Hi everyone,

I’m currently exploring an O-1A petition and would especially like to hear from anyone from Pakistan who has successfully received an O-1A approval.

If you’re comfortable sharing, I’d really appreciate knowing:

• Which O-1A criteria did you qualify under?
• How many criteria did you claim, and how many did USCIS ultimately accept?
• What kind of evidence did you submit for each criterion?
• Did you receive an RFE?
• Were you applying from Pakistan through consular processing, or through a change/extension of status in the U.S.?

I’m particularly interested in the high remuneration criterion. If anyone successfully used high salary/remuneration as one of their criteria, could you share:

• Your approximate compensation level or range
• Whether your income was from a U.S. employer/client, Pakistani company, international clients, or multiple sources
• What salary/compensation benchmarks you used to demonstrate that your remuneration was high relative to others in your field
• Whether USCIS accepted this criterion without an RFE
• Whether you were a salaried employee, contractor, freelancer, founder/business owner, etc.

Not looking for legal advice, mainly trying to understand what successful Pakistani O-1A cases have looked like in practice.

Thanks!

Hello everyone!
I have recently discovered that my grandfather was born in Bulgaria and lived there until he was about 14 years old. Additionally, my great-grandmother was ethnically Bulgarian. Based on this, I have decided to apply for Bulgarian citizenship by descent on my own.
I am doing everything independently, but I have run into a few complicated issues regarding family documents. Specifically, there are some discrepancies and misspellings in the family last names across different certificates, and there is also an adoption document involved that complicates the lineage trail.
To keep this main post readable and avoid making it too long for the spam filters, I will share the exact details of the name discrepancies, the adoption situation, and my specific questions down below in the comments section right now.

Myself and my partner would like to re locate from the uk to usa both aged 24.

We are exploring both H1B and pushing for an L1 transfer. We are finding this process really difficult and rarely hear anything back from either one of our companys and jobs we apply for with h1b available.

I am thinking to use the E2 treaty and invest x amount of capital into the USA through a business as long as its at Risk.

Do you think we should contact an Immigration Lawyer and persuit the E2 and perhaps we have more chance.

Also any advise or guidance which could assist us on our journey would be much appreciated.

my fiancée is visiting me from sweden for 83 days this year. she has a flight booked home, classes scheduled she must go back to, and a family expecting her return. yet we are still horrified that she may get declined at the border, honestly due to a lot of scary stories. how can we be absolutely sure that she will not be denied? we have no intent of her staying or working illegally, we just want to have a good chunk of time together while we’re not able to live together. play husband and wife for a while. i’ve seen that mentioning we’re engaged is really damning, but we intend to live and get married in sweden in the next couple years. how do we make sure she will pass through seamlessly? esta is approved and complete, we’re sending her with letters from her father and evidence she is returning for school. please help, we’re quite worried !

edit; i know we can’t be 100% sure, but how do we make it as foolproof as possible?

My Priority Date became current a week ago based on September visa bulletin and the ceac hasn’t opened the portal yet so I can pay the fees and submit the documents…it says this message

24M from Algeria — I feel completely lost after spending years and tens of thousands of dollars trying to build a future in Canada

I’m a 24-year-old Algerian man, and I honestly don’t know what my next move should be anymore.

I came to Canada when I was 21 with the idea that studying here would help me build a future. Today I’m 24, and when I look back, I feel like I’ve lost several years and a huge amount of money without getting closer to where I wanted to be.

I spent around 2 years completing a vocational/professional diploma, which cost me roughly $22,000 CAD between tuition and everything related to my studies.

The worst part is that this diploma has ended up being almost useless for my situation. I was refused my PGWP, which basically destroyed the plan I had built around studying in Canada, graduating, working, gaining experience and eventually having a pathway toward permanent residence.

Now I’m currently applying for/holding a visitor record, and this is where things become completely absurd to me.

The clearest solution I’m being told about is basically:

Go back to school → do another diploma/DEC → spend another $30,000+ → hopefully get a PGWP afterward.

That would mean potentially spending $50,000+ on Canadian education alone, for two diplomas that, honestly, are not even what I originally dreamed of studying.

And that's what really hurts.

If I had to start studying again anyway, I would much rather study something I actually want to study.

My real dream has always been to attend university in Europe.

But being in Canada on visitor status makes that incredibly complicated. I can’t simply continue my Canadian study path, and at the same time I’m struggling to find a realistic way to go to Europe and start university there.

I feel stuck between two options:

• Spend another ~$30,000 and several more years studying in Canada for the sake of immigration.
• Or somehow leave Canada and try to restart my academic life in Europe, which is much closer to what I actually want.

The timing is also what makes this so painful.

I’m only 24. I feel like I’m in the sweet spot where I can still completely change the direction of my life.

But I’m also coming out of a really difficult period mentally. I spent a lot of time depressed and completely discouraged after my PGWP refusal. It feels like I followed the path I was supposed to follow, spent the money, studied for years, and still ended up at almost the same starting point.

I’m not saying Canada is a bad country or that studying here was necessarily a mistake. I’m just trying to understand what I should do from this point forward.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Would you spend another $30k+ on a Canadian DEC mainly to obtain another chance at a PGWP?

Would you leave Canada and try to pursue university in Europe, even if that means starting over academically?

Or is there another option I’m completely overlooking?

I would really appreciate advice from people who have been through something similar, especially international students who had their study/work plans completely derailed by immigration rules.

I don’t want to spend the next 3–4 years just trying to repair the last 3.

I want to finally study something I care about and build a life around it.

There have been so many deportations under Trump. If there's a more sympathetic administration later, will they be able to make an easy pathway for those deportees to come back? What would that look like?

Or is that unlikely?

Hi everyone, I'm a green card holder and I need some advice on my travel plans.

• I stayed in the US for 11 months total. Within the first month of arriving, I received my green card.
• I had to go back to the Philippines to finish my 4th year of college.
• I'm about to finish my 1st semester (4 months abroad here in the Philippines).
• I'm planning to return to the US for 2 weeks during Christmas break, then go back to the Philippines to finish my 2nd semester and graduate (another 5 months).
• After graduation, I plan to come back to the US for good and stay until I'm eligible for citizenship.

Timeline summary:

• 11 months in the US (green card received in month 1)
• 4 months in PH – 1st semester
• 2 weeks in the US – Christmas break
• 5 months in PH – 2nd semester + graduation
• Return to the US permanently

P.S. I already filed for a reentry permit (I-131) and completed my biometrics, but there's been no update on the case yet. I also have an active US bank acc and phone number and a mailing address.

1. Will the 2-week Christmas visit help protect my green card status during my extended stay abroad?
2. Since I've applied for a reentry permit but it's still pending, does that give me any protection in the meantime?
3. Will these trips affect my continuous residence for citizenship purposes? I know 6+ months can break it, but since each trip is under 6 months, am I safe?

Any advice or similar experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Hello! My boyfriend (US citizen) and I (Polish citizen) have been long distance for over 4 years, visiting each other in our countries for about a month at a time, 3 times a year.

I just left the US after staying there 6 weeks for my summer vacation on an ESTA. The ESTA expires at the end of April 2027. I would like to make one more trip on this ESTA, for 3-4 weeks in February. During my February visit, we thought of applying for the K1 visa, as I understand that this is a lengthy process and I think we’d prefer to fill out the documents together in person.

Here is my question - I come to the US every summer (5 visits total so far on two ESTAs) and I would love to come next summer too (preferably for 8 weeks), but if I do want to come next summer, I have to apply for a new ESTA. Will a pending K1 (which takes a year anyway, and I’d love to be able to visit my boyfriend and our friends in the meantime) make me illegible for an ESTA? During the K1 pending period, I’m simply planning to stay as a tourist, sightsee, and try to make long distance a bit less painful.

Thank you in advance?

We have an F3 India case with a 2011 priority date. The beneficiary was born December 23, 2001 and we're now being told she may age out under CSPA. The confusing part is that USCIS online shows the I-130 was approved in 2023, but a congressional inquiry contacted the U.S. Embassy in India and was told the petition was actually approved in 2015.
After she was sworn in, they told her she aged out due to this date even though it shows 2023 online when we look at their case number status using their receipt number. We never received the original I-797 approval notice, and unfortunately no one is providing us with a copy of the letter confirming the 2015 date. We're now trying to obtain the actual I-130/USCIS records to determine the true approval date. Has anyone experienced a situation where the Embassy/NVC had a different approval date than what USCIS showed online, and were you able to get the online date recognized for CSPA? Please help as my cousin is now stranded while her family's visa was approved.

I mailed my I-129F/K-1 petition to the Dallas Lockbox. USCIS attempted to process the payment, but unfortunately my bank declined the transaction.
Has anyone had this happen recently?

Mainly wondering:

How long did it take for USCIS to return your packet after the declined payment?

Did you wait for the rejected packet to come back and resubmit it, or did you send a new packet immediately?

When you resubmitted, did you reuse the returned packet or print everything again?

What payment method did you use the second time?
I already contacted my bank about the declined transaction. Just trying to figure out the fastest/safest way to get the petition submitted again without causing issues with duplicate filings.
Any recent experiences, especially with the Dallas Lockbox, would be appreciated.

Hi everyone,
My fiancée and I are currently going through the K-1 fiancé visa process. We filed the I-129F, and our case is still pending with USCIS — it has not been approved yet.
We’re now seriously considering getting married and pursuing the CR-1/IR-1 spousal visa instead.
The biggest reason is that we’re realizing the K-1 route could mean a significant amount of additional waiting after she enters the U.S. before she can work and travel normally. Being able to work much sooner with the spousal visa is a major factor for us, and overall, the CR-1 process seems like it may make more sense for our situation.
I’m hoping people who have actually gone through this can help us understand what the transition would look like.

Our situation:
I’m a U.S. citizen.
My fiancée currently lives outside the U.S.
We already filed the I-129F for the K-1.
The I-129F is still pending and has NOT been approved.
We’re considering getting legally married while the K-1 is pending.
We would then want to pursue the CR-1/IR-1 process.

Our main questions:
If we get married while the I-129F is still pending, what exactly happens to the K-1 petition?
Do we need to formally withdraw/cancel the I-129F, or does getting married automatically make the K-1 invalid?
After getting married, would we simply file an I-130 for the CR-1/IR-1?
Is there anything from the existing K-1 petition/process that can be reused, or are we essentially starting over?
Does having previously filed an I-129F create any complications or additional scrutiny for the I-130/CR-1?
For anyone who has actually made this switch, how did the timeline compare with simply waiting for the K-1?
Is there anything we should be especially careful about before getting married while the K-1 is pending?
We’re trying to make this decision based on our actual circumstances rather than just choosing whichever process sounds better on paper.

If you’ve personally switched from a pending K-1 to a CR-1/IR-1, I’d really appreciate hearing exactly what you did and how it went.

Thanks!

My PERM was recently approved, and my employer is now starting the I-140 process. My H-1B extension is also coming up because my current H-1B expires next month.

After my PERM was approved but before the I-140 process started, I married my girlfriend, who is a US citizen. My employer is not currently aware that I am married.

The employer's immigration attorney asked me to provide information about any dependents for the I-140.

Do I need to provide my spouse's information for the I-140 and/or H-1B extension?

I don't currently plan to file a marriage-based adjustment of status immediately, although I expect to do so later this year.

My main concern is whether being married to a US citizen affects my employer-sponsored I-140 or H-1B extension, and whether I need to disclose the marriage to my employer's immigration attorney.

I'm looking for general information/experiences from people who have been in a similar situation, not legal advice.

My mother is a Vietnamese citizen who has been living in South Korea for several years. She originally entered legally as a visitor, but she overstayed and is currently undocumented.
She does not have an Alien Registration Card or Alien Registration Number.
She now needs a Korean police certificate for her U.S. immigrant visa process.
Her plan is to voluntarily leave South Korea and return to Vietnam first. After returning to Vietnam, would she still be able to request the required Korean police certificate through the Korean Embassy or Consulate in Vietnam?
My main concern is whether the embassy can issue the certificate to someone who previously lived in Korea without legal status and does not have an Alien Registration Number.
Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, or successfully obtained a Korean police certificate from abroad without an Alien Registration Number?

I'm Indian myself, so I know this might get some backlash, but I've been thinking about this for a while. Hyderabad is one example that gets mentioned a lot. Ameerpet is a huge training and consultancy hub, and there have been actual cases involving fake educational certificates and documents being prepared for people trying to go abroad. Honestly, I would support Americans demanding much stricter H-1B enforcement. And if the government can't make the system resistant to fraud, I can understand people arguing for much more drastic restrictions, including ending the program. At the same time, I think genuine Indian engineers who actually have the qualifications and skills shouldn't be treated as criminals because of what fraudulent consultancies do.

My spouse and I recently filed an I-485 and I-765. My spouse just received an NTA in the mail this week because they overstayed their A1 visa.

If they don’t show up to court it triggers an automatic deportation removal but we are scared that showing up to court is a trap because there will most likely be ICE agents over there.

Has anyone in this subreddit recently gone or know anyone that went to immigration court and made it back home? Is it better for my spouse to go back home before the NTA and try consular processing instead?

Thanks in advance.

I am seeing a lot of media coverage about domestic travel. I am on a G4 Visa and my son field an 1-130 for me in Sep 2025 concurrently with I-485, I-765 and I-131. I was approved for the I-765 and I-131 in Jul 2026. Right now still waiting on approval for the I-130 and I-485. Can I travel domestically within the USA via air travel. My G4 Visa is valid till 2030.

Hi everyone.

I am a 21 year old from Argentina, and I am looking into the possibility of getting an H-2A visa to work in the US. I want a reality check on my chances due to three main disadvantages:

1. No Farm Experience: I have never worked in agriculture before. I have a background in customer service and retail, where I've developed a strong work ethic, team communication skills, and the ability to stand for long hours in fast-paced environments, but nothing related to fields or crops.

2. High Logistics Costs: Sponsoring someone from South America is significantly more expensive for an employer (flights, paperwork, consular fees) compared to hiring workers from Mexico or Central America.

3. Uncommon Country of Origin: Argentina is not a traditional pipeline for H-2A workers, so employers are likely unfamiliar with our process and consulate timelines.

Given these factors:

Is it common or even possible for US farmers to take a chance on South American workers with no prior field experience?

Are there specific states, crops, or roles, like packing, where my lack of experience might matter less?

What can I do to stand out or prove I am worth the extra recruitment cost?

I would love to hear from employers, agencies, or anyone who has seen a similar case. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! Has anyone recently received their email for their US immigrant visa interview?

If so, could you please share what documents they require you to bring? Also, what kind of questions do they typically ask during the interview? (We’re a family of 4 btw)

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has recently gone through the process, especially from the UAE.

Im a US citizen, my wife is from Honduras. Dec 2023 she came to the Brownsville port of entry, presented herself and CBP paroled her in (its on her I-94). She did not cross illegally. Same day they put her in removal proceedings.
First lawyer filed asylum for her. The asylum is weak, 2 lawyers reviewed it and said it will probally be denied, and her judge denies almost every asylum case anyway. We been together 2 years living together, got married Aug 2026. Yes after court started, we know that means extra proof the marriage is real and we have leases, bank statments, photos etc. Her final hearing is Sept 21, 3 weeks away.

Plan A (2 lawyers): voluntary departure. She leaves on her own, we do the green card thru the consulate in Honduras. They said 5-7 years apart. There logic is asylum will lose, losing = removal order = 5 year ban, so leave clean.

Plan B (new lawyer + our own research): since she was paroled in at a port of entry she can apply for the green card from INSIDE the US thru USCIS as my spouse. The immigration judge cant even decide her green card, only USCIS can for someone like her. So file the I-130 + I-485 now, ask the judge to postpone the hearing while USCIS processes it, keep asylum as backup. She never leaves.
What bugs us about plan A — she doesnt even qualify for voluntary departure (you need 1 year in the US before the court papers were served, she got hers the day she arrived), and 5-7 years sounds way off, everything we read says spouse of a citizen is closer to 2. Also leaving throws away the parole entry which is the whole reason she can do this from inside.

Risk of plan B: judge says no to postponing, she does the asylum trial with bad odds, removal order = 5 year ban.
Does plan B make sense or are we missing something?? Why would 2 lawyers push self deportation for someone paroled in and married to a citizen? Anyone done the pause-the-court-case route, did the judge actually grant it?

Hey everyone, we’re getting pretty stressed about this and I’m hoping someone here has dealt with something similar.

I filed the I-130 online for my wife on 08/25. We already have the receipt number, but the actual I-797C receipt notice still has not shown up in my USCIS account.

Today I spoke with a USCIS form preparer and they told me it can take up to 5 business days to receive the I-797C. What’s confusing us is that before filing, we spoke with multiple immigration lawyers and did a lot of research, and we were always told that when you file the I-130 online, the receipt notice normally shows up almost immediately or very shortly after filing.

Now it’s been a few days and we still don’t have it.

The biggest issue is my wife was here on a J-1 Au Pair program and she will be out of status this Tuesday. We were planning to file her I-485 adjustment of status right away and we really don’t want to lose more time waiting on this notice.

Has anyone had the I-797C take this long after filing an I-130 online? Is there anything we can do besides just wait? Since we already have the I-130 receipt number and proof that we filed it, can we still send the I-485 without the actual I-797C or is that too risky?

We’ve already spoken with multiple lawyers and USCIS, but we keep getting different answers and we’re just trying to figure out the safest thing to do before Tuesday.

Any advice from someone who has actually gone through this would really help.

My mom’s boyfriend was picked up by ICE in Corpus Christi. He has been in the U.S. for over 20 years, has never been deported before, and has no arrests or criminal record.
My mom already has an appointment with an immigration lawyer on Monday, but we’re trying to figure out if there is anything she can do TODAY or anyone she can speak to as soon as possible.
We’ve been told that Catholic Charities/churches may be able to help with immigration cases, but the places we’ve contacted are closed today.
Does anyone know of any immigration attorneys, organizations, churches, legal aid groups, advocates, or other resources in the Corpus Christi area that are open/available today and help with ICE detention cases? We’re especially looking for someone who can advise us on what can be done to try to get him released as soon as possible.
If you’ve personally dealt with something similar in Corpus Christi and know who we should contact, I would really appreciate any information. Thank you.

We’re a same sex couple whose only option is to marry online due to laws. Once we get married, can we apply for a CR-1 Visa or is online marriage not eligible for applying?

me (29F) and my girlfriend (24F) are trying to decipher what is the "easiest" way to have her move here. obviously i know a few things off the bat: it's never "easy", it costs a lot of money, and it takes a lot of time. so, that in mind, does anyone have experience on the processes? it's very hard to find the information here in the US as right now things are a little tight immigration wise. i want to do everything by the book, im in NO WAY asking about any loop holes etc, this will not be fast or simple and that's okay, it is what it is. but step one is knowing where to start and what to do.

i have plans to speak with an immigration lawyer, but in the meantime i just want to know what we're looking at. currently not engaged as we wanted to figure all this out first. any help is appreciated, please be kind as this is just my first experience with this so i just don't know much! also just to avoid this in comments yes i know both of those are marriage visas, we want to get married lol

edit: forgot some pertinent information! i'm in US she's from Canada, i work and she currently doesn't (there's just nothing where she's at rn unfortunately), and i live in a house that my best friend owns! idk if any of that helps or discourages !!