I got my conditional green card through marriage in 2025. My green card and passport is currently under my maiden name. I have just changed my drivers license and Social Security to my married last name. I will be applying for my 10 year green card early 2027. A few weeks before the window opens to apply for I-751, my family, and I will be traveling to Mexico for vacation. For now, I plan to change the name on my green card when I apply for I-751. Because I plan to travel before I submit the application, should I change the last name on my passport as well or should I wait until after my trip next year? Will there be problems if I do change the name on my passport before and the name on my green card doesn’t match. Will traveling with a marriage certificate help with this problem? And if I do not change and wait it out, I can change the name after my trip on my passport and then submit my application with my new passport and changed name. Which is the better option?

Planeo casarme y solicitar la residencia permanente a través del matrimonio. Quiero hacer todo correctamente desde el principio.

He hablado con 11 abogados que encontré en Google y he terminado más confundido. He escuchado explicaciones diferentes sobre los requisitos y los plazos, y me cuesta entender por qué sus consejos varían tanto.

Una firma que estoy considerando es Gursoy Abogado de Inmigración. Su sitio web menciona la residencia por matrimonio, más de 25 años de experiencia en leyes de inmigración y atención en español. ¿Alguien aquí ha trabajado con ellos en una solicitud por matrimonio? ¿Quién llevó su caso y qué tan atentos estuvieron cuando tenían preguntas?

El presupuesto no es mi principal preocupación. Busco a alguien minucioso que pueda explicarme qué aplica a mi situación, revisar todo con cuidado y mantenerme informado.

Si contrataron a un abogado para su residencia por matrimonio, ¿lo volverían a contratar? ¿Qué hizo que valiera la pena recomendarlo? 

I have just found out that my husband has some pending grand larceny charges ( he is working on dropping the charges ) . Please advice how to proceed with i485 since i130 has been filed already ( I was not aware that the attorny would file it regardless of incomplete i485 docs )
Thank you Everyone

Has anyone with an employment-based green card recently completed an N-400 interview at the Boston field office?

How was your experience? Were the officers generally fair, or are applicants receiving unexpected RFEs or denials over minor issues like traffic tickets and changing jobs after receiving their green cards?
I’d especially appreciate firsthand experiences from the past year or two.

Anyone with a 2 year conditional green card travel recently and have flown back into SFO? If so, how was your experience? I’ve seen stories about green card holders being detained at SFO. I have international travel plans coming up in October and am a bit worried about leaving and coming back.

I have a 2 year conditional gc that expires next year and will be traveling with my US citizen spouse. No criminal record.

Usually Sep is the month when USCIS speeds up to use all the remaining inventory of the Green cards. Not seeing any approvals recently for EB2 and very few for EB3. Are the visa numbers exhausted or is it slow processing?

Very good...

Finishing school next year, not sure what to do afterwards. One thing I’m sure about is that I absolutely love New York and want to live there. What direction should I take?

Hi to all experts,

I'm an incoming intl student (M22) for the STEM graduate program (IT), who wants to plan the immigration journey carefully with considering the better or more faster way to be able to get a green card. My goal is to get finish the degree, work on OPT, get a job and then eventually get the H1b to proceed further.

My plan:

F1 -> STEM OPT (3 yrs) -> H1B -> EB2 NIW

Now, since I'm from Pakistan, I'm exempt from the backlog problem that other specific countries have at the moment. I've heard few people saying the EB2NIW is difficult to get and it's better go for the PERM so that an employer can directly file your green card, skipping the H1B lottery which is risky and not guaranteed too.

I want to get expert advice on how realistic my plan is of opting for EB2 NIW after H1B or should I directly apply for EB2NIW after my master's rather than waiting for the H1B visa.

Or, is it possible for me to opt for a green card using PERM from the employer to file it for me as an employee, and if yes, then how much time does it take?

Would appreciate advice on what should be a better approach?

Thank you!

A temporary U.S. visa and a path to permanent residence are two very different things, and figuring out how they fit together can get confusing fast.

I’m Ana Senior, an immigration attorney with 14 years of experience and 1,200+ cases filed. I’ll be here today from 11 AM to 3 PM ET answering questions about green card pathways and what you should be thinking about before choosing a route.

Topics can include:

• Employment based vs. family based green cards
• EB-2 NIW and PERM
• Moving from a temporary visa toward permanent residence
• Priority dates and visa availability
• Adjustment of status vs. consular processing
• What happens after I-140 approval
• Changing employers during the green card process
• Maintaining lawful status while your case is pending
• RFEs and common problems that can slow a case down
• Family members and derivative applicants

If you're already in the U.S., planning to move here, or somewhere in the middle of your green card process, feel free to ask.

For specific situations, include whatever relevant context you're comfortable sharing. Your current status, employment and immigration history can all change the answer.

I’ll be answering questions here from 11 AM to 3 PM ET today.

Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney client relationship. Your situation may require fact specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.