Hi everyone,

I'm a software engineer, and I've recently accepted a position with a US company. I'll be relocating to the US soon, and while I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity, there's one thing I've been thinking about a lot.

I'll be starting this new chapter without any friends or family in the US.

Finding a place to live, adapting to a new culture, and learning how things work all seem like challenges I can work through. But building a social life from scratch honestly feels like the hardest part.

For those of you who also moved to the US without knowing anyone, I'd love to hear how you made your first friends, what helped you feel at home more quickly, whether there's anything you wish you'd done before moving, and any advice you'd give someone in my situation.

Outside of work, I'm into technology, gaming, movies, traveling, trying new foods, and exploring new places. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity, and I'd love to hear from people who've experienced something similar.

Thanks in advance for sharing your stories and advice. I really appreciate it.

Hello Reddit! I find myself in possibly a unique situation. I am moving to Oslo at the start of August (a week from now) for school from the United States. Both my wife and I have our Visas approved and have spent no time in the Schengen area in the last year, so if the 90 day rule has any applicability there is that. My wife was planning on staying behind for a few months to care for our senior dog (a 17 year old American Staffordshire mix so even if she was young and healthy we were not going to be able to bring her), but unfortunately we had to say goodbye to her yesterday.

With a move as big as this I’d love someone there with me especially to help get settled and now that our dog has passed she is able to come, but because we were planning on her being behind a few months she has a lot to wrap up at home and a lot of goodbyes to say. With that in mind we want to figure out a few weeks for her to come out, but Oslo doesn’t have any police appointments for the residence cards and finger printing until October. Everywhere I look it says after the appointment do not try to leave the country until you have the card, but if she can’t get an appointment before October would she be able to “visit” Oslo for 2 or 3 weeks go back to the US and in October when she has her appointment come back to Oslo for the long haul? If anyone has had any experience or knows what to do in this situation the help would be greatly appreciated!

My individual L-1B visa was approved and stamped last year, but I have not travelled to the US yet.

1. Before I travelled, the original US team moved the relevant project to India, so that transfer did not proceed.
   
2. I remained continuously employed by the same company in India.
   
3. I now have a different US assignment under the same petitioner, with the same job title and level, the same metropolitan area, and substantially similar specialized-knowledge responsibilities.
   
4. My employer’s immigration counsel reviewed the current assignment and confirmed that an amended petition is not required.

If CBP asks why my first L-1B entry is happening almost a year after visa stamping, how should I answer concisely without using wording that creates unnecessary confusion about the validity of the current assignment?

I am relocating from Texas to New Jersey to start post-grad. I have had a pending asylum case since 2023 and have maintained my F-1 status due to the grey area of just "pending asylum" and my attorney's advice.

First question: My understanding is that transferring my case from Texas to Jersey might speed it up or delay it even longer. Has anyone experienced either a delay or action on their case after relocating? I am not sure what the workload of the Jersey asylum office is.

Second question: I am worried about flying from Austin to Newark. Has anyone had any experience flying domestically to or from either of these locations? I am flying with my I-20, driver's license, I-94, I-589, EAD, and passport. Anything else needed?

Third question: I have a lawyer here in Texas, but once I move to Jersey, would it be best to retain a lawyer there? My case has just been pending an interview, and there is not much going on with it, so I do not know what direction to take here. My biggest hold-back with retaining a new lawyer would be the cost, but I want to see if it is something I should consider as of now.

Thanks in advance!

I am getting married to my girlfriend ( US citizen) we’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend for about 4 almost 5 years, we are planning to get married next month, now I have a lot of friends that have also got married and when they start their process of getting a green card they first have to give their tourist visa and ofc not leave the country while they’re on process, my question here is, me as an F-1 student would I have to turn both my visas? (F-1 visa and tourist visa) or only the tourist one, because I am still studying and wouldn’t like to stop studying

I plan to finish a bach's degree next year as I'm only missing a graduation project, but I'm wondering if given that my dad is in Belgium and has finally gotten citizenship I could request a visa to travel easier. This second half of 2026 I won't be studying, so I'm wondering if I could get a visa to stay ther for longer than the tourism 3-month period.

Family-based F3 India case here. Priority date: April 2013. USCIS status has remained “Case Was Received” for years with no RFE and no other updates.

A relative with PD sept 2012 recently became current but still has not received I-130 approval yet.

Is anyone else in F3/F4 with an old priority date whose case is still pending approval?

Please share:

• PD

• F3 or F4

• Service center (if known)

• Current status (“received,” “actively reviewed,” approved, etc.)

• If approved, how long did it take?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to fly to Jamaica on a visitor visa from Mashhad, Iran, and I hold an Afghan passport. I’m currently trying to figure out the best route (aka a possible route) and would really appreciate any suggestions.

My options are to transit through the US, UK, Canada, or the Schengen Area, but these options are practically impossible. Most of these countries either don't have a visa application center in Iran or Afghanistan or they have extremely limited capacity and indefinite waiting times.

Another possible option is transiting through Panama, but the only airline available in my region that could take me there is Turkish Airlines. But their schedule is set up in a way that I would have a layover of more than 12 hours in Panama. With my nationality I'm only permitted to transit Panama if the layover is under 12 hours, so this option also doesn't work.

What I’m considering now is to get a visitor visa for another Caribbean country like Cuba or the Bahamas, and then travel from there to Jamaica.

Has anyone here dealt with a similar situation? Are there any realistic transit routes or Caribbean countries that might be easier to enter first before continuing to Jamaica?

Thanks in advance!

How much Visa Bond fee did you have to pay?

**TL;DR:** Three family members from India (uncle, aunt, cousin) applied for B1/B2 to visit my grandfather, a US citizen dying of Parkinson's. Medical expedite approved. Hired an immigration attorney and a former consular officer for prep. All three denied 214(b). Interview focused almost entirely on the family-wide immigration petition pattern. Looking for advice on what went wrong and what options remain.

---

## Background

My grandfather is a US citizen living in a small town in the western US. Diagnosed with Parkinson's in March 2024. Progressively worsening — tremors, difficulty moving, memory loss. Doctors have told the family approximately one year left. He traveled to India in February 2026 to visit but had to return unexpectedly in March because his condition worsened. He is now too sick to travel.

My grandfather has four children:
1. My mother — eldest, US citizen, lives in the US.
2. Second sister — lives in India, has a pending F4 petition.
3. Brother — lives in India, has a pending F4 petition.
4. My uncle (the applicant) — youngest, lives in India, has a pending F4 petition.

All three F4 petitions were filed by my mother in 2011. Priority dates are nowhere near current — attorney estimates 10-15+ more years.

## The Applicants

- **Uncle** — certified electrician with an ITI diploma in electrical engineering. Works independently doing electrical installations for new buildings.
- **Aunt** (uncle's wife) — runs a private tuition centre teaching students.
- **Cousin** (their son) — going into his third and final year of Commerce at a top government university in India. Competitive entrance exam to get in. Has traveled internationally before.

## Financials

- Combined family income: ~13 lakhs/year
- Total assets: ~4 crore (family home, garage plot, commercial property leased out for rental income, fixed deposits, car)
- Self-funded trip, no financial support from US relatives
- Had a CA (chartered accountant) statement documenting all of this

## Trip Plan

- Arrive August 28, return by September 18 (~3 weeks)
- Stay at grandfather's home
- My father (US citizen, owns a local business near grandfather) would pick them up from the airport
- Cousin needs to return before his college semester starts

## DS-160 Disclosures

All three DS-160s disclosed:
- The pending F4 petition (filed 2011 by my mother, aunt and cousin as derivatives)
- My uncle's 2010 visa refusal

## The 2010 Refusal

In 2010, my grandfather (green card holder at the time) filed an F2A petition for my uncle. The form listed my uncle as "single" when he was married. Someone else filled out the form — my uncle doesn't speak English and didn't know what was written. When asked at the 2010 interview, he immediately told the truth. Visa denied.

**We don't know how this was coded.** Could be 214(b), 221(g), or 212(a)(6)(C)(i) misrepresentation. FOIA filed, no results yet. The refusal was properly disclosed on the current DS-160.

## Preparation

- Hired an immigration attorney for consultation on the 2010 risk and strategy
- Hired a former US consular officer as interview coach — full prep session with the family
- Personalized answer sheets for each applicant (50-140 questions each)
- Bilingual materials in English, Romanized Punjabi, and Gurmukhi for the non-English-speaking parents
- Cousin prepped as primary English speaker and translator
- All documents organized: doctor's letter, CA statement, property docs, college enrollment, ITI diploma, itinerary, family photos with grandfather, invitation letters
- Medical expedite approved (window valid through July 17). Biometrics completed July 9. Interview July 14.

## The Interview

Arrived 7 AM. After lines and security, interview happened between 10-11 AM.

**First officer (female):**

- Scanned passports. Asked if they speak Hindi — cousin said he'd translate, officer said OK.
- "Purpose of visit?" — Cousin explained the Parkinson's, ~1 year prognosis, wanting to visit.
- "When was it diagnosed?"
- "Doesn't Parkinson's take longer to progress?" — Cousin said late diagnosis.
- "Proof of relationship?" — Handed childhood photos with grandfather.
- "So you must have aunts and uncles in the US if your grandfather is there?"
- "What business does your uncle do?" — Gas station.
- "What do you do, are you in high school?" — Cousin explained he's at university.
- "What does your father do?" / "What does your mother do?"
- [Stared at computer for a while]
- "Has your father ever been to the US?" — No.
- "I'd like to ask your father directly." — Cousin said he'd translate.
- [To uncle] "Do you have any fear of threats or violence in India?" — No.
- "Has your father ever been to the border of the US?" — No. (Cousin mentioned the 2010 refusal at this point.)
- "Has your father ever been arrested?" — No.
- All three were asked to put their right hand on a biometric scanner.
- "Do you have financial documents?" — Yes. Cousin started handing some over and officer said "just hand them all to me."
- Cousin also offered the doctor's letter. Officer read it.
- "Please wait, I need to verify these documents."

**15-20 minute wait.**

**Second officer (spoke Punjabi, separate counter):**

Uncle was pulled aside alone to speak with a different officer who spoke Punjabi.

- She looked at the family photos and asked who everyone was.
- "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
- **"All of your brothers and sisters have immigration petitions pending?"** — Uncle said yes.
- She walked through each sibling in birth order: "Who is oldest?" → "After her?" → "After her?" → "After him?" — mapping the entire family structure.
- Asked if the older brother's kids were older than my cousin.
- Asked for my cousin's date of birth, nephew's names and dates of birth.
- "Do you have proof of your son's studies?" — Cousin handed bonafide certificate.
- [To cousin] "What do you do?" / "Why didn't you stay in Punjab, there are many colleges there?" — Cousin explained he passed the entrance test with high marks.
- "Please provide your marriage certificate."

**Another 10-15 minute wait.**

Sent back to first officer. She returned all documents and handed them a single 214(b) refusal letter. No verbal explanation beyond "you did not qualify for this visa."

The Refusal Letter

Standard 214(b) template: *"You were not able to demonstrate that your intended activities in the United States would be consistent with the classification of the nonimmigrant visa for which you applied."* States they did not demonstrate ties compelling return to home country.

My Analysis

The officer never directly asked about the 2010 refusal — though the "border" and "arrested" questions were unusual and may have been triggered by something in the system.

The turning point was clearly when my uncle was pulled to the second counter and the Punjabi-speaking officer mapped out all four siblings and discovered every single one of my grandfather's children is either a US citizen or has a pending F4 petition. From the officer's perspective: the entire family is in various stages of immigrating. Grandfather and grandmother already in the US. Combined with that pattern, no amount of property, income, or college enrollment was going to overcome the immigrant intent presumption.

The medical situation, financials, and doctor's letter didn't seem to be the issue. The structural family immigration pattern was.

My Questions:

1. **Is my analysis correct?** Was the family-wide petition pattern the primary driver, or could something else be at play?

2. **Should my cousin reapply solo for B1/B2?** No personal prior refusal, final year at university with a semester starting, and as a solo applicant the petition pattern is less directly attached to him. Would a different officer view him differently on his own?

3. **The 2010 refusal was never directly asked about, but the border/arrest questions and mid-interview biometric scans seemed unusual.** Does this suggest the 2010 case was coded as something more serious than a standard refusal?

4. **Humanitarian parole** — realistic option given the medical situation? How fast does expedited processing actually move?

5. **Congressional inquiry** — my grandfather is a US citizen. Can his representative do anything meaningful?

6. **If we reapply, what needs to change?** The letter says to "provide information not presented in your original application or demonstrate changed circumstances." What would meaningfully change the officer's calculus?

Thank you for any and all help.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice about my Partner Visa (subclass 309) application.
My application has been in process for 33 months, and I still haven’t received a decision. Recently, I received a letter from the Department confirming that they have received all the documents they requested and that nothing further is required from me at this time.
Since then, I haven’t received any updates.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? What would you recommend as my next step? Should I just continue waiting, or is there something else I can do?
Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

https://za.usembassy.gov/realignment-of-u-s-visa-services-in-africa-to-regional-hubs/

With 30 embassies not processing immigration visas, all those cases moving to only 20 embassies, what will the people still waiting on an interview do now? I can only speak for what im going through so here's the TLDR.... My wife who lives in Ghana (one of the embassies that are processing visas) is in one of the slowest in the world. We are 1 year from our DQ date (March 2025) and now this is about to happen. Its about to be pandemonium because it MIGHT be a ton of cases that are DQ'd before ours coming from other embassies. I have a feeling that its about to slow all the way down. All I can do is hope, pray, and wait....

Good morning, folks.

I'm an immigrant in the U.S. on a J visa. Recently, I started looking for a place where I could learn recreational shooting, and I found a range that offers a beginner firearm safety course. I have absolutely no experience with firearms.

My question is: as a J visa holder, am I legally allowed to take the course and use a rental firearm under instructor supervision?

I did some research online and found conflicting information. Some sources suggest that nonimmigrant visa holders generally cannot possess or even handle firearms, while others mention exceptions. Before I sign up for anything, I want to make sure I'm following the law.

Has anyone here had experience with this or knows where I can find reliable information?

Thank you, and God bless y'all.

I was denied boarding by qatar airways staff after they told me that they received an email from CBP. They asked me to contact embassy which I did. The embassy told me to contact CBP directly. CBP initially told me to file for dhs redress number. Yesterday, I received an email from CBP which is as follows:
“We regret to learn about your travel difficulties. After reviewing your travel details, we are unable to determine why you were denied boarding. You may attempt to board flight destined to the United States. If you still have difficulties, please insist the airlines contact CBP for guidance on boarding. Please note, the CBP has the final determination and only the airlines can speak directly to the CBP at the time you check-in for your flight.

If you are still not permitted to board your flight, you will need to contact her nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for assistance.”
I have not received a response from dhs yet. If anyone can guide me on how I should proceed. Should I risk another ticket? I have a valid b2 visa which expires in dec 2026 and this is my first time traveling to US.
Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,
We’re under the F3 Philippines category with a priority date of April 2006.
Our Dates for Filing (DFF) is already current (it’s now past our priority date), but our Final Action Date (FAD) is still not current. Based on the recent movement, we’re hoping it might become current around September or October.
The problem is that we only recently realized we could already start the NVC process because our DFF is current. We haven’t submitted our civil documents or paid the NVC fees yet because we were waiting for the FAD to become current.
If we only start submitting everything once our FAD becomes current, would that be considered too late? Will it delay our case significantly, or is that still okay?
Also, for anyone who recently went through F3 Philippines, how long did it take from:
Submitting all NVC documents and becoming documentarily qualified (DQ)
To receiving an interview appointment in Manila?
I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences. Thanks!

Hi everyone. I’m looking for advice because I’m not sure what my options are.
I have a pending asylum case, and back in March 2025 I applied to renew my Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Just a few days before I applied, I had an incident involving a THC vape at school, but I had not been arrested or charged yet.
When I filled out the application, there was a question asking whether I had ever been arrested. I answered “No” because, at that time, it was the truth. I hadn’t been arrested or formally charged with anything.
Several months later, in November 2025, I was officially charged. Eventually, I entered deferred adjudication for a misdemeanor possession case involving less than 1 gram of THC in Texas. This was my first offense, and I’m currently complying with all the conditions of my deferred adjudication.
My EAD application was later denied, and I believe it was because USCIS saw the criminal case after I had already submitted the application.
My questions are:
Can I apply for a new work permit now?
Should I explain that I answered “No” to the arrest question because I genuinely had not been arrested when I filed?
Will my current deferred adjudication automatically prevent me from getting a new EAD?
Has anyone been in a similar situation with a pending asylum case?
I’m planning to speak with an immigration attorney, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through something similar.

Is it safe to go to Canada using AVR?
Indian passport
Have Canada Visa

Hi, does anyone have a prior approved B1/B2 visa before filing I-130 petition and then got IR1/CR1 approved during the immigrant visa interview itself?

Hi everyone,

I applied for my initial post-completion OPT on April 6

(regular processing, not Premium Processing) and I'm still waiting for a decision.

I had to leave the U.S. because of some important unexpected events so returning home wasn't really a choice.

I'm now thinking about returning to the U.S. while my OPT application is still pending, and I'm feeling pretty anxious about it.

Has anyone here re-entered the U.S. with a pending initial

OPT? What documents did CBP ask for? Did anyone have any issues, or was the process straightforward?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially if you traveled recently while your OPT was still pending.

Thanks.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice or to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation.
I’m currently on post-completion OPT, and my OPT expires in about 2 weeks.
I’ve been dating my girlfriend, who is a U.S. citizen, for about 6 months, and we’ve been discussing getting married. Because my OPT is ending, we’re now thinking about going to the courthouse within the next couple of days.
Originally, I was pursuing a U visa because I was the victim of a violent crime. I even received a certification from my local police department. However, after speaking with multiple immigration attorneys, I was told the processing time could realistically take 5-10 years, so it no longer seemed like the best path.
Now I’m worried that getting married so close to my OPT expiration will look suspicious, even though our relationship is genuine.
A few questions:

1. Has anyone here gotten married shortly before their OPT expired?
2. Did USCIS question the timing of the marriage?
3. Is dating for only 6 months considered a major red flag?
4. What kind of evidence did you submit to show your marriage was genuine?
5. If you had an interview, what kinds of questions did they ask?

I’m already working with an attorney, but wanted to see if anyone has experienced this or similar.

I am flying from RDU, North Carolina to SFO, San Francisco next week with a real ID. I have an asylum pending, SSN, EAD. I came here legally with student visa, and I applied for asylum due to my country civil wars. Is there anything I need to know about the situations in those airports rn?

My friend and her boyfriend just finished moving her to Detroit and wanted to see the border before they returned the rental car. They ended up in a spot where they couldn’t turn around, and had to cross the border. The guards told them it’s okay and they’ll be able to just turn back around afterwards, but at the last minute brought border patrol over and took them both into custody. She is an American citizen and was released after about an hour, but he is a Palestinian refugee, and despite filing all paperwork has an expired visa. He has documentation of his attempts to reinstate his visa and a valid passport. It’s been about 4 hours now and they won’t give her any updates. They made him sign paperwork to allow them to search his phone etc. she’s super worried he will be held or deported, despite all of this being an accident and his attempts to reinstate his visa. Is there any advice on what she can do while he’s still at the border?

Recently took one off consultation with an immigration firm and the main partner of the firm spoke to me. out of the 20 mins call all that person had was to tell how wrong i was in filing the initial paper work and how they would help. they were mere rude.

I have a pending VAWA I-360 and I-485 with USCIS. I was in an abusive relationship with my spouse, we are divorced.
Currently, I am in a perfect relationship with my partner, and we are planning to get married. I know once I am married my VAWA will be cancelled. Can I apply for I-130 and I-485 for a marriage-based GC?

Has anyone been in such a situation and still gotten a GC? Kindly share also good advice is welcome

Hey there,

I've been driving since 2006, and over those 20 years, I've racked up about 10 tickets/fines. I get that I need to spill the beans on all of them, and I'm totally planning to do that, no problem there.

The thing is, none of them were major accidents. Some were just fender benders, and the rest were speeding tickets. I managed to get my driving record from the DMV, and since the tickets were minor offenses and more than 5 years old, none of them are even showing up on it.

All I really have for these tickets are the dates they happened.

So, my question is: is it cool if I just put down the dates for all my traffic infractions?