Free US immigration self-help guides, example forms, community discussion, case tracking & estimated approval dates!

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to request professional guidance regarding my ongoing EB-3 employment-based immigration case. I would like an independent review of my situation, as well as advice on whether it is reasonable or possible to place my case on hold, or whether continuation at this stage poses a high financial and immigration risk.

Below is a clear timeline of my case:

July 31, 2023: I signed an EB-3 contract with an immigration agency.
August 3, 2023: The agency sent me their internal application form, which I completed and returned.
October 21, 2023: I submitted my IELTS certificate, which was the final required document.
November 3, 2023: The agency presented three job offers.
November 5, 2023: We had a video call and selected one of the offers (Hotel Receptionist).
November 6, 2023: I completed and submitted the employer s job forms.
December 16, 2023: We received PERM/ETA approval.
September 11, 2025: We received the next approval notice from the immigration authority.
September 14, 2025: We had a video call with the agency. During this call, we learned for the first time that the job position had been changed from Hotel Receptionist to Sandwich Maker at a fast-food franchise. This change had not been communicated to us earlier.
September 16, 2025: We submitted our newborn daughter s passport to the agency.
October 15, 2025: A staff member informed us that a payment was due. We asked them to provide the exact amount, as discussed during the video call.
No amount was provided.
November 29, 2025: The agency again contacted us requesting payment, even though they had still not given us the amount due.

Current problem:
We are being asked to make a final payment, which is financially extremely difficult for our family at this time. Due to recent public announcements by President Trump regarding stricter policies toward immigrants from third-world countries, especially Iran, we are very concerned about the actual likelihood of visa approval under the EB-3 category.

Proceeding now would require selling our home and moving with our newborn to live with family, which poses a major financial and personal risk. On the other hand, if we stop now, we may lose all funds already paid.

Because of this, I am seeking professional clarification on the following:

1. Is it possible to place an EB-3 case on hold until the U.S. immigration policy landscape becomes clearer?

2. If the PERM/ETA has an expiration date (March 2026), is there any legal way to preserve or extend the job offer for a later filing?

3. From a legal and practical perspective, does it appear too risky to continue given the current political climate and the job position change?

4. What would be the safest and most reasonable course of action at this stage to avoid major financial loss while retaining the possibility of future immigration?

Any guidance or evaluation you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and expertise.

Kind regards,

Hi everyone,

I'm preparing to file my EB2-NIW self-petition and could use some guidance on the expert recommendation letters. I've done my research on the Dhanasar framework and have most of my documentation ready, but I'm stuck on the letter strategy.

**My Background:**
- 30 years in enterprise architecture/technical infrastructure
- Currently Senior Technical Position
- Masters

**My Challenge:**
I need 5-7 recommendation letters total, with at least 3-4 from independent experts (people who can assess my work but haven't collaborated with me).

I have 2-3 possible letters from former employers/colleagues, but I need the independent expert letters and I'm hitting cost shock with the commercial services.

For 3-4 letters, that's potentially $1,800-$8,000 just for expert assessments.

**My Questions for Those Who've Been Approved:**

1. Did anyone successfully connect with university professors or independent experts directly, without using commercial EOL services? If so, how?

2. What outreach methods actually worked? (Cold email to university departments? LinkedIn? Professional associations? Something else?)

3. For those who used commercial services, which ones provided good value? Any you'd specifically recommend or avoid?

4. What's a fair compensation range if approaching professors directly? I'm happy to pay for their professional time, just trying to understand appropriate rates.

5. Were there specific academic fields or types of experts that were more responsive? (For example, did computer science professors respond better than business school professors?)

**What I'm NOT looking for:**
- 'Cheap' services (I understand the risks)
- Anything that could be considered fraudulent
- Template letters with no real assessment

I want to do this right and maintain full USCIS legitimacy while finding the most cost-effective path.

Really appreciate any insights from those who've successfully navigated this part of the process. Thanks in advance!

I am looking through some old posts for advice on the I-129F form...

This forum is a real blessing - thank you.

I am currently trying to bring my fianc to the U.S. from Cambodia.

This website and forum has made the confusing k1 visa process a little bit easier.

I just wanted to say thanks and hello!

Hey all;

Title sums it up - we filed concurrently, Adjustment of Status I-485, as well as for I-765 and I-131. Field Office will be San Antonio, Texas.

I don't want to sound impatient - not at all. I'm more just anxious as I see many cases (especially marriage-based) being put through to interview. I filed in June, but have heard nothing beyond "Case is still processing at USCIS".

I do ask EMMA and agents occasionally if I am at least in a queue for interview, but to no avail, I just get told it's still processing at NBC. All are still at NBC.

Should I be concerned? It's just a bit frustrating I guess, as I have no EAD and no hope of any movement on GC any time soon. I can deal with it, but I can't help but worry it's a bad sign?

Thank you.

on the tablet software, is there backspace or erase option?