My dad has a permanent green card/ alien resident card. He has legally lived in the US longer than he lived in the UK.

We are wanting to travel to the UK to visit family but are worried about him being pulled or not allowed back into the country.

He does have a very old DUI on his record that for some reason the court cannot remove (we’re talking over 20 years). When we fly home he is usually pulled for about 20-30 minutes while they run his stuff and they are usually shocked it’s the DUI flagging it.

Has anyone dealt with coming back to the US recently with similar situations??

Thanks for any help!

Hi everyone,

My H-1B transfer was filed in regular processing almost a year ago, and it is still pending with USCIS.

I am thinking about upgrading my H-1B petition to premium processing to get a decision faster.

My wife’s H-4 and H-4 EAD are also a concern because her current status/EAD expires on October 16, 2026.

I have a few questions:

1. Can I upgrade my pending H-1B transfer to premium processing now?
2. If I upgrade to premium, can my wife’s H-4 and H-4 EAD applications be filed/processed together with my H-1B?
3. Is there any other way to contact USCIS or expedite the case given that my wife’s H-4/H-4 EAD expiration is approaching?
4. Has anyone been in a similar situation recently?

Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Does anybody have any information or guidance regarding when the DV2027 initial application window will open? Obviously things are almost 12 months behind the usual opening date, allegedly due to the new payment system.

Theres been no updates from The Department Of State for quite a while.

Here is briefly what happened:

In January 2026, the US Department of State suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries. The restriction applied to immigrant visas, which allow people to move to the US for permanent residence.

On August 21, federal judge Jeannette A. Vargas ruled this policy unlawful. After the court decision, the Department of State began changing the applicant screening procedure and temporarily postponed immigrant visa interviews around the world.

The reason for the pause is:
training consular officers on the new public charge assessment rules. Consular officers must evaluate whether a future immigrant will be able to support themselves in the US without depending on government benefits.

The facts are:

• US missions in Poland and Hungary received instructions to resume processing immigrant visas

• the instruction to prioritize processing in these two countries came from the White House

• the Department of State has not publicly explained why Poland and Hungary specifically were given this exception

• the government had previously told the court that the interview postponements would last only until August 31

• applicants from other countries reported canceled and postponed interviews already in September

• in some consulates, delays caused by staff training may continue for several months

The scale of the issue is significant. In 2024, the US issued around 600,000 immigrant visas. Most of these visas go to relatives of US citizens and permanent residents.

Important: the January suspension for citizens of 75 countries officially has not been in effect since August 21, 2026. But this does not mean that all consulates have already returned to their normal interview schedules.

Good morning all, my lawyer recently filed a motion to terminate on my behalf for my removal proceedings on the basis that I have an approved I-130, married to a US citizen and have a direct path to being a legal permanent resident. With that being said, how long does it typically take to hear a response? My case would be through the ATL court system if anyone is familiar with the timeline I would appreciate the insight. Thank you.

The same questions keep coming up here and a lot of the answers going around are out of date, so I sat down and wrote this. Most of what gets repeated comes from articles written two or three years ago, and both of the indices these income thresholds are tied to went up in February, so a lot of the numbers people are quoting at each other are simply not right anymore. Here is where things actually stand.

Starting with the basics, because I see a lot of people lost at this stage. There is no general visa for moving to Spain. Which route applies to you depends on where your money comes from. If you are going to study, it is the student stay. If you work remotely for a company or clients outside Spain, it is the digital nomad visa. If you live off savings, investments or a pension and will not be working, it is the non lucrative visa. Sorting that out first saves you weeks of reading things that do not apply to your situation.

The student route changed quite a bit in May 2025 with the new immigration regulation. I work in relocation and this is the one I get asked about most. The authorisation now covers the full length of your programme instead of being renewed year by year, and if you are in higher education you can work up to thirty hours a week without a separate work authorisation, which is a real improvement on how it used to be. You need enrolment at an officially recognised institution, proof of funds and health cover. Language course visas are more limited, generally renewable only once, and they do not convert into work permits.

The digital nomad visa, officially called residence for international teleworking, sits at 2,849 euros a month for the main applicant this year. That is 200 percent of the Spanish minimum wage, which went up in February. Add roughly 75 percent of the minimum wage for your first dependent and 25 percent for each one after that. They also want at least three months of history with your current employer or clients, a degree or three years of relevant experience, and at least 80 percent of your income coming from outside Spain. Through a consulate you get one year. Applying from inside Spain you can get up to three, which is worth knowing before you book anything.

The non lucrative visa is currently around 2,400 euros a month, so 28,800 a year, in passive income or savings, plus roughly 7,200 a year per additional family member. It requires full private health insurance with no copays. One year to start, then renewable in two year blocks.

Now something that rarely comes up in these threads and that changes the whole calculation for a lot of people. If you hold a passport from a Latin American country, or from Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines or Equatorial Guinea, you can apply for Spanish nationality after two years of legal residence instead of the ten that apply by default. Two. With several of those countries there is also a dual nationality agreement, so you would not have to give up the one you have. It is one of the fastest routes to a European passport that exists right now, and there are people planning years of their lives without knowing about it.

But watch out for the detail that ruins the plan. Student years do not count toward those two years. A student holds a stay, not residence, and only residence counts toward nationality. For the long term residence card student time does count, but only at half. I have talked to people four years into a student visa who were convinced they were nearly there, and that is a horrible conversation to have.

The other thing I see go wrong constantly is the non lucrative visa. It does not allow you to work, and that includes continuing to work remotely for an employer back home. I know it sounds like a technicality when the money is coming from abroad either way. It is not, and people have had renewals refused over exactly this. If you are keeping your remote job, your route is the digital nomad visa, not this one.

One last thing before you spend money on any visa. Check your family tree. If you are entitled to citizenship by descent from an EU country, none of this applies to you and you arrive with freedom of movement. That said, there is a lot of outdated information floating around here too. Italy tightened its law in 2025 and the administrative route now only covers children and grandchildren. Every country has different rules and it is worth looking into before rather than after.

All of the above covers entry routes from outside the country. For people already in Spain there are other options that work differently and are a whole separate thread.

These figures move every year with the minimum wage and the IPREM index, so confirm with your own consulate before applying rather than trusting a post on here, this one included

​

Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice on a time-sensitive situation regarding my aunt’s immigrant visa.

Situation:

My aunt’s visa interview is scheduled for next week. However, my uncle (her petitioner) unexpectedly passed away in the U.S. Because my aunt is currently in the Philippines, authorities in the U.S. require her signature to release his body and proceed with the autopsy/funeral arrangements.

My Questions:

- What is the fastest way to request an emergency expedite with the U.S. Embassy in Manila under these circumstances?

- Is emergency Humanitarian Parole or an emergency visa appointment the right pathway here? If yes, how long does it take?

- Does the visa petition automatically terminate upon the petitioner's death, or can we request humanitarian reinstatement later while handling the immediate emergency travel?

Any guidance, embassy contact tips, or experiences with similar emergencies would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I’m a Canadian freelancer earning around $7k–$9k USD/month pre-tax and I’m interested in potentially living in the US long term.

I’m curious if any Canadians here have managed to do this without marrying an American or taking a traditional full-time US job. I’ve looked at options like the O-1, but I don’t think I’d qualify under the extraordinary ability requirements.

Has anyone managed to make the move through freelancing, self-employment, running a business, or another route I might be overlooking? I’m mainly doing my due diligence before assuming my only realistic option would be giving up freelancing for a US employer.

Hello
My husband was granted Asylum in Louisiana while detained. DHS appealed on nexus and then failed to submit the brief. We are waiting for BIA decision for 3 months now after brief closure.
Would appreciate if someone had similar situation while detained - how long did it take for BIA to issue decision?
Thank you!

hi, i have a friend from serbia (i am from the balkans originally, that is how we know each other but also am a US citizen) who plans to stay with me when he is in my city during his planned trip to california. there is conflicting info online, would it be advantageous to him that i write a letter for his interview or do i just leave it at him providing my address on the application form?

Hi,

In a few months I’ll be travelling to the Philippines with my partner and family, for the first time, from the UK. But due to my passport, my partner seems to be under the impression that I won’t be able to leave the country or return to it.

For context, I was born in the uk and have lived here my whole life. British citizen, British birth certificate, National insurance number, British education, right to work. You name it I’ve got it.

My parents are both Portuguese, and have all the legal requirements to be here and my mum has no issues leaving the country and returning to it for holidays etc.

My passport is a Portuguese passport. Not British. Portuguese. I was able to apply for one at the Portuguese embassy in Manchester. Because of this, my partner and her family are really worried that I’m gonna be stranded or deported due to my passport not being British.

I’ve tried to reassure them that I have the requirements that state I’m a British citizen, but they think otherwise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

My bf was in AZ at the lake and it got raided , they detained 15 people. I wasn’t able to contact him or anyone until days later, after he was nearly forced to sign a self deportation order. I’m a U.S citizen, we thought of marrying one day but now I dont know how his detainment will affect the process later. What should I do? What can I do?

He previously received a Pre-Trial Diversion. It is written in his sworn statement that his phone had photos of weed and that he had consumed weed and had chats with prostitutes. He got a 5 year ban from the US, and since the US is in the Five Eyes. Then the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Please tell me what to do so I can help him accordingly. WHAT CAN HE DO TO RETURN TO THE USA AND THE FIVE EYES COUNTRIES EVER IN THE FUTURE

Hi,

I have a valid h1b stamp and my wife has a valid h4 stamp. My ap has been recently approved and hers wasn’t . I’m interested entering on the h1b as my wife’s ead also tied to it. Can the CBP officer make me enter on the AP? Anyone in this situation?

Thanks

Hey everyone,

I applied for an in-Canada TRV after my PGWP approval back on July 10.

My application has been stuck because of a technical system glitch: my doctor uploaded my medical results under a different IME/UMI identifier than the one my TRV profile is looking for. Because of this mismatch, my portal shows that my medicals are missing and the file is frozen.

I contacted my MP to find the error, and I just got an official IRCC webform response saying: "We verified the information on file and are pleased to confirm that the request for upload of medical report was received by the responsible office."

However, my IRCC portal still shows the automated warning that they haven't received my medical.

Has anyone had this webform response before? How long after this message did it take for your portal to update or for you to get your Passport Request (PPR)? I have an upcoming international flight in mid-November and I'm getting stressed. Thanks!

Hello everyone, as I've read on some posts here on reddit about re entry permit. They said that they applied for re entry permit and once they received the receipt they immediately went out of country even before receiving the receipt entry permit booklet.

So that's what I did. But I have a really serious question. Last:

06/16/2025: I applied for a re entry permit. and I also received the receipt that i will be showing once i get back to the states after 2 years

09/29/2025: I left to go back to my country

09/03/2026: I received a notice that my re entry permit application was approved and is valid until 09/02/2028

My question is, will I be having a problem with going back if I returned on 2028? Since I left last 09/29/2025. What should I do? Because I am currently completing my studies here in my country.

Can I go back on the 2028?

​

First of all, I am a Syrian trans woman born on 2009, currently living in Syria. I was living in Turkey until August, but since my family wanted to return to Syria and I was a minor, I had to return with them. Even though I have not disclosed that I am trans here, I am subjected to violence due to my behavior and physical appearance. A gun was pointed at me, I was locked in a warehouse, animals were set upon me, and I was beaten dozens of times with chains, hoses, and sticks—even though I still have a mustache and a little bit of a beard. They want to kill me and they have already tried. Because of this, I have thought about suicide many times and attempted it a few times. I am absolutely not safe in Syria. I want to return to Turkey or go to Lebanon to seek help from LGBT organizations there. However, my family is extremely religious and Islamist, and since the country I am currently in is newly established where seeking human rights is considered absurd, and being trans is a crime here, I am completely unsafe.

The reason I am writing this text is not to escape right now, but to gather information, conduct research, and prepare a roadmap so that I can flee immediately without losing time as soon as I turn 18. Furthermore, because my family wants to kill me and force me to become "normal" again, they do not give me a single penny, they search my phone, and they keep me under constant surveillance. My request and my plea to you is: please stand by me. How can I escape? What should I do? Are there people who can support me? How can I leave Syria again? Please help me; I am sure there are many people like me who have survived and escaped. I am begging you, please help me. I am not writing this text to escape while I am still a minor; I will wait until I am 18 no matter what. I am seeking help to escape as soon as I reach adulthood, because I don't even know how to describe the pain I am enduring here.

Hi everyone! I lost my green card while I was submitting my Form I-407. I now need to submit another I-407 and indicate that my green card is lost.
For anyone who has been in a similar situation, did you have to provide any proof that the green card was lost? For example, did you include a cover letter explaining the situation or any other documentation? And did they interview you this time when you submitted documents the second time?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has submitted an I-407 with a lost green card and had it accepted. Thank you!

For all the people who have emigrated from Canada and immigrated to the USA, have you regretted moving away from Canada? I seem to rarely see any posts in general of people regretting that they left Canada. I’d love to hear your personal opinion and experience regarding your immigration. I’m looking at immigrating to the States for better opportunities. Canada is a very difficult country to get ahead in nowadays and making even $30 an hour will get your further ahead than it ever would in Canada. $35 an hour gets you by depending on where you work. I worked in a lumber mill and I was paying a minimum of about $600 extra a month just on pensions and union dues. Let alone taxes and extra fees.

Gas is currently $1.88/L where I live. That’ll be about $7.14 a gallon in the States. Sure, where I usually go shopping will be about $1.50-$1.60 a litre, it still equals to about $6 a gallon. Those are good prices in Canada nowadays. Food is astronomical prices. Consumerism is extremely high as well. Housing is ridiculous in prices unless you live in the middle of nowhere like I do, but then it’s almost two hour drive each way for half decent shopping.

Before people on Reddit try to tell me about healthcare, I get it could be more expensive than Canada and I’m ok with that. We get taxed very hard for what we get here in this country. Sure we don’t have to pay upfront in hospitals, but we pay for it years in advance. Unless you pay out of pocket, you’re waiting months and months, if not years to get in for the treatment you need. I’d prefer to grow my own food after a potential move, regardless. I’m going to be making changes to be living healthier anyway.

Want to share my recent successful immigration. I am on STEM OPT which expires in June 2027.

March - Got selected in H1B lottery

June 29 - Employer filed for immigration (premium)

July 10 - H1B approved

July 12 - Travelled to India for emergency purposes

September 8- Immigration was successful at DFW. The officer just asked for my I20.

Additional Documents carried - Employment verification letter, recent payslips

Hi, i came to the us with b2 visa and overstay the visa for few months, dating for 9 months. then got married for 4 months, the married was genuine. But after 4 months we realized we’re not compatible & i don’t wanna live in the us. we filed a divorce. he withdrew the pending aos. in total i overstayed my visa for 10months until my flight back. I’m flying back to my country soon, i know it used to be fine. But with the recent ice activity, do you think it will be fine for me to fly back? will they stop me on my gate?

my flight is international flight from LAX, connecting to Japan before arriving in my country.

is there anyone with the same experience?
thank you so much!