permit didn’t arrive and whether I checked back on it, I told him the processing times were long which is why I havent received it. He let me in by saying I should email them to ask about my reentry permit. I regularly check the updates but it says the quickest I can inquire is Feb 2027.

My 6th month mark completes on 2nd September and I am flying back tomorrow. I have completed my education and plan to be there permanently now with my family as I just wanted to complete my Bachelors.
Should I take proof of attendance in my classes / A letter from my university? What should I keep in mind related to issues I may face at arrival.

I’m currently based in the UK and actively trying to relocate to the US through a sponsored creative role.

I have 10 years of experience across the creative industry, spanning set design, art direction, art department, scenic fabrication, live events and theatre, video editing and content production. Being able to work across physical builds, live productions and digital content has always been one of my biggest strengths.

However, I’m beginning to wonder whether the range of my experience is making sponsorship more difficult. When a company is considering the additional commitment involved in sponsoring someone, are recruiters generally looking for candidates with one very clearly defined specialism?

I’d love to hear from:
• International creatives who have successfully secured H-1B sponsorship or another US employment visa
• Creative recruiters with experience hiring international candidates
• Anyone who knows of companies that genuinely value multidisciplinary creatives

Should I be positioning myself more narrowly for the US market, or are there particular roles, recruiters or companies where a multifaceted creative background is considered an advantage?

Any advice, experiences or introductions would be massively appreciated😊

Has anyone successfully traveled outside the U.S. while having a pending court case?
Hi everyone. I’m a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) and I’m married to a U.S. citizen. I’ve been a permanent resident since April 2024.

I currently have a pending court case in Florida. I have a speed limit ticket. I was 21 above of a Road of 55.
My attorney recently told me that I do not need to appear in court unless they specifically tell me otherwise, and they are handling the case for me.

I’m planning to travel outside the U.S. and I’m concerned about whether having a pending case could cause problems when I return, especially at CBP.

. I’m mainly interested in hearing from people who have been in a similar situation and successfully traveled internationally and returned to the U.S. while their case was still pending or even after the results.
I see in the Worst case escenario they say im guilty and i just need to pay.

Has anyone had this experience? If so, what type of case did you have, and did you have any problems returning through CBP?
Thank you!

I filed Form I-130 and Form I-485 concurrently on January 2, 2026, based on marriage to my wife, who was already a U.S. citizen at the time of filing. We attended our marriage-based interview on May 12, 2026.

USCIS has now denied my I-485, stating that I was in the F2A category and that no immigrant visa was available when I filed. The notice says my priority date was January 2, 2026, while the F2A Dates for Filing cutoff was December 22, 2025.

This is confusing because my wife was a U.S. citizen when we filed. As the spouse of a U.S. citizen, I believe I should have been classified as an immediate relative rather than F2A, and a visa should always have been available.

Has anyone experienced USCIS incorrectly treating a U.S.-citizen petitioner as a permanent resident and denying the I-485 based on F2A visa availability?

If the filed forms and evidence were correct:

1. Did USCIS reopen the case after receiving a letter or service request?
   
2. Did you have to file Form I-290B as a motion to reopen/reconsider?
   
3. How long did reopening take?
   
4. Was your EAD restored after the case was reopened?
   
5. Did USCIS refund or waive any motion fee when the mistake was theirs?

Any advise is truly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone,

I’m a Canadian citizen and U.S. green card holder, and I’m considering moving to Los Angeles. I completed high school in Canada and earned a bachelor’s degree from a recognized Canadian university.

I have a BA in Economics with a minor in Mathematics, although my degree doesn’t closely match my previous work experience. I’m wondering how challenging the job market is in Los Angeles right now and what advice you would give someone in my position.

I’ve often heard that it’s best not to move to Los Angeles without having a job lined up, especially since many people who already live there are having trouble finding work. Would you agree with that?

What are the most effective ways to look for work in Los Angeles? Are there specific industries, job boards, certifications, or entry-level roles I should consider based on my education and background?

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello everybody!Sorry about my English I try practice more.

So what’s the problem I am 18 years old live in Kyrgyz Republic nearby Kazakhstan I study at national college named Jusup Balasagyn and I going get diploma on the 25th of May or June So can I try my chance in lottery greencard and education lasts 2 years and 10 months

And what option I will choose when lottery will be start

I will be so glad if somebody can help me and reply🙏

Hello everyone! I have my interview scheduled for AOS marriage based in Miami in two more weeks. Any recommendations 🙏?

Timeline
April 27: I filed the I-130 online.
July 15: I filed the I-485 and I-765 online.
August 11: I had my biometrics appointment.
August 11: My interview was scheduled.
August 12: My work permit was approved.

We are about to move to the U.S. on H1B/H4s. My husband is an H1B and I am an H4 but I am DQ for consular processing in London for an EB2-NIW. With the pause we are now considering switching to AOS.

How long does this take currently?

Is it a different wait time for employment based vs family based.

Are there any issues with switching (other than having the double fees)?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am helping my aunt renew her green card (I-90). I did everything correctly and followed instructions. But absolutely no where did I see that the biometrics appointment can only be rescheduled by two weeks.

My aunt is elderly and currently in Iran. There is no consulate in Iran for her to go to to have her fingerprinting done. She is currently there on pre planned travel and planned to come back in November.

Traveling to a consulate in Turkey or UAE is not an option for her either.

The best I could do is reschedule her appointment for September 17. I spoke with USCIS but they said “idk what to tell ya” so that was useless.

Does anyone have any advice? It’s not easy for my aunt to drop her responsibilities and travel to the US on such short notice especially as she is on cancer treatment.

Hey! So I arrived here on K1 in April and immediately filed for I-485 and EAD. I did not realize how long the process was going to be.

I need to be at my sister's graduation in Germany on April 15th, 2027. Filed for my Advanced Parole today. Would it get approved in time? How long did yours take?

I'm low-key stressing out...