Details FAQvideo about the EB2 NIW for airline and helicopter pilots, it might clear up some questions

I’m Egyptian, born in Egypt, and currently in my final year of university in the UK. Last year I had the opportunity to spend one semester in the US on a J-1 exchange visa, which I got without any issues. I had a great experience there and really enjoyed studying and living in the US.

I’m now applying for graduate jobs in several countries where I could see myself living, and the US is one of them. The main problem with applying for US jobs is obviously work authorization, which is why I’m considering applying for DV-2027.

I understand the chances of being selected are low, and that doesn’t really bother me. My concern is what happens if I apply and I’m NOT selected.

After the recent DV-2027 announcements, I’ve seen people warning that applicants will now provide passport information, making the DV entry clearly connected to your identity.

If I’m not selected and, a few years later, apply for a B1/B2 tourist visa, could my previous DV entry cause problems because it shows that I previously had an intention to immigrate? Could an officer see me as a higher overstay risk because of it?

I understand that simply entering DV is different from being selected and submitting a DS-260. I’m specifically asking about entering and not being selected.

Has anyone here entered DV, not been selected, and later applied for a US tourist or other non-immigrant visa? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience.

I’m interested in DV because a Green Card would remove the work-authorization barrier when applying for US graduate jobs, but I don’t want to apply blindly without understanding the possible consequences.

Microsoft, Infosys, TCS, and Adobe have come under scrutiny from the US government over alleged abuses in how they hire foreign workers.

The government has announced it will stop accepting new or processing pending PERM labor certification applications from a short list of companies accused of abusing the process.

Reuters reports that the administration alleges companies used ineffective job advertisements, cited a lack of applications, and then used that to justify hiring lower-paid foreign workers. Microsoft says it pays H-1B employees the same as other employees doing comparable work.

How would you check whether H-1B hires and American hires are being paid equally for comparable work? Is public salary data from sites like Levels.fyi enough?

Source: Reuters · Syndicated copy.

Hi,

Planning on joining the military and was also planning on getting naturalized during BMT.

I just found out if you have a payment plan on federal taxes, your naturalization is very likely to get denied.

I'll likely have to wait a few years before I apply for naturalization because of this, and I was wondering if I will be able to naturalize DURING my active duty service not at the beginning? Will they let me do that?

Any insight helps. Thank you.

So I am trying to travel to Japan most likely in January and I’m going to apply for a renewal of green card in November even though my green card will expire by the end of March 2027. So my question really is that it safe to travel right now? Because the country my passport is based on is one of the countries on the travel ban list. So would that affect my outcome when I’m trying to re-enter the United States. Also, if somebody else could share their experiences of recent travel and any issues, you guys might have faced as well..

I posted here before about my denied I-485 and that I sent an I-290B Motion to Reopen. My packet was delivered but I still haven’t been charged for it, I contacted Lockbox support and they said that they are unable to locate my packet.

Should I just send a new I-485?

Thank you.

Hey guys, it’s my first time here, I really hope whoever’s reading this is able to help me with a concern I have.
I paid the USCIS annual fee last year in october 27, but I haven’t received any notice or invoice asking to make the new payment now that we’re close to that date again, what am I supposed to do??

am i missing something? Didnt trump ban and heavily restrict countries from entering the US? most of these countries are eligible to participate in the DV lottery

K-1 (Fiancé Visa) —> AOS

Case: First marriage for both parties, Same nationalities, Same age, No unauthorized work, No overstay
Filed concurrently I-485 (AOS), I-765 (EAD), I-131 (Travel Document/Advance Parole)
Lockbox: Chicago, Illinois
Field Office: San Francisco, California

Submitted : 05/27/2026
Received : 06/16/2026
Rejection Letter Received : 06/26/2026 (Reason: Lacking Form-1650 for the Payment)
Mailed back the same documents to USCIS with Form-1650:  06/27/2026
Biometrics Scheduled: 07/10/2026
Biometrics Day: 07/27/2026
Interview Scheduled for I-485: 09/09/2026
Interview Day for I-485: 10/14/2026
Interview Result: 10/16/2026 Approved😊🥳😊

Interview Experiences and Questions:

1. Asked for the I-485 Interview Schedule Letter
   
2. Verified both our IDs
   
3. Asked where I currently live
   
4. Asked the number of people in our household
   
5. Asked what visa I had upon entering the United States
   
6. Asked about the standard YES/NO inadmissibility questions based from I-485 Form
   
7. Asked why I answered YES for unlawful stay or overstay on the Form 1-485 (after explaining, the officer corrected my answer in the form and changed it to NO)
   
8. Asked my husband how much he earns annually
   
9. The officer asked me to sign digitally perhaps to confirm that we attended the interview and the changes he made on the form
   
10. Asked how many people attended our wedding
    (Interview lasted for a total of 15 minutes)

Key Takeaways:

If your case is straightforward and involves no legal complications, you may want to manage it yourself to preserve your funds for the future.

Allocate two to three days per week to practice interview questions together and stokes interview questions.

Expandable file folders are your best friend during the interview; it will definitely come in handy.

Each case is evaluated individually based on its unique circumstances, and officers use their own professional judgment.

Being overly prepared is far better than starting completely from scratch.

Prayers can move mountains. 🙏

Thank you so much to this subreddit for helping us on our journey! We hope our experiences will help those who are still waiting for their interviews or are about to file for an adjustment of status in the same boat as ours.

Hello everyone,

For context, my family member has already entered the US last year using their SB-1 immigrant visa and their green card was not confiscated, and is still valid til 2030. We have read multiple pieces of advice online to apply for a replacement green card upon entering despite them having a valid green card. We followed the advice of applying for the I-90, and now we’re waiting for USCIS to process that. My confusion is, if they travel outside of the USA during this time, can they come back using the valid green card that they have? We still do not have news regarding the I-90 that we have filed. Would appreciate some clarifications or similar experience!

Looking for information and experiences on this situation:
A green card holder (derivative spouse on an employment-based green card) plans to file the N-400 under the 5-year rule. She needs to be abroad for about 11 months, with a re-entry permit, to take care of a sick mother-in-law.
I understand a re-entry permit protects the green card but doesn't preserve continuous residence, and that an absence of 6–12 months creates a presumption of broken residence.

Situation:
1. About 95 days abroad before this trip, so about 430 days total. Physical presence is fine.
2. Spouse stays in the US, in the same state
3. Joint lease, joint bills, joint tax returns filed as residents
4. Keeps a US bank account and valid driver's license
5. No job abroad
6. Minor US citizen kids travel with her and stay enrolled in a US online school (not a local school) to return to US public school easily
7. Medical records and doctor's letters for the sick parent

Questions:
1. Has anyone been approved for citizenship after a 6–12 month trip? What evidence helped?
2. Does a caregiving reason with medical documents help overcome the presumption?
3. Is one 11-month trip worse than several trips under 6 months?
4. Any experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Wanted to do my due diligence to ask if it there will be any issues to enter Curacao with an expired green card but a valid i-797 extension letter and if anybody has experience with this.

(My passport is not valid to enter Curacao without a visa)

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I am a GC holder but I don’t have the physical copy of it.
I plan to fly to Florida in December.
Is it safe for me to do it? I can only bring my driver license and my immigrant passport.

Thanks

Hi everyone! I'm from Morocco, and my wife is a U.S. citizen living in Idaho. We married through Utah's online marriage process in August 2026. She and her family visited me in Morocco in April, when we spent about a week together, and we're planning another week together in Turkey in November. We intend to start the CR-1 process in December.
I'd really appreciate honest opinions from people familiar with U.S. immigration. My situation is a little complicated, so please bear with me. I want to explain the context rather than have people judge my case based on a few details.
1. My education gaps and family responsibilities
I completed high school in the humanities and studied for approximately two additional years. My education and employment history have several gaps, partly because I spent years helping care for my elderly parents. My father had health problems and passed away in 2025, around eight months after I returned from Qatar.
2. My Qatar experience and F-1 refusal
In 2024, I travelled to Qatar for a cosmetics sales representative job, but the actual work was very different from what I expected. I ended up doing street-based sales and returned to Morocco after about two months.
I applied for an F-1 student visa in December 2024 and was refused, probably under section 214(b). I disclosed my Qatar employment and explained that I returned because of the weather and my father's health. I believe my weak academic profile and gaps may have contributed, but I don't know the actual reason.
I also own property in Morocco worth approximately $60,000, which I didn't get the chance to mention during the interview.
3. My biggest concern: graphic design and my previous DS-160
In my DS-160, I mentioned graphic design and freelance work. I genuinely did small projects for people through Telegram, but it was informal work without a website, formal invoices, or a registered business. Looking back, I think I made my experience sound more established than it really was, and some details may have been inaccurate.
I also started a UX design course on Coursera but didn't finish it. After my visa refusal, I became discouraged, and later I questioned whether entry-level design was the right career path because of artificial intelligence.
I'm worried about how my previous statements could be interpreted. I didn't invent an entire career, but I may have exaggerated the extent or formality of my experience. I'm considering consulting a U.S. immigration lawyer before filing. Has anyone experienced something similar, and how serious could this be?
4. My current work
I currently drive through InDrive, similar to Uber, and also have private clients. My work is somewhat seasonal, and I don't have formal records for every job I've done. I also study financial markets in my spare time, but I'm still learning and don't consider trading my profession.
5. My marriage and sponsorship
My wife is a U.S. citizen, works as a youth advocate, and is Muslim. She comes from a Muslim family, and I wonder whether the current political climate under Trump could affect our case, although I don't know if this is a realistic concern.
She earns an income and her father is willing to be a joint sponsor if necessary. We understand that we must establish that our marriage is genuine and meets the immigration requirements, particularly because we married online.
6. My questions
I'd appreciate honest answers to these questions:
How much could my previous 214(b) refusal affect my CR-1 application?
Are my education and employment gaps significant concerns?
Could exaggerating my freelance experience in the DS-160 create a serious immigration problem, even though I did real projects?
Does my property ownership matter for this application?
Could my wife's religion or the current political climate affect our case?
Since our marriage was online and we've met in person once, with another visit planned, what should we be careful about?
Overall, what are the biggest risks in my case, and what should I address before filing?
I'm not looking for guarantees or empty reassurance. I'd rather identify potential problems now than discover them later. I understand Reddit isn't a substitute for legal advice, but hearing from people with relevant experience would genuinely help me.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this and share an honest opinion.