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

I've got a friend that arrived in the US in January 2026 on an EB3 visa. She seems to have adjusted surprisingly well and already has her permanent resident card and just bought a new car. She is an RN. The issue is her work hours are insane. 16 hour days, and very, very busy. I am somewhat familiar with the outfit she works for, and they don't have a very good reputation. She would like to find employment elsewhere (still as a RN). She is aware she will have to buy her way out of her contract, which is 2 or 3 years (I don't remember which). I don't have a lot of other details. What are the immigration ramifications if she does this? Should she wait 6 months? A year? I don't think it would be smart for her to start asking her employer about a buyout just 3 months into her contract, but I want to help her understand her options.

Today I logged in to start my I-130 filing process and was kind of surprised to see that instead of going through the guided online process, I could just upload a completed I-130 pdf.

Ive never seen anyone mention you could do this. Every time someone mentions filing online they seem to mean the guided step-by-step method.

I know the guided method helps you along and "error-checks", but other than that is there any reason not to do the pdf upload? Is everything else the same, like upload directions for passport/marriage cert/I-130A, and then Additional Bonafide evidence? Do you still get the instant receipt?

Ive read about glitches in the guided system but ultimately chose to file online because I didnt like losing control of how things would look if I sent the paper version for scanning. Now that I see you can upload a completed I-130 pdf, I wonder why no one mentions it. Seems like the happy medium between paper filing and the full guided online system.

Thanks for any advice!

Hi everyone, I hope you re all doing well.

I m in a very confusing situation and would really appreciate any advice or insight.

We are living in the Middle East, and because of the war and the embassy shutdown, we asked the NVC if it would be possible to transfer our immigrant visa interview from Jordan to the U.S. Embassy in London. We explained that my spouse only has a tourist visa for the UK. The NVC accepted the transfer and scheduled the interview in London.

Since then, we have been trying to contact the London embassy to confirm whether they will actually process the case, since my spouse does not have permanent status in the UK and only holds a tourist visa. Their response has been that this decision will only be made at the interview and will depend on the consular officer.

This puts us in a very difficult position. We would need to travel to London, complete the medical exam there, and spend a lot of money without knowing whether the case will even be processed.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, or does anyone know what we can do? If the embassy in Jordan is still closed for immigrant visa processing, is it even possible to transfer the case back there? Right now, we feel stuck in a very uncertain situation.

Hello, this case is about family-based Adjustment of Status (AOS).

I am currently on OPT, and my husband has been a green card holder for three years. I came to the United States on an F-1 visa about three years ago to study at the same university he attended. At that time, we were dating we have actually known each other since we were about 15 years old.

About a year later, during a school break when we returned to our home country, we got engaged and then came back to the United States. A few months after that, we traveled home again and had a ceremony with family and friends. However, we did not officially register the marriage at that time because the legal process in our country requires certain steps, such as medical tests, and we did not have enough time to complete them.

After the ceremony, we returned to the United States, and about five months later, we legally registered our marriage. It has now been four months since our legal marriage and nine months since my last entry into the United States. My husband now intends to petition for my green card.

At the time of our marriage, we were uncertain whether we wanted to settle in the United States or return to our home country, so we did not file a petition immediately. However, after beginning my OPT and consideration, we are thinking of building our future in the United States.

I would like to know whether this situation could cause any issues with my AOS application. I would really appreciate any advice you could provide.

Hi everyone, I m seeking advice on a tricky situation. My wife originally entered the U.S. on a G-5 visa, which is technically still considered active as far as we know. After we got married, we filed the I-485 for her adjustment of status. Currently, her I-485 is under active review by USCIS. However, her mother is critically ill in the Dominican Republic, and my wife is worried she won t see her in time. We want to know what steps (if any) can be taken to allow emergency travel during this process. Does she attempt to travel on the G-5 (if it s still valid), or does the pending adjustment change her status? I m worried about leaving and disrupting the process. G-5 situations seem rare, and many lawyers don t have experience with them. Has anyone faced something similar or have advice on how to handle travel or paperwork in this scenario?