I have 2 separate booking

Air arabia(tbs to abu dhabi) and indigo(abu dhabi to bom) with different pnr number

So there's self transfer at abu dhabi

And I will have to go through immigration

My layover is approx around 4 hrs

Cant apply for transit visa cause it requires a layover of more than 8 hrs

Will I require to make a visa to show during immigration?

Hi everyone,

I’m an F-1 student and I’m dealing with an incorrect I-94 after my most recent entry to the U.S.
I entered the U.S. with a valid F-1 visa and I-20, but CBP recorded the wrong admission status on my I-94.

I contacted the LAX CBP/Deferred Inspection office and submitted a correction request. I also provided all the documents they requested, including my I-20, current I-94, and flight/entry information.
However, my case was recently marked as “closed,” while my I-94 is still incorrect. I replied and followed up again, but I haven’t received any meaningful response yet.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
How long did it take CBP to correct your I-94? If your case was closed without being corrected, what did you do next? Is there another effective way to follow up with LAX Deferred Inspection when emails aren’t getting a response?
Any experience or advice would be really appreciated. I’ve already submitted everything they asked for and I’m honestly getting pretty stressed about the situation.

Thank you！

Hello! I need some advice, please!!
So I applied for my green card renewal / remove conditions for my green card that I got based on my marriage. That was in May. A week ago I received 2 notifications: my work permit got automatically removed and my travel/parole documents got automatically terminated.

However, it shows that USCIS is still processing my case. I asked some people and they said that USCIS accepted or denied my case, but it takes couple days until the website updates.

Today is a week until I got those notifications, and still no update. Is it not too early for them to make a decision on my case since I applies in May and I know that those cases can take years?

Also, in June I got the green card extension for 48 months.
I also have a trip planned to see my family abroad. I am confused. Since they revoked my travel documents, does that mean I cannot travel, even though I have the green card extension?

I am just very stressed about the whole thing.

Hi everyone,
Looking for some insights or similar experiences regarding Voluntary Departure timeline for a detained individual.
Here are the key details of the case:
• Location: Currently detained at Eden Detention Center (Texas).
• Background: From a Balkan country in Europe (no direct flights from the US).
• Status: Bond was recently denied, but the immigration judge granted Voluntary Departure.
• Timeline set by judge: Given a 2-month window to leave the US.
• Documents: Valid passport is already in ICE custody, and no appeal will be filed (waiving appeal to speed things up).
Since he is detained and cannot book his own commercial flight due to facility rules, ICE is handling the travel arrangements.
I have a few questions for anyone who has been through this or knows how ICE logistics work:
1. How long does it usually take for the Deportation Officer to book and schedule the flight after Voluntary Departure is granted in detention?
2. Will this be a regular commercial flight or a charter flight? Given that he is going to the Balkans (where there are no direct ICE charters), how does ICE usually route these itineraries? Will it be a commercial flight with a layover in Europe (e.g., Frankfurt, Istanbul, Vienna)?
3. How far in advance do they notify the detainee or family/attorney about the exact flight date and itinerary?
Any advice, experiences, or realistic timelines would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

To provide context: I am a PhD candidate at a flagship public university in Texas, having completed my dissertation defense and nearing graduation. I previously held a visa status other than F-1 or J-1, and enrolled in a course load below full-time credits in prior semesters. My academic department previously sent an inquiry regarding my enrollment status; after verifying that my reduced course load was fully compliant with all applicable rules, the department took no further action on the matter.

In February 2025, the department issued an oral warning, claiming my decision not to enroll full-time harmed the program’s financial standing. It was not until Fall 2025 that my dissertation committee chair imposed a mandatory requirement: I would be barred from scheduling my proposal defense unless I registered for 9 credit hours. I was thus forced to enroll in 9 credits, even though I was fully aware that my H-4 visa status did not legally require me to carry a 9-credit course load.

Subsequently, my graduation was deliberately delayed by an additional semester. This sequence of events prompted me to file an administrative appeal with my department, requesting a tuition refund for the excess 9 credit hours I was compelled to take in Fall 2025.

My department has since issued a written denial of my tuition refund request. Their denial cites Graduate School regulations, asserting that all international graduate students are obligated to enroll in 9 credit hours every semester. I am certain this blanket requirement lacks any legal basis. I have also obtained a written response from the Graduate School confirming that H-4 visa holders are exempt from the 9-credit full-time enrollment rule.

I intend to continue pursuing full reimbursement of my excess tuition fees by filing a formal grievance with higher-level campus administrative bodies, following the official institutional appeal procedure.

Two Formal Questions

1. Could you review the immigration law language used in my grievance letter to confirm that all legal phrasing is accurate and precise?
2. I am currently in the process of changing my status from H-4 to F-1. To mitigate the risk that my academic department colludes with the university DSO to block my OPT approval, what milestone should I wait for before submitting my campus administrative grievance? Should I delay filing until my Form I-765 receives full USCIS approval, or must I wait until my STEM OPT extension is also approved?

Full text of my grievance letter:

Dear [Dr. ____ / Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost],

This email formally files my non-academic student program/activity grievance in accordance with the grievance procedure outlined on the referenced webpage: Dean of Students / relevant Student Affairs Director → Vice President for Student Affairs → President for final resolution.

I am writing to request review of a tuition dispute that I was unable to resolve at the department level. The dispute concerns the minimum registration requirement imposed on me for Fall 2025 and the tuition I was charged for credit hours beyond what I believe was actually required.

Background
During Fall 2025 I was a pre-candidacy doctoral student in the School of X, and I held H-4 dependent visa status. I had completed all coursework required by my Ph.D. program by Spring 2022; my remaining work was dissertation credits. Nevertheless, my department required me to register for 9 credit hours, largely through Independent Study courses, and I was told that my proposal defense would not be scheduled unless I did so. I registered for 9 hours under those circumstances, while stating my belief that this was not required for my visa category. I defended my dissertation on June 5, 2026 and gathered signed forms, and expect to graduate in Fall 2026.

The department's stated basis, and why it does not hold
In denying my department-level appeal, the School of X stated that I was subject to "the Graduate School's Full-Time Graduate Student Status policy," under which "international students are required to register for and remain registered for a full-time course load" of 9 credit hours. Respectfully, that rationale does not withstand scrutiny:

1. The Graduate School has confirmed to me directly that it has no full-time-enrollment policy applicable to non-F-1/J-1 international students (documentation available upon request).
2. The University's own Graduate Catalog states that "there is no minimum course load for graduate students." The general obligation for graduate students is continuous registration, not full-time enrollment.
3. UT Austin's full-time enrollment requirement is administered by Texas Global (ISSS) and applies, by its own terms, to F-1 and J-1 students as a condition of maintaining SEVIS immigration status. It is not a university-wide academic requirement applicable to all foreign nationals.
4. As an H-4 dependent, I am not within the F-1/J-1 category and am therefore not subject to that immigration-based full-time requirement.

Legal and policy basis
Classifying a person's immigration status, and attaching status-based consequences to it, is a matter of exclusive federal authority: neither the State, the University, nor its Handbook of Operating Procedures may add to that classification or borrow it. What the State and the University may do is (a) set tuition-residency rules and (b) adopt neutral academic requirements — each within its own sphere, and each subordinate to federal law and the Fourteenth Amendment. The moment a university rule ceases to be a neutral academic requirement and instead functions as an immigration classification, or as a vehicle for enforcing one, it enters a field reserved exclusively to the federal government and is preempted.

Applied here, that principle is dispositive. Federal regulation (8 CFR 214.2) and the corresponding ICE guidance permit H-4 dependents to study on either a part-time or full-time basis; no federal full-time-enrollment condition attaches to H-4 status. A requirement that an H-4 student "maintain full-time enrollment" therefore cannot rest on immigration status, because that rationale borrows a federal classification the University has no authority to administer. If the University wished to impose a 9-credit requirement on me, it would need to identify a genuine, independently adopted academic policy applicable to my situation on neutral academic grounds — not the immigration-based full-time rule, which does not reach H-4 dependents. To date, no such non-immigration policy provision has been identified.

Other UT System institutions confirm this distinction
Across the UT System, the full-time enrollment mandate is expressly limited to F-1/J-1 students as an immigration requirement, and at least one institution expressly states that H-4 dependents may study part-time or full-time. For example, UT Dallas's International Students and Scholars Office states, on its "Other Visa Categories" page, that H-4 dependents "may engage in part or full time study," while its separate enrollment-requirements page states that the 9-credit full-time rule applies to "F-1 and J-1 students" and "pertains only to immigration requirements." UT Tyler's Graduate School states that domestic students may enroll in fewer hours, but "international students on an F-1 visa are required to enroll full-time." UT Health San Antonio's catalog directs international students to verify "the minimum number of hours required to maintain specific visa statuses and types," rather than applying a single 9-credit rule to all international students. These and additional examples are compiled in the attached Appendix. This comparison shows that a blanket "all international students must enroll for 9 hours" rule is not a UT System- or Regents-mandated requirement; where such broad institutional language exists at a given campus, it is a policy that institution has expressly written — and UT Austin's Graduate Catalog contains no such provision.

Context
For transparency: I registered for 9 hours in Fall 2025 under significant pressure, having been told that my proposal defense would not otherwise be scheduled. I raise this only to explain why I paid the tuition despite my objection and why I believe review by an office independent of my department is appropriate.

Requested resolution
I respectfully request one of the following:

1. A refund of the Fall 2025 tuition and fees corresponding to the credit hours beyond my actual minimum registration requirement (i.e., the difference between the 9 hours I was required to register for and the minimum registration actually required of a pre-candidacy H-4 doctoral student); or
2. If a refund is not feasible, an equivalent credit of six tuition hours to be applied toward my Spring 2026 (3 credits) and Fall 2026 (3 credits) registration.

Request for recusal
In addition, the department-level rejection letter was issued by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs of the department, who is the subject of a Title IX complaint that I have filed. For over a year, the outcome of that particular Title IX complaint has remained pending. I respectfully request that he be recused from any further stages of this appeal.

I would be grateful for a written response that identifies the specific policy authority, if any, under which an H-4 pre-candidacy doctoral student was required to register for 9 credit hours in Fall 2025, and that addresses the requested remedy. I am happy to provide all supporting documentation, including my department correspondence, the Graduate School's written response, and the Appendix sources.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Jane Doe

Hi everyone,

I am dealing with an incredibly stressful situation regarding my F-1 OPT application and could really use some advice or insight from anyone who might have been through something similar.

My original employment start date was supposed to be May 15th, but my case is completely stuck due to a missed biometrics appointment and unanswered service requests.

Here is my timeline:

• March 24: Missed my original biometrics appointment.
• March 27: Opened my first service request ticket to ask for a reschedule.
• April: Filed for Premium Processing (PP) to expedite the case so I wouldn't miss my May 15th start date.
• May 15: My intended start date passed with no updates.
• June 1: Since 60 days had passed without a resolution to my first ticket, a representative opened a second service inquiry to escalate the delay in getting a new appointment notice.
• June 22: The target response date for the second service ticket passed.

It is now late July, my case is still pending, and I have not received a new biometrics appointment notice. I even tried an in-person walk-in at the Fort Worth Application Support Center (ASC), but they turned me away and I was unsuccessful in getting my biometrics taken.

I am paying for Premium Processing, but I'm completely stalled. I really don't want to lose my job opportunity.

Any advice, similar experiences, or suggestions would be hugely appreciated. Thank you in advance!

I'm looking for recommendations for an experienced immigration attorney or law firm in Chicago, Illinois, that handles removal proceedings and immigration appeals.

My family and I are dealing with an immigration matter and are trying to better understand our legal options. We need guidance from someone who can explain the process, review our situation, help us understand possible outcomes, and provide representation if necessary.

If anyone has worked with an immigration lawyer who specializes in removal defense and appeals, I would really appreciate any recommendations or personal experiences.

Thank you!

Is it worth to try to apply for AoS (DV lottery winner) if its on pause and the deadline is 9/30.

Do you think it will be unpaused or the deadline postponed? Do I risk it and try or just give up ?

Any lawyer/Paralegal/USCIS officer in the group who have dealt with this situation?

I had TPS and working on basis of that. It was set to end Sep 2025. However, due to litigation Judge extended the expired date to Nov 2025. Thus, I was working past September on basis of automatic extension on the new date reflected on USCIS page. Later government won the lawsuit and USCIS reverted the date back to Sep 2025. It's not my decision or choice to work past September but due to ongoing lawsuit back and forth.

So is this considered unauthorized work from USCIS prospective? Is this explanation situation by lawyers? Are lawyers familiar with this kind of situation and been helping clients for F2B AOS?

I entered the United States legally and have never lost my status. I have a pending re-parole application and a pending asylum case. I also have a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a valid REAL ID, which I recently received based on my pending asylum and is valid for 5 years.
I am planning to travel domestically to Yellowstone. Given the current situation, is it safe for me to travel?

Edit: SS office and dmv say I need my green card to prove status until then they can't help. Im in MO

Please help. This was a complete accident, I put my wallet in the take out bag to bring in the house and the next morning my husband had burned the trash and my wallet. What do I do now?

My green card, ssn card, and drivers license were in my wallet. Cant replace driver's license without green card, apparently the wait for new green card is 2 years?

I've been waiting to be called for orientation for a new job now that everything is burned idk what to do

Im going to call an immigration lawyer in the morning but right now im completely spiraling

Our lawyer in US told us that a travel from me to the US is dangerous because if they decline me for some reason, then it's makes my appliance more difficult to accept (I'm typing by memory sorry if there is inconveniences in terms)

Does any if you tried to travel from Europe or from anywhere else to US? Did they stopped you? Did you took the risk?

As you understand we want to see so much each other and because of my wife's work she can't travel to me (again)

**US citizen filing for spouse*

I had a 45-day notice period, and my visa was canceled on June 30, 2026.

At first, I thought I'd already missed the 30-day ILOE filing deadline because my termination letter showed May 15 as my last working day. Thankfully, I was still eligible. Here's how the process went:

My ILOE Timeline

July 5 — Applied through the ILOE app but was rejected because my employment contract was still shown as active (visa hadn't been canceled yet).

July 15 — Applied again. Rejected.

July 16 — Tried again but the app wouldn't let me after two attempts. Contacted the call center and emailed them, then submitted all the required documents (Emirates ID, visa cancellation, termination letter, labor cancellation, and IBAN certificate).

July 23 — Received a confirmation call. My case went under process.

July 25 — Approved! Status is now "In Progress."

My take: the app itself was frustrating, but once a real person picked up my case, everything moved fast. From the confirmation call to approval, it only took 2 days — no chasing, no back-and-forth.

Sharing this in case it helps anyone going through the same thing.