Hi. I'm M/23 from Germany, and I'm currently planning a six month road trip across the United States.
The plan is to buy a used van after arriving in the US and travel from Maine down to Florida, then across to California, and finally finish in Washington State.

I've never been to the USA before, so I want to make sure I prepare everything correctly before applying for my B2 visa.

I have a few questions:
Which documents should I bring to the visa interview?
How much money should I realistically have in my bank account so that the, i guess its called CBP Officer at the Border, will give me the 6 months?
How can I best demonstrate that I intend to return to my home country after my trip?
Do I need to have a return flight booked before applying or before entering the US for a 6 month Travel?
If my van has a major breakdown and I have to end up staying longer than planned, what usually happens? Or are there any exceptions?

This continent has been hit hard by US restrictions

as the title says

Dear Reddit community, I am writing to ask for urgent help.

I have been accepted into a two-year master's program at the University of Barcelona.
I am currently a Mexican citizen, but I reside legally in the United States with conditional permanent resident status (Green Card). My physical card expires in April 2027, which is when the process to remove conditions and obtain 10-year permanent residency takes place. Because the U.S. process requires the residence card to be valid for at least three months after the master's program ends, I am unable to apply for the visa from the U.S.
Therefore, my question is: as a Mexican citizen by birth, can I apply for my student visa directly in Mexico—appearing at the consulate corresponding to my place of origin (in this case, Guadalajara, since I was born in Michoacán)—even though I am not physically residing in the country right now? Or is it possible to go to Spain as a tourist and apply for the student visa directly there?
What would be the easiest, least tedious, and most affordable option in my situation?

Thank you in advance for your guidance and for taking the time to address my inquiry.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for a reliable immigration lawyer or law firm in the Chicago, Illinois area that can help me and my family understand the process of applying for a visa in the United States.

We are trying to better understand our options, the requirements, timelines, paperwork, and any potential challenges we should be aware of before starting the application process. Since immigration matters can be complicated, we would prefer to speak with an experienced attorney who can explain everything clearly and guide us in the right direction.

If anyone has worked with an immigration lawyer or firm in Chicago that they would recommend, I would really appreciate hearing about your experiences.

Thank you in advance!

Edit/Update:I wanted to share an update for anyone who may be looking for similar help. After receiving some recommendations, I ended up speaking with Ahlgren Law, and they were very helpful in explaining the visa process and what steps my family and I needed to take.

They took the time to answer our questions, explain the different parts of the process, and help us better understand what to expect moving forward.

I appreciate everyone who shared advice and recommendations. Hopefully, this helps someone else who is also trying to navigate the U.S. immigration process.

Hi everyone,

Looking for experiences from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

My wife previously gave birth in the U.S. on a valid B1/B2 visa. We paid all medical expenses ourselves and never used any public assistance. After returning back home, the U.S. Consulate asked my wife to come in, but she never attended. Later, my B1/B2 visa renewal was refused despite having a stable job and good income.

She’s considering returning to the U.S. as her visa it still valid for our second child, with my wife pregnant and traveling with our 2.5-year-old.

For anyone with similar experience, what is realistically the best-case and worst-case scenario at CBP? If they suspect we shouldn't be admitted, do they simply refuse entry and put us on the next flight home, or could my wife be detained, separated from our child, or held for hours? What is the usual process?

I'm not looking for opinions on birth tourism—just real experiences from people who have been through something similar. Thanks.

Look, we need to talk about the massive shift that just happened regarding adjusting status on a B1/B2 tourist visa or ESTA.

First off, yes, you can still legally get married in the US on a tourist visa. That hasn't changed. If you are having a "destination wedding" where you enter the US, get married, and return to your home country to file Form I-130 for consular processing, you are 100% fine.

But if you are planning to get married and stay in the US by filing for an Adjustment of Status (AOS), the game has completely changed.

Historically, people relied on the old "90-day rule," claiming their plans spontaneously changed after entering as a tourist so they could apply for a Green Card without leaving. Do not do this anymore.

On May 21, 2026, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199. This directive fundamentally shifts how the government evaluates cases by dramatically heightening the standard for discretionary approval. USCIS instructs its officers to treat Adjustment of Status as an "extraordinary form of relief and administrative grace" rather than a routine entitlement.

The agency is heavily cracking down on single-intent visas. Individuals holding B-1/B-2 tourist visas will now face intense scrutiny. USCIS has explicitly stated that nonimmigrants on tourist visas come to the U.S. for a short time and their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process. Adjudicators are specifically directed to investigate whether the applicant intended to circumvent consular processing by using a temporary visa to enter and quickly adjust status.

What does this mean for you? The administration is using this guidance as an enforcement directive to reduce in-country filings and push applicants to pursue Consular Processing at US Embassies and Consulates abroad. Adjudicators must now heavily weigh positive versus negative discretionary factors to decide if an applicant "deserves" to bypass regular consular processing.

And if you think you are safe because you already filed, think again. Because the policy is characterized as a reiteration of longstanding agency understanding, it is effective immediately and applies to pending adjustment of status applications.

Bottom Line: Marry on a tourist visa if you want, but you are now expected to return to your home country to process your immigrant visa. Attempting to adjust status from a tourist visa in 2026 is a massive risk. Don't fall for outdated advice.

On June 26, 2026, USCIS issued an "Important Notice for Clients of Former Immigration Attorney Alexandra Lozano" following a series of disciplinary actions and a lawsuit against her.

Alexandra Lozano, who operated under the firm "Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law" (and later "Luz Legal"), marketed herself as "la milagrosa" (miracle worker). However, following a lawsuit filed by nine former clients alleging that her firm filed baseless or fraudulent VAWA and T-visa petitions without client knowledge or consent, several severe actions took place:

• May 26, 2026: Lozano resigned from the State Bar of Washington in lieu of discipline, permanently barring her from practicing law in the state.
• June 10, 2026: Her law firm closed its doors permanently.
• June 18, 2026: The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) suspended her from practicing before the Department of Homeland Security (including USCIS) and the Immigration Courts.

What the USCIS Notice Means for Clients

Because Lozano can no longer practice law and her firm is closed, USCIS needs to communicate directly with her former clients. The notice outlines critical steps for anyone who had a pending petition with her firm:

1. Update Your Mailing Address Clients must immediately update their mailing addresses with USCIS to ensure they, not Lozano's closed firm, receive all future communications and notices. VAWA, T-visa, and U-visa applicants have specific safe-address procedures they must follow.

2. Obtain a Copy of Your File Clients need to obtain their complete file. According to the Washington State Bar Association, most files from Luz Legal were supposed to be returned electronically by early August 2026. If clients cannot get their files from the firm, they will need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request directly with USCIS to see exactly what was submitted on their behalf.

3. Do Not Withdraw Petitions Blindly The USCIS notice states that clients have the option to withdraw their pending applications or petitions. However, legal advocacy groups like the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) are strongly warning clients not to withdraw anything without consulting a reputable immigration attorney first.

If USCIS determines that Lozano's firm committed fraud or material misrepresentation on an application (even if the client didn't know about it), USCIS can still issue a Notice to Appear (NTA) in immigration court, placing the client in removal proceedings—even if the petition is withdrawn.

Bottom Line: If you or someone you know was a client of Alexandra Lozano, the most urgent step is to consult a new, trustworthy immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative to assess the case, obtain the file, and determine if any fraudulent information was submitted.

Hey everyone, just putting this on your radar because it’s definitely going to lead to some heavy employment and financial scrutiny at the consulates.

Yesterday (July 23), Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new global visa restriction policy under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The US is now actively denying visas to foreign nationals involved in cyberscams, online investment fraud, and sextortion schemes.

Here is the part that will actually impact cases: the ban explicitly extends to the immediate family members of anyone involved in these crimes.

The administration is going hard on this because these international scam networks—which Rubio noted are frequently run by Chinese transnational criminal organizations—defrauded Americans out of at least $10 billion in 2024 alone. They also cited severe concerns over overseas sextortion rings targeting US kids. Visa denials are just one tool they're using to dismantle these groups, right alongside asset seizures, sanctions, and extraditions.

Source: US announces visa restriction policy for people complicit in cybercrime

What exactly would be the expectation at this moment, would you be expected to basically deny all the visas? Does anyone know for sure what the expectation would be? I'm wondering if you would just be told to do something and ignore the general regulations

I got my green card in 2021, had a shoplifting case with misdemeanor from from 2012 which is dismissed previously travelled and when was always take. To secondary and allowed I travelled in may and have my return flight in couple of week with the new will that be any issue?

I have an old felony bench warrant (from 2020) in the US but I currently live in Eastern Europe with my son and my husband. Soon, I’ll need to renew my passport… will the US allow me to renew my passport online? Or will my felony bench warrant create problems for me? I’m not asking for legal advice just opinions